2 Samuel 2
2
1 After this, David enquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?”
The LORD said to him, “Go up.”
David said, “Where shall I go up?”
He said, “To Hebron.”
2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron. 4The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.” 5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. 6Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
8 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. 14Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!”
Joab said, “Let them arise!” 15Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants. 16They each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.#2:16 “Helkath Hazzurim” means “field of daggers”. 17The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants. 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 19Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”
He answered, “It is.”
21Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armour.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him. 22Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?” 23However, he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. 25The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
27 Joab said, “As God#2:27 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim). lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.” 28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more. 29Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
30 Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing. 31But David’s servants had struck Benjamin Abner’s men so that three hundred and sixty men died. 32They took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.
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II Samuel 2
2
David Anointed King of Judah
1It happened after this that David #2 Sam. 1:19, 25inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?”
And the Lord said to him, “Go up.”
David said, “Where shall I go up?”
And He said, “To #Judg. 1:1; 1 Sam. 23:2, 4, 9; 30:7, 8Hebron.”
2So David went up there, and his #1 Sam. 30:31; 2 Sam. 2:11; 5:1–3; 1 Kin. 2:11two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3And David brought up #1 Sam. 25:42, 43; 30:5the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4#1 Sam. 27:2, 3; 30:1; 1 Chr. 12:1Then the men of Judah came, and there they #1 Sam. 30:26; 2 Sam. 2:11; 5:5; 19:14, 41–43anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, #1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 5:3“The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.” 5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, #1 Sam. 31:11–13“You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. 6And now may #Ruth 2:20; 3:10the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. 7Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
Ishbosheth Made King of Israel
8But #Ex. 34:6; 2 Tim. 1:16, 18Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to #1 Sam. 14:50; 2 Sam. 3:6Mahanaim; 9and he made him king over #Gen. 32:2; Josh. 21:38; 2 Sam. 17:24Gilead, over the #Josh. 22:9Ashurites, over #Judg. 1:32Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. 11And #1 Sam. 29:1the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Israel and Judah at War
12Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to #2 Sam. 5:5; 1 Kin. 2:11Gibeon. 13And #Josh. 10:2–12; 18:25Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by #1 Sam. 26:6; 2 Sam. 8:16; 1 Chr. 2:16; 11:6the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. 14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.”
And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
15So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. 17So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
18Now the #Jer. 41:12three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was #1 Chr. 2:16as fleet of foot #1 Chr. 12:8; Hab. 3:19as a wild gazelle. 19So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
20Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?”
He answered, “I am.”
21And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?” 23However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him #Ps. 18:33in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood #2 Sam. 3:27; 4:6; 20:10still.
24Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon. 25Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”
27And Joab said, “As God lives, unless #2 Sam. 20:12you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.” 28So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore. 29Then Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.
30So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel. 31But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died. 32Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb, which was in #2 Sam. 2:14Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.