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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2 Samuel 2
2
David Is Made King of Judah
1Later, David prayed to the Lord. David said, “Should I go up to any of the cities of Judah?”
The Lord said to David, “Go.”
David asked, “Where should I go?”
The Lord answered, “To Hebron.”
2So David went up to Hebron with his two wives. One was Ahinoam from Jezreel. The other was Abigail, the widow of Nabal in Carmel. 3David also brought his men and their families. They all made their homes in the cities of Hebron. 4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron. They appointed David king over Judah.
They told David that the men of Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul. 5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead. They told David’s message to the men in Jabesh: “The Lord bless you. You have shown kindness to your master Saul by burying him. 6May the Lord now be kind and true to you. I will also be kind to you because you have done this. 7Now be strong and brave. Saul your master is dead. The people of Judah have appointed me their king.”
War Between Judah and Israel
8Now Abner son of Ner was the commander of Saul’s army. Abner took Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth to Mahanaim. 9There Abner made him king of Gilead, Ashuri, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel. 10Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth was 40 years old when he became king over Israel. He ruled two years. But the people of Judah followed David. 11David was king in Hebron for seven years and six months.
12Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul left Mahanaim. They went to Gibeon. 13Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men also went there. They met Abner and Ish-Bosheth’s men at the pool of Gibeon. Abner’s group sat on one side of the pool. Joab’s group sat on the other side.
14Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and have a contest here.”
Joab said, “Yes, let them have a contest.”
15Then the young men got up. The two groups counted their men for the contest. Twelve men were chosen from the people of Benjamin for Ish-Bosheth son of Saul. Twelve men were chosen from David’s men. 16Each man grabbed his enemy’s head. Then he stabbed his enemy’s side with a knife. And the men fell down together. So that place in Gibeon is called The Field of the Sharp Knives. 17That day the contest became a terrible battle. And David’s men defeated Abner and the Israelites.
Abner Kills Asahel
18Zeruiah’s three sons, Joab, Abishai and Asahel, were there. Now Asahel was a fast runner. He was as fast as a deer in the field. 19Asahel chased Abner, going straight toward him. 20Abner looked back and asked, “Are you Asahel?”
Asahel said, “Yes, I am.”
21Then Abner said to Asahel, “Turn to your right or left. Catch one of the young men and take his armor.” But Asahel refused to stop chasing him.
22Abner again said to Asahel, “Stop chasing me! If you don’t stop, I’ll have to kill you! Then I won’t be able to face your brother Joab again!”
23But Asahel refused to stop chasing Abner. So Abner used the back end of his spear. He stabbed it into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out of his back. Asahel died right there. Everyone stopped when they came to the place where Asahel’s body lay.
24But Joab and Abishai continued chasing Abner. The sun was going down when they arrived at the hill of Ammah. This is near Giah on the way to the empty land near Gibeon. 25The men of Benjamin came to Abner. They all stood together at the top of the hill.
26Abner shouted to Joab, “Must the sword kill forever? Surely you must know this will only end in sadness! Tell the people to stop chasing their own brothers!”
27Then Joab said, “If you had not said anything, the people would have chased their brothers until morning. This is as sure as God is alive.” 28Then Joab blew a trumpet, and his people stopped chasing the Israelites. They did not try to fight them anymore.
29Abner and his men marched all night through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River. After marching all day, they arrived at Mahanaim.
30Joab came back after he had stopped chasing Abner. Then Joab gathered the people together. Asahel and 19 of David’s men were missing. 31But David’s men had killed 360 Benjaminites who had followed Abner. 32David’s men took Asahel and buried him. They put him in the tomb of his father at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night. The sun came up as they reached Hebron.
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