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, King of Judah
1Some time later, David inquired of the Lord:#1Sm 23:1–12 “Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?”
The Lord answered him, “Go.”
Then David asked, “Where should I go?”
“To Hebron,”#1Sm 30:26–31; 2Sm 2:11; 5:5; 1Kg 2:11; 1Ch 3:4; 29:27 the Lord replied.
2So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.#1Sm 25:42–43 3In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.#1Sm 27:2–3; 30:9; 1Ch 12:1,23–37 4Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.#1Sm 16:13; 2Sm 5:3–5 They told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”#1Sm 31:11–13
5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The Lord bless you because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him. 6Now, may the Lord show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed. 7Therefore, be strong#2:7 Lit Therefore, strengthen your hands and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
8Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army,#1Sm 14:50 took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth#2:8 Some LXX mss read Ishbaal; 1Ch 8:33; 9:39#2:8 = Man of Shame and moved him to Mahanaim. 9He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin — over all Israel. 10Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel; he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.#2Sm 5:5; 1Kg 2:11
12Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon.#Jr 41:11–12 The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.”
“Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15So they got up and were counted off — twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David’s soldiers. 16Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades.#2:16 Or Helkath-hazzurim
17The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers. 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.#1Ch 2:16 Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.#1Ch 12:8; Sg 8:14 19He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him. 20Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“Yes it is,” Asahel replied.
21Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or left, seize one of the young soldiers, and take whatever you can get from him.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. 22Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face?” #2Sm 3:27
23But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped,#2Sm 20:12 24but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill. 26Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
27“As God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn’t have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning.”#2Sm 2:14 28Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. 29So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning,#2:29 Or marched through the Bithron and arrived at Mahanaim.#2Sm 2:8
30When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, 31but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner’s men. 32Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father’s tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn.
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