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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2 Kings 2
2
1And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into Hebron.
2So David went up, and his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
3And the men also that were with him. David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.
4And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Juda. And it was told David, that the men of Jabes Galaad had buried Saul.
5David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to your master Saul, and have buried him.
6And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth; and I also will requite you for this good turn, because you have done this thing.
7Let your hands be strengthened; and be ye men of valour: for although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed me to be their king.
8But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul's army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp,
9And made him king over Galaad, and, over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel. And he reigned two years; and only the house of Juda followed David.
11And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.
12And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon.
13And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out, and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together, they sat down over against one another: the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side.
14And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.
15Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16And every one, catching his fellow, by the head, thrust his sword into the side of his adversary: and they fell down together. And the name of the place was called: The field of the valiant, in Gabaon.
17And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.
18And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael. Now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.
19And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.
21And Abner said to him: Go to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael would not leave off following him close.
22And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground; and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother.
23But he refused to hearken to him, and would not turn aside. Wherefore Abner struck him with his spear with a back stroke in the groin, and thrust him through. And he died upon the spot: and all that came to the place where Asael fell down and died, stood still.
24Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down. And they came as far as the hill of the aqueduct, that lieth over against the valley by the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.
25And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being joined in one body they stood on the top of a hill.
26And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? Knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair? How long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from pursuing after their brethren?
27And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner, even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing after their brethren.
28Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.
29And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plains. And they passed the Jordan: and having gone through all Beth-horon came to the camp.
30And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David's servants nineteen men, beside Asael.
31But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.
32And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem. And Joab, and the men that were with him, marched all the night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.