2 Samuel 2
2
David Made King over Judah
1So it happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” And He said, “To Hebron.” 2So David went up there [to Hebron] with his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel [in Judah]. 3And David brought up his men who were with him, each one with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 4Then the men of Judah came and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
Then they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” [1 Sam 31:11-13] 5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you showed this graciousness and loyalty to Saul your lord (king), and buried him. 6Now may the Lord show lovingkindness and truth and faithfulness to you. I too will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. 7So now, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for your lord Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
Ish-bosheth Made King over Israel
8Now [Saul’s cousin] Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to #2:8 A fortified city in Gilead east of the river Jordan.Mahanaim. 9He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, even over all Israel [except Judah]. 10Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned for two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Civil War
12Now Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13Joab [David’s nephew] the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. They sat down, with one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the other side of the pool. 14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now stand and #2:14 Lit make sport.have a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them stand.” 15So they stood up and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16Each one of them seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponents side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim [that is, the Field of Sides], which is in Gibeon. 17There was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
18Three sons of Zeruiah [the half sister of David] were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as light and swift-footed as one of the [wild] gazelles in the field. 19Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn to the right or to the left as he followed him. 20Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is I.” 21So Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or to your left, and grab one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel was not willing to turn away from pursuing Abner. 22Abner repeated again, “Turn away from following me. Why should I have to strike you to the ground? How would I #2:22 Lit lift up my face.be able to face Joab your brother [and look him in the eye]?” 23But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner struck him in the abdomen with the #2:23 Abner’s strength was legendary—there was a saying in Jewish tradition that it was easier to move a wall six cubits (nine feet) thick than to move one of Abner’s limbs.butt end of his spear, and the spear came out his back; and he fell there and died on that spot. And it came about that everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still [and reflected].
24But Joab and Abishai [Asahel’s brothers] pursued Abner. When the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. 25And the sons of [the tribe of] Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one troop, and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long [will it be] before you tell the people to stop pursuing their brothers?” 27Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, then the people certainly would have stopped pursuing their brothers in the morning.” 28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. 29Then Abner and his men went through the Arabah (desert region) all that night, crossed the Jordan, went through Bithron and walked the whole morning and came to Mahanaim [where Ish-bosheth ruled Israel].
30Joab returned from pursuing Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David’s servants were missing, besides Asahel. 31But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men; so that three hundred and sixty men died. 32And they picked up [the body of] Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men walked all night and they arrived in Hebron at daybreak.
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2 Samuel 2
2
David made king in Hebron
1Some time later, David questioned the LORD, “Should I go to one of the towns in Judah?”
“Yes, go,” the LORD told him.
“Which one should I go to?” David asked.
“To Hebron,” the LORD replied.
2So David went there, along with his two wives: Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal’s widow, from Carmel. 3David also took the soldiers who were with him, each with his family, and they lived in the towns around Hebron. 4Then the people of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David king over the house of Judah.
When David was informed that it was the people of Jabesh-gilead who had buried Saul, 5he sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead. “The LORD bless you,” he said to them, “for doing this loyal deed for your master Saul by burying him. 6May the LORD now show you loyal love and faithfulness. I myself will also reward you because you did this. 7So now take courage and be brave—yes, your master Saul is dead, but the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
Israel’s King Ishbosheth
8Meanwhile, Abner, Ner’s son, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth,#2.8 Ishbosheth means man of shame; shame (Heb bosheth) may be a deliberate alteration from Baal (cf Esh-baal, man of Baalin 1 Chron 8:33; 9:39; see also 2 Sam 4:4); one manuscript of LXXL reads Ishbaal. Saul’s son, and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9There he made him king over Gilead, the Geshurites,#2.9 Syr, Vulg; MT Ashurites or Assyrians;cf Tg, LXXL, Judg 1:32 Asherites Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel. 10Saul’s son Ishbosheth was 40 years old when he became king over Israel, and he ruled for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11The amount of time David ruled in Hebron over the house of Judah totaled seven and a half years.
Conflict between Judah and Israel
12Abner, Ner’s son, along with the soldiers of Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, left Mahanaim to go to Gibeon. 13Joab, Zeruiah’s son, and David’s soldiers also came out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool; the other sat on the opposite side of the pool. 14Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men fight in a contest#2.14 Or come forward and play or compete before us.”
“All right,” Joab said, “let’s do it.” 15So the men came forward and were counted as they passed by: twelve for Benjamin and Ishbosheth, Saul’s son; and twelve of David’s soldiers. 16Each man grabbed his opponent by the head and stuck#2.16 Heb lacks stuck. his sword into his opponent’s side so that they both fell dead together. That’s why that place is called The Field of Daggers,#2.16 Heb Helkath-hazzurim which is located in Gibeon. 17A fierce battle took place that day, and Abner and the Israelite troops were defeated by David’s soldiers.
18Now Zeruiah’s three sons were present at the battle: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as fast as a gazelle in an open field. 19Asahel went after Abner, staying completely focused in his pursuit of Abner.
20Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“Yes, it’s me,” Asahel answered.
21“Break off your pursuit!” Abner told him. “Fight one of the young warriors and take his gear for yourself!” But Asahel wouldn’t stop chasing him.
22So Abner repeated himself to Asahel: “Stop chasing me. Why should I kill you? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?” 23But Asahel wouldn’t turn back, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the back end of his spear. But the spear went through Asahel’s back. He fell down and died right there.
Everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died just stood there, 24but Joab and Abishai went after Abner. The sun was setting when they came to the hill of Ammah, which faces Giah on the road to the Gibeon wilderness. 25The Benjaminites rallied behind Abner, forming a single unit. Then they took their positions on the top of a hill. 26Abner yelled down to Joab, “Must the sword keep killing forever? Don’t you realize that this will end bitterly? How long before you order the troops to stop chasing their brothers?”
27“As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you hadn’t just said that, the soldiers would have continued after their brothers until morning.” 28Joab blew the trumpet,#2.28 Heb shofar and all the soldiers stopped. They didn’t pursue Israel anymore, nor did they continue to fight.
29Abner and his men then marched all night through the wilderness, crossing the Jordan River and marching all morning#2.29 Heb uncertain until they got to Mahanaim. 30Joab, meanwhile, returned from pursuing Abner and assembled the troops. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were counted missing in addition to Asahel. 31But David’s soldiers had defeated the Benjaminites, killing three hundred sixty of Abner’s soldiers. 32They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night. When daylight came, they were in Hebron.
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