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2 Samuel 2

1  AFTER THIS, David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up. David said, To which shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.2  So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.3  And David brought up his men who were with him, each one with his household, and they dwelt in the towns of Hebron.4  And the men of Judah came and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, The men of Jabesh-gilead buried Saul. 5  And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, saying, May the Lord bless you because you showed kindness and loyalty to Saul your king and buried him.6  And now may the Lord show loving-kindness and faithfulness to you. I also will do well by you because you have done this.7  So now, let your hands be strengthened and be valiant, for your master Saul is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.8  Now Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.9  And he made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel.10  Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began his two-year reign over Israel. But the house of Judah followed David.11  And David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah for seven years and six months.12  And Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.13  Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out also; and the two groups met by the pool of Gibeon, seating themselves with one group on either side of the pool.14  And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and have a contest before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.15  Then there arose and went over by number--twelve of Benjamin who were with Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.16  And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his side; so they all fell together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Knives, which is at Gibeon.17  A very fierce battle followed, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.18  Three sons of Zeruiah [the half sister of David] were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe or antelope.19  Asahel pursued Abner, and as he ran he turned not to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.20  Then Abner looked behind him and said, Are you Asahel? He answered, I am.21  Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right or left, and seize one of the young men and take his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.22  And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I be able to face Joab your brother?23  Asahel refused to turn aside; so Abner with the rear end of his spear smote him through the abdomen, and he fell and died where he fell. And all who came to the place where Asahel fell and died stood still.24  But Joab and Abishai [his brothers] pursued Abner; the sun was going down as they came to the hill of Ammah, before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.25  And the Benjamites gathered together behind Abner and became one troop and took their stand on the top of a hill.26  Then Abner called to Joab, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that bitterness will be the result? How long will it be then before you bid the people to stop pursuing their brethren?27  Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would have stopped pursuing their brethren in the morning.28  So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight any more.29  Abner and his men went all night through the Arabah [plain], crossed the Jordan, and went through the whole Bithron [district of ravines] and came to Mahanaim.30  Joab returned from pursuing Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel.31  But the servants of David had slain of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men.32  And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men walked all night and came to Hebron at daybreak.

2 Samuel 2

David is Anointed King

1 Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied,t “To Hebron.”2 So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.3 David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the citiess of Hebron.

4 The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the peoplet of Judah.
David was told,t “The peoplet of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.”5 So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindnesst to your lord Saul by burying him.6 Now may the Lord show you true kindness!t I also will reward you,t because you have done this deed.

7 Now be courageoust and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”

David’s Army Clashes with the Army of Saul

8 Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheths and had brought him to Mahanaim.9 He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites,s Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel.10 Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the peoplet of Judah followed David.

11 David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven and a half years.t
12 Then Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.13 Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group stationed themselves on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool.

14 Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fightt before us.” Joab said, “So be it!”t
15 So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.

16 As they grappled with one another, each one stabbed his opponent with his sword and they fell dead together.t So that place is called the Field of Flints;t it is in Gibeon.
17 Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David’s soldiers.t18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there – Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.)

19 Asahel chased Abner, without turning to the right or to the left as he followed Abner.
20 Then Abner turned and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes it is!”21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or to your left. Capture one of the soldierst and take his equipment for yourself!” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.22 So Abner spoke again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground.t How then could I showt my face in the presence of Joab your brother?”

23 But Asahelt refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of hist spear. The spear came out his back; Asahelt collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner.t Everyone who now comes to the place where Asahel fell dead pauses in respect.t
24 So Joab and Abishai chased Abner. At sunset they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 The Benjaminites formed their rankst behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.
26 Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will turn bitter in the end? When will you tell the people to turn aside from pursuing their brothers?”27 Joab replied, “As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuitt of their brothers!”28 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks.t They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting.t

29 Abner and his men went through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan Rivert and went through the whole region of Bitront and came to Mahanaim.
30 Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel.31 But David’s soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner’s men – in all, 360 men had died!32 They took Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem.s Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn.