2 Samuel 2

David Anointed King of Judah

1 It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah? It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up. David said, Where shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.3 And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.6 And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.7 Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.

Ishbosheth Made King of Israel

8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Sauls army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim;9 and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.10 Ishbosheth, Sauls son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Israel and Judah at War

12 Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.14 Then Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and compete before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.15 So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.16 And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponents side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon.17 So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.19 So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn 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 And Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.22 So Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?23 However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.24 Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon.25 Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill.26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?27 And Joab said, As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.28 So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore.29 Then Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.30 So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of Davids servants nineteen men and Asahel.31 But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abners men, three hundred and sixty men who died.32 Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his fathers tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they 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.