2 Samuel 2

1 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.
The Lord said, “Go up.”
David asked, “Where shall I go?”
“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.

4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul,5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him.6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.

7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The house of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.

11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.

13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the soldiers get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”
“All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.

17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.

20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“It is,” he answered.

21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the soldiers and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”

23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.

25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.

26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”

27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”

28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and everyone came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.

29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim.
30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner.

32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by 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.