Chapter 2

And it came to pass after this, that David enquired⁴ of the LORD, saying,² Shall I go up⁴ into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said⁴ unto him, Go up.³ And David said,⁴ Whither shall I go up?⁴ And he said,⁴ Unto Hebron.

So David went up⁴ thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

And his men that [were] with him did David bring up,⁵² every man with his household: and they dwelt⁴ in the cities of Hebron.

And the men of Judah came,⁴ and there they anointed⁴ David king over the house of Judah. And they told⁵⁵ David, saying,² [That] the men of Jabeshgilead ¹⁵⁶⁸ [were they] that buried¹ Saul.

And David sent⁴ messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, ¹⁵⁶⁸ and said⁴ unto them, Blessed⁷ [be] ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed¹ this kindness unto your lord, [even] unto Saul, and have buried⁴ him.

And now the LORD shew⁴ kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite⁴ you this kindness, because ye have done¹ this thing.

Therefore now let your hands be strengthened,⁴ and be ye valiant: ²⁴²⁸ for your master Saul is dead,¹ and also the house of Judah have anointed¹ me king over them.

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took¹ Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over⁵⁵ to Mahanaim;

And made him king⁵⁵ over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Ishbosheth Saul's son [was] forty years old when he began to reign² over Israel, and reigned¹ two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

And the time ³¹¹⁷ that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out⁴ from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out,¹ and met⁴ together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down,⁴ the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

And Abner said⁴ to Joab, Let the young men now arise,⁴ and play¹⁷ before us. And Joab said,⁴ Let them arise.⁴

Then there arose⁴ and went over⁴ by number twelve ⁶²⁴⁰ of Benjamin, which [pertained] to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve ⁶²⁴⁰ of the servants of David.

And they caught⁵⁵ every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down⁴ together: wherefore that place was called⁴ Helkathhazzurim, ^{6697 2521} which [is] in Gibeon.

And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten,¹¹ and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel [was as] light of foot as a wild roe.

And Asahel pursued⁴ after Abner; and in going² he turned¹ not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

Then Abner looked⁴ behind him, and said,⁴ [Art] thou Asahel? And he answered,⁴ I [am].

And Abner said⁴ to him, Turn thee aside³ to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold³ on one of the young men, and take³ thee his armour. But Asahel would¹ not turn aside² from following of him.

And Abner said² again⁵⁵ to Asahel, Turn thee aside³ from following me: wherefore should I smite⁵⁵ thee to the ground? how then should I hold up⁴ my face to Joab thy brother?

Howbeit he refused¹⁷ to turn aside:² wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote⁵⁵ him under the fifth [rib], that the spear came out⁴ behind him; and he fell down⁴ there, and died⁴ in the same place: and it came to pass, [that] as many as came⁶ to the place where Asahel fell down¹ and died⁴ stood still.⁴

Joab also and Abishai pursued⁴ after Abner: and the sun went down¹ when they were come¹ to the hill of Ammah, that [lieth] before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together¹⁰¹ after Abner, and became one troop, and stood⁴ on the top of an hill.

Then Abner called⁴ to Joab, and said,⁴ Shall the sword devour⁴ for ever? knowest¹ thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid⁴ the people return² from following their brethren?

And Joab said,⁴ [As] God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken,¹⁴ surely then in the morning the people had gone up⁸ every one from following his brother.

So Joab blew⁴ a trumpet, and all the people stood still,⁴ and pursued⁴ after Israel no more, neither fought⁹ they any more.¹

And Abner and his men walked¹ all that night through the plain, and passed over⁴ Jordan, and went through⁴ all Bithron, and they came⁴ to Mahanaim.

And Joab returned¹ from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together,⁴ there lacked¹¹ of David's servants nineteen ⁶²⁴⁰ men and Asahel.

But the servants of David had smitten⁵² of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, [so that] three hundred and threescore men died.¹

And they took up⁴ Asahel, and buried⁴ him in the sepulchre of his father, which [was in] Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went⁴ all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.¹¹