2 Samuel 2
1 And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
It happened after this, that David inquired of YHWH, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?" YHWH said to him, "Go up." David said, "Where shall I go up?" He said, "To Hebron."
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite,
3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
and the men who were with him, everyone with his household. And they lived in Hebron.
4 And 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 they that buried Saul.
The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, saying, "It was the people of Jabesh Gilead who buried Saul."
5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.
David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, "Blessed are you by YHWH, because you have shown this kindness to your lord, Saul, and have buried him.
6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
Now may YHWH show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.
7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant: for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.
Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."
8 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken Ishbaal the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9 and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Geshurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 (Ish-bosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years.) But the house of Judah followed David.
Ishbaal, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But 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.
The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbaal 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; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men, I pray thee, arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and compete before us." Joab said, "Let them arise."
15 Then they arose and went over by number; twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
Then they arose and went over by number: twelve of the sons of Benjamin of Ishbaal the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Field of Blades, which is in Gibeon.
17 And the battle was very sore that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
The battle was very severe that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.
18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as quick on his feet as a wild gazelle.
19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
Asahel pursued after Abner, and as he went he did not turn to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Is it thou, Asahel? And he answered, It is I.
Then Abner looked behind him, and said, "Is it you, Asahel?" He answered, "It is I."
21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor." But Asahel would not stop from pursuing him.
22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
Abner said again to Asahel, "Stop pursuing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab your brother?"
23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
But he refused to stop. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stopped there.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of an hill.
The sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and formed a single group, and stood on the top of a hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then, before you ask the people to stop pursuing their brothers?"
27 And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor followed every one his brother.
Joab said, "As YHWH lives, if you had not spoken, surely the people would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning."
28 So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stopped, and no longer chased after Israel, and they no longer fought.
29 And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and marched the whole morning, and came to Mahanaim.
30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.
Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.
31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, [so that] three hundred and threescore men died.
But the servants of David had struck of the people of Benjamin, from the men of Abner, three hundred and sixty men who died.
32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and the day brake upon them at Hebron.
They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.
