The Second Book of Samuel

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 2 -

Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.

So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.

Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.

Now may the LORD show you loving devotion

(a)

and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.

Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”

Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel

Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth,(b) moved him to Mahanaim,

and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.

Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

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

The Battle of Gibeon

One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.

So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.(c)

The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,

and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.

And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.

So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”

But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.

Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

“As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”

So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.

And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning,(d) and arrived at Mahanaim.

When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,

but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.

Later, they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

Footnotes

(a)2:6 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.

(b)2:8 Ish-bosheth is also called Esh-baal; see 1 Chronicles 8:33.

(d)2:29 See LXX; Hebrew marched all through Bithron

After this, David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” The LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.”

So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.

The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”

David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.

Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.

Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel

Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Ishbosheth, 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.

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

The Battle of Gibeon

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

Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants 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.

Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”

Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.

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 in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.(a)

The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.

The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.

Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”

Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.

Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”

However, he refused to turn away. 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. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. 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.

The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”

Joab said, “As God(b) lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”

So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more.

Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.

But David’s servants had struck Benjamin Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.

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.

Footnotes

(a)2:16 “Helkath Hazzurim” means “field of daggers”.

(b)2:27 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).