‏ 2 Samuel 2

CHAPTER 2

David Dwells in Hebron

1And it came to pass after these things, and David asked by the lord, saying, Shall I ascend unto one of the cities   of Judah? And the lord said to him, Ascend! And David said, Where should I ascend? And he said, Unto Hebron. 2And [²ascended ³there ¹David], and both   his wives -- Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3And the men   were with him, each one and   his house. And they dwelt among the cities of Hebron. 4And [⁴come ¹the ²men   ³of Judea] and anoint   David there   to reign over the house of Judah. And they reported   to David, saying, The men of Jabish of the Gileadites entombed   Saul. 5And David sent messengers to the leaders of Jabish of the Gileadites, And he said to them, Being blessed are you to the lord, that you performed   this mercy for   your master, for   Saul, and you entombed him. 6And now, may the lord perform [⁴with ⁵you ¹mercy ²and ³truth]; and indeed I will do with you   this good that you did   in this matter. 7And now strengthen   your hands and become as [²sons ¹mighty]! for [³has died ¹Saul   ²your master], and indeed [⁴has anointed me ¹the ²house ³of Judah] over them for king. 8And Abner son of Ner, commander-in-chief   of Saul, took   Ishbosheth son   of Saul, and brought him from out of the camp into Mahanaim, 9and gave him to reign over   Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over   Jezreel, and over   Ephraim, and over   Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Ishbosheth Reigns in Israel

10[⁴was forty ⁵years old  ¹Ishbosheth ²son ³of Saul] when he reigned over Israel; and [²two ³years ¹he reigned]; except for the house of Judah, the ones which were following after David. 11And became the number of the days which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah -- seven years and [²months ¹six]. 12And [⁴came forth ¹Abner ²son ³of Ner], and the servants of Ishbosheth son of Saul, out of Mahanaim unto Gibeon. 13And Joab son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, came forth out of Hebron, and met them at the fountain   of Gibeon. And these sat here on this side, and these others  at the fountain here on that side. 14And Abner said to Joab, Raise up indeed the servant-lads and let them play before us! And Joab said, Let them arise! 15And they rose up and went by in number -- twelve of the servants of Benjamin   of Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Abner Wars with David

16And they [²held ¹each] by their  hand the head   of his neighbor; and   his knife was thrust into the side   of his neighbor; and they fell down together. And they called   that place, Portion of the Plotters, which is in Gibeon. 17And [³was ¹the ²battle] hard so as to an exceeding degree  in   that day. And [⁶failed ¹Abner ²and ³the ⁴men ⁵of Israel] before the servants of David. 18And there were there three sons of Zeruiah -- Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was light   of his feet, as one doe of the ones in the field. 19And Asahel pursued after Abner, and he did not turn aside   to go to the right nor to the left after Abner. 20And Abner looked to   his rear, and said, Are you Asahel himself? And he said, I am.

Abner Kills Asahel

21And [²said ³to him ¹Abner], Turn aside to the right or to the left, and constrain to yourself one of the servant-lads, and take to yourself   his full armor! And [²did not ³want ¹Asahel] to turn aside from   being behind him. 22And [²added ³yet ¹Abner], saying   to Asahel, Leave from me! that I should not strike you unto the ground. For how shall I lift   my face to Joab   your brother? 23And he was not willing   to leave. And [²struck ³him ¹Abner] with the rear of the spear upon his  flank. And [³went completely through ¹the ²spear] out   behind him. And he falls there and dies underneath him. And it came to pass every one   coming unto the place where [²fell ³there ¹Asahel] and died, even stood still. 24And [⁴pursued ¹Joab ²and ³Abishai] after Abner, and the sun went down. And they entered unto the hill of Ammah, according to the face of Giah, [²way ¹the wilderness] of Gibeon. 25And [⁴gathered together ¹the ²sons ³of Benjamin], the ones following after Abner, and they came to meet as one, and they stood upon the head [²hill ¹of one]. 26And Abner called   Joab, and he said, Shall [⁴in ⁵victory ³devour ¹the ²broadsword], or do you not know that it will be bitter at the last? And for how long [²in no way ¹shall you] speak to the people to return from following after   their brethren? 27And Joab said, As the lord lives, that if you had not spoken, because then from the morning [³ascended ⁴even ¹the ²people] each after   his brother. 28And Joab trumped the trumpet, and [⁴left ¹all ²the ³people], and did not pursue any longer after   Israel, and they did not proceed any longer   to wage war. 29And Abner and   his men went forth at the descent of the sun, and went all   that night, and passed over the Jordan, and they went the entire   extent, and they came unto Camp. 30And Joab returned from following behind   Abner, And he gathered together all the people. And they numbered the servants of David, the ones having fallen -- nineteen men and Asahel. 31And the servants of David struck of the sons of Benjamin, of the men of Abner -- three hundred and sixty men. 32And they lifted up   Asahel, and they entombed him in the burying-place   of his father in Beth-lehem. And [⁴went ⁵the entire   ⁶night ¹Joab ²and   ³his men], and light shined through to them in Hebron.