[1] It happened after this, that David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I
go up into any of the cities of Judah? Yahweh said to him, Go up. David
said, Where shall I go up? He said, To Hebron. [2] So David went up there,
and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of
Nabal the Carmelite. [3] His men who were with him did David bring up,
every man with his household: and they lived in the cities of Hebron. [4]
The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of
Judah. They told David, saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead were those who
buried Saul. [5] David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and
said to them, Blessed be you of Yahweh, that you have showed this kindness
to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. [6] Now Yahweh show
lovingkindness and truth to you: and I also will requite you this kindness,
because you have done this thing. [7] Now therefore let your hands be
strong, and be you valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house
of Judah have 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; [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. [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. [11] The time that David was king in Hebron over the house
of Judah was seven years and six months. [12] Abner the son of Ner, and the
servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
[13] 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] Abner said to
Joab, Please let the young men arise and play 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. [16] They caught everyone his fellow by the head, and [thrust]
his sword in his fellow`s side; so they fell down together: why that place
was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. [17] The battle was very
severe that day: and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the
servants of David. [18] The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and
Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. [19]
Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he didn`t turn to the right hand
nor to the left from following Abner. [20] Then Abner looked behind him,
and said, Is it you, Asahel? He answered, It is I. [21] Abner said to him,
Turn you aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay you hold on one
of the young men, and take you his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside
from following him. [22] Abner said again to Asahel, Turn you aside from
following me: why should I strike you to the ground? how then should I hold
up my face to Joab your brother? [23] However he refused to turn aside: why
Abner with the hinder 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 happened, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell
down and died stood still. [24] But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner:
and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies
before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. [25] The children of
Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and
stood on the top of a hill. [26] 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 shall it be then, before you bid the people
return from following their brothers?" [27] Joab said, As God lives, if you
had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone away, nor
followed everyone his brother. [28] So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the
people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they
any more. [29] 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. [30] Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered
all the people together, there lacked of David`s servants nineteen men and
Asahel. [31] But the servants of David had struck of Benjamin, and of
Abner`s men, [so that] three hundred sixty men died. [32] They took up
Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Beth-lehem.
Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.
