2 Samuel Chapter 2

2 Samuel Chapter 2
1 After this, David asked counsel 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? He then answered,
Unto Hebron.
2 So David went up thither, and his two
wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelite, and
Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
3 And David brought up the men that
were with him, every man with his
household, and they dwelt in the cities of
Hebron.
4 Then the men of Judah came, and there
they anointed David king over the house
of Judah. And they told David, saying,
that the men of Jabesh Gilead buried
Saul.
5 And David sent messengers unto the
men of Jabesh Gilead, and said unto
them, Blessed are ye of the Lord, that ye
have showed such kindness unto your
lord Saul, that you have buried him.
6 Therefore now the Lord show mercy
and truth unto you: and I will
recompense you this benefit, because ye
have done this thing.
7 Therefore now let your hands be
strong, and be you valiant: albeit your
master Saul be dead, yet nevertheless the
house of Judah hath anointed me king
over them.
8 But Abner the son of Ner that was
captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth
the son of Saul, and brought him to
Mahanaim,
9 And 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 year
old when he began to reign over Israel,
and reigned two year: but the house of
Judah followed David. 11 (And the time
which David reigned in Hebron over the
house of Judah, was seven year and six
months)
12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the
servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul
went out of Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the
servants of David went out and met one
another 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 Then Abner said to Joab, Let the
young men now arise, and play before
us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
15 Then there arose and went over
twelve of Benjamin by number, which
pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul,
and twelve of the servants of David. 16
And every one caught his fellow by the
head, and thrust his sword in his
fellow's side, so they fell down together:
wherefore the place was called Helkathhazzurim,
which is in Gibeon.
17 And the battle was exceeding sore
that same day: for Abner and the men of
Israel fell before the servants of David.
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah
there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel.
And Asahel was as light on foot as a
wild roe.
19 And Asahel followed after Abner,
and in going he turned neither to the right
hand nor to the left from Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and
said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered,
Yea.
21 Then Abner said, Turn thee either to
the right hand, or to the left, and take one
of the young men, and take thee his
weapons: and Asahel would not depart
from him.
22 And Abner said to Asahel, Depart
from me: wherefore should I smite thee
to the ground? How then should I be able
to hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
23 And when he would not depart,
Abner with the hinder end of the spear
smote him under the fifth rib, that the
spear came out behind him: and he fell
down there, and died in his place. And
as many as came to the place where
Asahel fell down and died, stood still.
24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after
Abner: and the sun went down, when
they were come to the hill Ammah, that
lieth before Giah, by the way of the
wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the children of Benjamin
gathered themselves together after
Abner, and were on an heap and stood
on the top of an hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said,
Shall the sword devour forever?
Knowest thou not, that it will be
bitterness in the latter end? How long
then shall it be, or thou bid the people
return from following their brethren?
27 And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou
hadst not spoken, surely even in the
morning the people had departed every
one back from his brother. 28 So Joab
blew a trumpet, and all the people stood
still, and pursued after Israel no more,
neither fought they any more.
29 And Abner and his men walked all
that night through the plain, and went
over Jordan, and past through all Bithron
till they came to Mahanaim. 30 Joab also
returned back from 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 smitten of Benjamin, and of
Abner's men, so that three hundred and
threescore men died.
32 And they took up Asahel, and buried
him in the sepulchre of his father, which
was in Bethlehem: and Joab and his men
went all night, and when they came to
Hebron, the day arose.