2 Samuel 2
Modern English Version
David Anointed King Over Judah
2 After this, David consulted the Lord, asking, “Shall I go to one of the cities of Judah?”
The Lord responded to him, “Go up.”
David asked, “Where should I go?”
And He said, “Hebron.”
2 So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought the men who were with him, each man with his household, and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 4 Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David as king over the house of Judah, and they informed David that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul.
5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead saying, “May you be blessed by the Lord, you who have shown this loyalty to your lord Saul by burying him. 6 Now may the Lord show you loyalty and faithfulness, even as I deal kindly with you who have done this thing. 7 Now may your hands be strong and may you be courageous, since your lord Saul is dead and the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”
War Between the Houses of David and Saul(A)
8 However, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Saul, had taken Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. 9 He installed him as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, over Israel in its entirety.
10 Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he ruled for two years. However, the house of Judah followed David. 11 The length of time during which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 Abner the son of Ner, with the servants of Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim toward Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, with the servants of David, went out in order to meet together at the pool of Gibeon. They sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the side of the pool opposite them.
14 Abner suggested to Joab, “Let the young men come forward and compete before us.”
And Joab replied, “Let them come.”
15 So they stepped forward and were counted, twelve from Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth and twelve from the servants of David. 16 Each one grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath Hazzurim, which is at Gibeon.
17 The fighting was very fierce that day, but Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was as fast as a wild gazelle. 19 So Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. 20 Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?”
He answered, “It is I.”
21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or left, overtake one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself,” but Asahel was not willing to desist.
22 Abner continued still to reason with Asahel, “Abandon your pursuit. Why should I strike you down? How then could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
23 But he refused to desist. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out of his back. He fell there and died on the spot. When all of the others came to the place where Asahel fell and died, they halted.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. As the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is next to Giah on the way to the Wilderness of Gibeon. 25 The sons of Benjamin gathered to the rear of Abner into a single formation, and they took their stand atop one of the hills.
26 Abner called to Joab, “Must the sword consume forever? Do you not understand that a bitter taste will result in the end? How long will you refuse to command the people to withdraw from chasing their brothers?”
27 Joab responded, “As God lives, I assure you that if you had not said this, the people would have each pursued his brother throughout the night.”
28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still. They pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore.
29 So Abner and his men traveled through the Arabah all that night, crossed the Jordan, and marched all morning until they returned to Mahanaim.
30 Joab refrained from pursuing Abner, but instead mustered all of the people. There were nineteen men besides Asahel missing from among the servants of David. 31 But the servants of David routed Benjamin and the men of Abner; three hundred and sixty of their men died. 32 They carried Asahel back and interred him in his father’s tomb, which was at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men traveled throughout the night and reached Hebron at dawn.
2 Samuel 2
21st Century King James Version
2 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.”
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.
3 And his men who were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of 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 Jabeshgilead were those who buried Saul.”
5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, “Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shown this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.
6 And now the Lord show kindness and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
7 Therefore now, let your hands be strengthened and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over 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 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and 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.
12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth 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 together by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on 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 now arise and play before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
15 Then there arose and went over by number, twelve of Benjamin, who pertained to Ishbosheth 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; therefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim [that is, The field of strong men], which is in Gibeon.
17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Art thou Asahel?” And he answered, “I am.”
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 armor.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.
22 And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn thee aside from following me. Why should I smite thee to the ground? How then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?”
23 However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the rear end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, so 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.
24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner. And the sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the Wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one troop, 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 to return from following their brethren?”
27 And Joab said, “As God liveth, unless thou had spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone up every one from following 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 passed over the Jordan and went through all Bithron; and they 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.
32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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