2 Samuel 2

1Some time after this, David asked Yahweh, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” He answered, “To Hebron.”

2So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

3David also brought up the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns around Hebron.

4Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was told, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,”

5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May Yahweh bless you, because you showed this kindness to your lord Saul and buried him.

6Now may Yahweh show you steadfast love and faithfulness, and I too will show you this same goodness because you have done this.

7Now then, be strong and courageous, for your lord Saul is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

8Meanwhile Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

9He made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel.

10Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

11The length of time David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s servants also went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. They sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the other side.

14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men get up and fight it out in front of us.” Joab said, “Let them get up.”

15So they got up and went over by count: twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David’s servants.

16Each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place, which is in Gibeon, was called Helkath-hazzurim.

17The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s servants.

18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as fast on his feet as a wild gazelle.

19Asahel chased Abner, and as he went he did not turn to the right or to the left from following Abner.

20Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”

21Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or to your left. Grab one of the young men and take his gear for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

22Abner warned Asahel again, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I then look your brother Joab in the face?”

23But he refused to turn aside, so Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, and the spear came out his back. He fell there and died on the spot. Everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died stood still.

24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. As the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, which faces Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25The Benjaminites rallied behind Abner and formed a single band, and they took their stand on the top of a hill.

26Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not know that this will end in bitterness? How long will it be before you order the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

27Joab answered, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, the troops would have kept on pursuing their brothers until morning.”

28Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped. They no longer pursued Israel, and they did not fight anymore.

29Abner and his men marched all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, went on through the whole of Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

30Joab came back from pursuing Abner and gathered all the troops. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing.

31But David’s servants had struck down men from Benjamin and from Abner’s forces, and 360 of them died.

32They 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.