1 A fter this, David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up. David said, To which shall I go up? And He said, To Hebron.

And it came to pass after this, that David enquired 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 S o David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.

3 A nd David brought up his men who were with him, each one with his household, and they dwelt in the towns of Hebron.

And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

4 A nd the men of Judah came and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, The men of Jabesh-gilead buried Saul.

And 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 were they that buried Saul.

5 A nd David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, saying, May the Lord bless you because you showed kindness and loyalty to Saul your king and buried him.

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

6 A nd now may the Lord show loving-kindness and faithfulness to you. I also will do well by you because you have done this.

And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

7 S o now, let your hands be strengthened and be valiant, for your master Saul is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.

Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

8 N ow Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

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

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

10 I sh-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began his two-year reign over Israel. But the house of Judah followed David.

Ish-bosheth 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 A nd David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah for seven years and six months.

And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

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

And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 J oab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out also; and the two groups met by the pool of Gibeon, seating themselves with one group on either side of the pool.

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 the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

14 A nd Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and have a contest before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

15 T hen there arose and went over by number—twelve of Benjamin who were with Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16 A nd each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his side; so they all fell together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Knives, which is at Gibeon.

And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

17 A very fierce battle followed, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

18 T hree sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe or antelope.

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 A sahel pursued Abner, and as he ran he turned not to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

20 T hen Abner looked behind him and said, Are you Asahel? He answered, I am.

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.

21 A bner said to him, Turn aside to your right or left, and seize one of the young men and take his armor. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

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 armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

22 A nd Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then should I be able to face Joab your brother?

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

23 A sahel refused to turn aside; so Abner with the rear end of his spear smote him through the abdomen, and he fell and died where he fell. And all who came to the place where Asahel fell and died stood still.

Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore 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 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 B ut Joab and Abishai pursued Abner; the sun was going down as they came to the hill of Ammah, before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 A nd the Benjamites gathered together behind Abner and became one troop and took their stand on the top of a hill.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

26 T hen Abner called to Joab, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that bitterness will be the result? How long will it be then before you bid the people to stop pursuing their brethren?

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 return from following their brethren?

27 J oab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would have stopped pursuing their brethren in the morning.

And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

28 S o Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight any more.

So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

29 A bner and his men went all night through the Arabah, crossed the Jordan, and went through the whole Bithron and came to Mahanaim.

And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

30 J oab returned from pursuing Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel.

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.

31 B ut the servants of David had slain of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men.

But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

32 A nd they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men walked all night and came to Hebron at daybreak.

And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.