1 A nd it came to pass after this that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

After this, David asked the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where should I go?” And He said, “To Hebron.”

2 S o David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jizreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

3 A nd his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

David brought up his men who were with him, each one with those of his family. They lived in the cities of Hebron.

4 A nd the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It is the men of Jabesh-Gilead that have buried Saul.

Then the men of Judah came and there they chose David to be king over the family of Judah. They told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

5 A nd David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and said to them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah, that ye have shewn this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him!

So David sent men with news to the men of Jabesh-gilead, saying, “May the Lord bring good to you. Because you have shown kindness to your king Saul, and have buried him.

6 A nd now Jehovah shew kindness and faithfulness to you; and I also will requite you this good, because ye have done this thing.

Now may the Lord show loving-kindness and truth to you. And I will do good to you, because you have done this.

7 A nd now let your hands be strong, and be ye valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

So now let your hands be strong. Have strength of heart. For your king Saul is dead. And those of the family of Judah have chosen me to be their king.” Ish-bosheth Is Made King over Israel

8 A nd Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish-bosheth to Mahanaim.

9 a nd made him king over Gilead, and over the Asshurites, and over Jizreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

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

10 I shbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. However, the house of Judah followed David.

Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king of Israel. He was king for two years. But the family of Judah followed David.

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

David was king in Hebron over the family of Judah for seven years and six months. War between Israel and Judah

12 A nd Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

Now Abner the son of Ner went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Saul’s son Ish-bosheth.

13 A nd Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out. And they met together by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, these on the one side of the pool, and those on the other side of the pool.

And Zeruiah’s son Joab and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side.

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

Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men get up and have a test of strength in front of us.” And Joab said, “Let them get up.”

15 A nd they arose and went over by number, twelve for Benjamin, and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

So they stood up and went over by number. There were twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16 A nd they caught every one his fellow by the head, and his sword in his fellow's side, and they fell down together. And that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is by Gibeon.

Each one of them took hold of the head of the one fighting against him, and put his sword into the other’s side. So they fell down together. That is why that place was called field of swords, which is in Gibeon.

17 A nd the battle that day was very severe; and Abner and the men of Israel were routed before the servants of David.

The battle was very bad that day. Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by the servants of David.

18 A nd there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was swift of foot, as one of the gazelles that are in the field.

Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was as fast as a wild deer.

19 A nd Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from behind Abner.

And Asahel ran after Abner. He did not turn to the right or the left from following him.

20 T hen Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he said, I am.

Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.”

21 A nd Abner said to him, Turn thee aside, to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold of one of the young men, and take for thyself his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

So Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or left. Take hold of one of the young men, and take for yourself what belongs to him.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.

22 A nd 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?

Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I make you fall? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?”

23 B ut he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, 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.

But he would not turn aside. So Abner hit him in the stomach with the end of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. He fell there and died where he fell. And all who came to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still.

24 A nd Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner; and the sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

But Joab and Abishai went after Abner. When the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the way of the desert of Gibeon.

25 A nd the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill.

The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one army. They stood on the top of a hill.

26 A nd Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? and how long shall it be ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

Abner called to Joab and said, “Should the sword destroy forever? Do you not know that it will be bad in the end? How long will you keep from telling the people to stop following their brothers?”

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

Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, for sure the people would have stopped going after their brothers in the morning.”

28 A nd Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither did they fight any more.

So Joab sounded the horn, and all the people stopped and went after Israel no longer. And they did not fight any more.

29 A nd 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.

Abner and his men went all night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.

30 A nd Joab returned from following Abner, and gathered all the people together; and there lacked of David's servants nineteen men, and Asahel.

Joab returned from following Abner, and gathered all the people together. Added to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing.

31 A nd the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men, who had died.

But the servants of David had killed many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that 360 men died.

32 A nd 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 they came to Hebron at break of day.

They picked up Asahel and buried him in his father’s grave in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men walked all night and came to Hebron early the next morning.