1 T hen it came about afterwards that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where 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, Where shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

2 S o David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

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

3 A nd David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron.

And David brought up his men that were with him, each one with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

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

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 buried Saul.

5 D avid sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “ May you be blessed of the Lord because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him.

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead and said unto them, Blessed shall ye be of the LORD that ye have showed this mercy unto your lord, even unto Saul and have buried him.

6 N ow may the Lord show lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing.

And now the LORD show mercy and truth unto you; and I also will requite you this kindness because ye have done this thing.

7 N ow therefore, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.” Ish-bosheth Made King over Israel

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

¶ But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim

9 H e made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over 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 became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel and reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.

11 T he time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. Civil War

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

12 N ow Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul.

And Abner, the son of Ner, and the slaves of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

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

And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the slaves of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon, and when they met, the one group was on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

14 T hen Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

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

15 S o they arose and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, who pertained to Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the slaves of David.

16 E ach one of them seized 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 in Gibeon.

And each one caught 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, which is in Gibeon.

17 T hat day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

And there was a very severe battle that day where Abner and the men of Israel were overcome before the slaves of David.

18 N ow the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was as swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field.

¶ And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel, and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

19 A sahel pursued Abner and did not turn to the right 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, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.”

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

21 S o Abner said to him, “ Turn to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil.” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.

Then Abner said to him, Turn aside to thy right hand or to thy left and lay hold on one of the young men and take his spoil. But Asahel would not turn aside from following after him.

22 A bner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?”

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn 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 H owever, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

Howbeit he refused to turn aside; therefore, Abner with the butt 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, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

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

25 T he sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill.

¶ And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves together in one troop with Abner and stood on the top of a hill.

26 T hen Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?”

Then Abner called to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? Dost thou not know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long shall it be then before thou bid the people to return from following their brethren?

27 J oab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother.”

And Joab replied, As God lives, if thou had not spoken, surely from this morning the people would have left off from following their brothers.

28 S o Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore.

So Joab blew the shofar, and all the people stood still and no longer pursued after Israel, neither did they fight any more.

29 A bner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.

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

30 T hen Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David’s servants besides Asahel were missing.

Joab also returned from following Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s slaves nineteen men and Asahel.

31 B ut the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner’s men, so that three hundred and sixty men died.

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

32 A nd they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron.

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 they came to Hebron at the break of day.