1 I t happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To 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 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 of Jezreel, and Abigail who had been the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

3 A nd David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So 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 T hen the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who 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 S o David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown 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 may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you 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 N ow therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.” Ishbosheth Made King of Israel

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 B ut Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, 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 he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, 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. Only 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. Israel and Judah at War

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

12 N ow 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 met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other 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 T hen Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete 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 S o they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from 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 each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in 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 S o there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten 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 N ow the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.

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

19 S o Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following 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, “ Are you Asahel?” He answered, “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 aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” 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 S o Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?”

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 H owever, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was 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 J oab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road 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 N ow the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit, and took their stand on 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 T hen Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing 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, “ As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.”

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 S o Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore.

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

29 T hen Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed 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 S o Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing 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 B ut the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died.

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

32 T hen they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.

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.