1 A fter 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.”

After 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.

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

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

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

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

4 T hen 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.”

And 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.

5 S o 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.

And 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.

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

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

7 S o 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

So 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.

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

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

9 H e made him king of Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel.

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

10 S aul’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.

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

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

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

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

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

13 A nd 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.

Joab 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.

14 T hen 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.”

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

15 S o 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.

Then 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.

16 E ach 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.

And 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.

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

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

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

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

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

Asahel pursued Abner, and as he ran he turned not to the right hand or 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, Are you Asahel? He answered, I am.

21 S o 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.

Abner 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.

22 A bner 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?”

And 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?

23 B ut 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.

Asahel 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.

24 B ut 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.

But 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.

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

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

26 A bner 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?”

Then 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But the servants of David had slain of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men.

32 T hey 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.

And 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.