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 Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” 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 wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

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.

David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities 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.”

The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who 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.

David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have 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.

Now may Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.

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

Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have 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 the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the 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, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over 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.

Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. 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

The time 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 Saul’s son Ish-bosheth.

Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the 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 the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them 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 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.”

Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” 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 they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.

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.

They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.

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

The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.

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

The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.

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

Asahel pursued Abner; and in going he didn’t turn 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, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”

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 hand or to your left, and grab 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?”

Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”

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.

However he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down 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 went down when they had 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 army. They stood on the top of a hill.

The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood 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, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”

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 then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”

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 the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no 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 that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all 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 following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.

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

But David’s servants had struck Benjamin and of Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.

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.

They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.