1 A fter 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.”

And 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.

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

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

3 D avid brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.

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

4 T he 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.”

And 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.

5 D avid 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.

And 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!

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

And now Jehovah shew kindness and faithfulness to you; and I also will requite you this good, 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 have anointed me king over them.”

And 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.

8 N ow Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

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

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

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

10 I shbosheth, 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.

Ishbosheth 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.

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

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

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

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

13 J oab 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.

And 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.

14 A bner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”

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

15 T hen they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.

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

16 T hey 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.

And 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.

17 T he battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.

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

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

And 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.

19 A sahel pursued Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand 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 behind Abner.

20 T hen Abner looked behind him, and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”

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

21 A bner 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.

And 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.

22 A bner 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?”

And 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?

23 H owever 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.

But 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.

24 B ut 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.

And 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.

25 T he children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.

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

26 T hen 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?”

And 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?

27 J oab 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.”

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

28 S o Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more.

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

29 A bner 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.

And 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.

30 J oab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.

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

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

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

32 T hey 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.

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 break of day.