2 Samuel 2

1After this, David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” And Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” Then David said, “Where shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.”

2So David went up there, and also his two wives: Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

3And David brought up the men who were with him, each man with his household, and they settled in the towns of Hebron.

4Then 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."

5Then David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, because you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.”

6And now may Yahweh show you steadfast love and faithfulness. And I also will do this good to you, because you have done this thing.

7Let your hands be strong, and be valiant men, for your lord Saul is dead, and the house of Judah also has anointed me king over them.

8But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

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

10Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

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

12Then Abner son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them together by the pool of Gibeon. And these sat on one side of the pool, and those on the other side of the pool.

14Then Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

15So they arose and crossed over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.

16Each man seized his companion by the head, and his sword was in his companion’s side, so they fell together. Therefore that place, which is in Gibeon, was called Helkath-hazzurim.

17The battle was very fierce that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.

18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was swift on his feet like one of the gazelles that are in the field.

19Asahel pursued Abner, and he did not turn to the right or to the left from following Abner.

20Abner turned behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?” And he said, “I am.”

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

22Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? Then how could I lift up my face to Joab your brother?”

23But he refused to turn aside, so Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, and the spear came out behind him; and he fell there and died on the spot. And everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died stood still.

24Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and the sun went down; and they came as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25Then the sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner, became one band, and took their stand on the top of one hill.

26Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will it be before you tell the people to turn back from following their brothers?”

27Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, then from the morning the people would have gone up, each from following his brother.”

28Then Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still, and they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.

29And Abner and his men traveled through the Arabah all that night, crossed the Jordan, went through all the Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

30And Joab returned from pursuing Abner, and he gathered all the people. When they were counted, nineteen men of David’s servants were missing, besides Asahel.

31But David’s servants struck down three hundred and sixty men from Benjamin and from Abner’s men.

32They carried Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb, which was at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men traveled all night, and daybreak came upon them at Hebron.