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2 Samuel 2
1599 Geneva Bible
2 Samuel 2
1599 Geneva Bible
2 1 David is anointed King in Hebron. 9 Abner maketh Ishbosheth King over Israel. 15 The battle of the servants of David and Ishbosheth. 32 The burial of Asahel.
1 After this, David [a]asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go? He then answered, Unto [b]Hebron.
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.
3 And David brought up the men that were with [c]him, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 ¶ Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David King over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, (A)that the men of Jabesh Gilead buried Saul.
5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said unto them, Blessed are ye of the Lord, that ye have showed such kindness unto your lord Saul, that you have buried him.
6 Therefore now the Lord show mercy and [d]truth unto you: and I will recompense you this benefit, because ye have done this thing.
7 Therefore now let your hands be strong, and be you valiant: albeit your master Saul be dead, yet nevertheless the house of Judah hath anointed me [e]King over them.
8 ¶ But Abner the son of Ner that was captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him to Mahanaim,
9 And made him King over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over [f]all Israel.
10 Ishbosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years: but the house of Judah followed David.
11 (And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah, was seven years and six [g]months.)
12 ¶ And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul went out of Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David went out and met one another 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 Then Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and [h]play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
15 Then there arose and went over twelve of Benjamin by number, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 And every one caught his [i]fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side, so they fell down together: wherefore the place was called [j]Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
17 And the battle was exceedingly sore that same day: for Abner and the men of Israel [k]fell before the servants of David.
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as light on foot as a wild roe.
19 And Asahel followed after Abner, and in going he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, Yea.
21 Then Abner said, Turn thee either to the right hand or to the left, and take one of the young men, and take thee his [l]weapons: and Asahel would not depart from him.
22 And Abner said to Asahel, Depart from me: [m]wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
23 And when he would not depart, Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the [n]fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him: and he fell down there, and died in his place. And as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down, and died, stood still.
24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and were on an heap, and stood on the top of an hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the [o]sword devour forever? knowest thou not, that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long then shall it be, or thou bid the people return from following their brethren?
27 And Joab said, As God liveth, if thou hadst not [p]spoken, surely even in the morning the people had departed every one back from his brother.
28 ¶ So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they anymore.
29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the [q]plain, and went over Jordan, and past through all Bithron till they came [r]to Mahanaim.
30 Joab also returned back from Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men, and Asahel.
31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three [s]hundred and threescore men died.
32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulcher of his father, which was in Bethlehem: and Joab and his men went all night, and when they came to Hebron, the day arose.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 2:1 By the means of the high Priest, as 1 Sam. 23:2 and 2 Sam. 5:19.
- 2 Samuel 2:1 Which city was also called Kirjath Arba, Josh. 14:15.
- 2 Samuel 2:3 In the time of his persecution.
- 2 Samuel 2:6 According to his promise, which is to recompense them that are merciful.
- 2 Samuel 2:7 So that you shall not want a Captain and a defender.
- 2 Samuel 2:9 Over the eleven tribes.
- 2 Samuel 2:11 After this time was expired, he reigned over all the country 33 years, 2 Sam. 5:5.
- 2 Samuel 2:14 Let us see how they can handle their Weapons.
- 2 Samuel 2:16 Meaning, his adversary.
- 2 Samuel 2:16 Or, the field of strong men.
- 2 Samuel 2:17 After that these four and twenty were slain.
- 2 Samuel 2:21 Or, spoil.
- 2 Samuel 2:22 Why dost thou provoke me to kill thee?
- 2 Samuel 2:23 Some read, in those parts, whereas the lively parts lie: as the heart, the lungs, the liver, the milt, and the gall.
- 2 Samuel 2:26 Shall we not make an end of murdering?
- 2 Samuel 2:27 If thou hadst not provoked them to battle, as verse 14.
- 2 Samuel 2:29 Or, wilderness.
- 2 Samuel 2:29 Or, to the tents.
- 2 Samuel 2:31 Thus God would confirm David in his kingdom by the destruction of his adversaries.
2 Samuel 2
New International Version
2 Samuel 2
New International Version
David Anointed King Over Judah
2 In the course of time, David inquired(A) of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.
The Lord said, “Go up.”
David asked, “Where shall I go?”
“To Hebron,”(B) the Lord answered.
2 So David went up there with his two wives,(C) Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail,(D) the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him,(E) each with his family, and they settled in Hebron(F) and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron,(G) and there they anointed(H) David king over the tribe of Judah.
When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead(I) who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless(J) you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness,(K) and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong(L) and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
War Between the Houses of David and Saul(M)
8 Meanwhile, Abner(N) son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth(O) son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.(P) 9 He made him king over Gilead,(Q) Ashuri(R) and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.(S)
10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.(T)
12 Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.(U) 13 Joab(V) son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”
“All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
15 So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger(W) into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.[a]
17 The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated(X) by David’s men.(Y)
18 The three sons of Zeruiah(Z) were there: Joab,(AA) Abishai(AB) and Asahel.(AC) Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.(AD) 19 He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him. 20 Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?”
“It is,” he answered.
21 Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22 Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”(AE)
23 But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach,(AF) and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.(AG)
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. 25 Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
26 Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour(AH) forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
27 Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”
28 So Joab(AI) blew the trumpet,(AJ) and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
29 All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah.(AK) They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours[b] and came to Mahanaim.(AL)
30 Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing. 31 But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb(AM) at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 2:16 Helkath Hazzurim means field of daggers or field of hostilities.
- 2 Samuel 2:29 See Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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