2 Samuel, 2

1. And it came to pass after this, that David enquired 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 up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

1. After this, David consulted Yahweh, "Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?" Yahweh answered him, "Go!" Then David asked, "Where shall I go?" He answered, "To Hebron."

2. So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

2. So David went up to Hebron with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

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

3. David also brought up his men with their families and they settled in the towns of Hebron.

4. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, [That] the men of Jabeshgilead [were they] that buried Saul.

4. Then the men of Judah came and there they anointed David king over the nation of Judah. David learned that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul,

5. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed [be] ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, [even] unto Saul, and have buried him.

5. so he sent messengers to them with these words, "May Yahweh bless you for you have dealt kindly with Saul, your master, and have buried him.

6. And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

6. May Yahweh show his love and fidelity to you! I, in turn, will be kind to you for having done this.

7. Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

7. Now be brave and strong for although your master Saul is dead, the people of Judah have anointed me their king."

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

8. Now Abner, son of Ner, Saul's general, had taken Ishbaal, son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim

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

9. where he made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin and the rest of 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.

10. Ishbaal, Saul's son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. Only the people of Judah followed David.

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

11. David was their king in Hebron and he ruled over them for seven years and six months.

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

12. Abner, son of Ner, and the menservants of Ishbaal, Saul's son, left Mahanaim for Gibeon

13. And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together 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.

13. where Joab, son of Zeruiah and the men of David met them at the pool of Gibeon. There they sat, one group on one side of the pool, the other on the opposite side.

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

14. Abner told Joab, "Let the young men rise and perform for us." Joab replied, "Let them rise!"

15. Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which [pertained] to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

15. So they rose and were counted off: twelve of the Benjaminites of Ishbaal, Saul's son, and twelve of David's men.

16. And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and [thrust] his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which [is] in Gibeon.

16. Each one caught his opponent's head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side, and all fell down together. Therefore, that place in Gibeon was called field of the fighting.

17. And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

17. After a very fierce battle that day, Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's troops.

18. And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel [was as] light of foot as a wild roe.

18. The three sons of Zeruiah - Joab, Abishai and Asahel - were there.

19. And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

19. Asahel, who ran as fast as a wild gazelle, pursued Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left.

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

20. Abner turned around and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" He replied, "Yes, it is I."

21. And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

21. Abner said to him, "Turn right or left, go after one of the young men and take his spoil." But Asahel refused to desist from following him,

22. And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

22. so Abner again said, "Stop following me! I will surely strike you down and then, how could I face your brother Joab?"

23. Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth [rib], 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.

23. But Asahel would not heed, and Abner, without turning back, struck him in the belly with his spear which ran through him and came out his back. He fell and died on the spot and all who came to the place where Asahel fell dead, stopped there.

24. Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that [lieth] before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

24. Joab and Abishai, however, pursued Abner and, by sunset, arrived at the hill of Ammah which lies near Giah toward the desert of Gibeon.

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

25. The Benjaminites then rallied around Abner, forming one band, and took their position on the hilltop.

26. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

26. Then Abner called to Joab, "When will the sword rest? Do you not realize that this will bring you more bitterness? When will you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?"

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

27. Joab replied, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, my men would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning."

28. So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

28. So Joab blew the trumpet and the men desisted from pursuing the Israelites and fighting them.

29. And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

29. Abner and his men marched all night through the lowland, crossed the Jordan, and marched the whole morning until they reached Mahanaim.

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

30. As for Joab, he stopped pursuing Abner and gathered all his men. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David's servants were missing.

31. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, [so that] three hundred and threescore men died.

31. But David's men had killed three hundred and sixty of Abner's men from among the Benjaminites.

32. 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.

32. Asahel was taken and buried in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.