2 Samuel 2

1After 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.”Cross-references: Gen 32:2 · Num 13:22 · Num 27:21 · Josh 14:13 · Judg 1:1 · 1Sam 23:2 · +16 more

2So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.Cross-references: 1Sam 25:42 · 1Sam 30:5 · Luke 22:28

3David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.Cross-references: Josh 21:11 · 1Sam 22:2 · 1Sam 27:2 · 1Sam 30:1 · 1Sam 30:9 · 1Chr 12:1

4The 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.”Cross-references: Gen 49:8 · 1Sam 16:13 · 1Sam 31:11 · 2Sam 2:7 · 2Sam 2:11 · 2Sam 5:3 · +5 more

5David 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.Cross-references: Ruth 1:8 · Ruth 2:20 · Ruth 3:10 · 1Sam 23:21 · 1Sam 24:19 · 1Sam 25:32 · +1 more

6Now may Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.Cross-references: Ex 34:6 · 2Sam 9:3 · 2Sam 9:7 · 2Sam 10:2 · 2Sam 15:20 · Ps 57:3 · +6 more

7Now 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.”Cross-references: Gen 15:1 · 1Sam 4:9 · 1Sam 31:7 · 1Sam 31:12 · 2Sam 10:12 · 1Cor 16:13 · +1 more

8Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.Cross-references: Gen 32:2 · 1Sam 14:50 · 1Sam 17:55 · 1Sam 26:14 · 2Sam 3:7 · 2Sam 4:5 · +3 more

9He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.Cross-references: Gen 30:13 · Num 1:40 · Num 32:1 · Josh 13:8 · Josh 19:18 · Judg 1:32 · +1 more

10Ishbosheth, 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.

11The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.Cross-references: 2Sam 5:4 · 1Ki 2:11 · 1Chr 3:4 · 1Chr 29:27

12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.Cross-references: Gen 32:2 · Josh 9:3 · Josh 10:2 · Josh 10:4 · Josh 10:12 · Josh 18:25 · +1 more

13Joab 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.Cross-references: 2Sam 2:18 · 2Sam 8:16 · 2Sam 20:23 · 1Ki 1:7 · 1Ki 2:28 · 1Chr 2:16 · +2 more

14Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”Cross-references: 2Sam 2:17 · 2Sam 2:26 · Prov 10:23 · Prov 17:14 · Prov 20:18 · Prov 25:8 · +1 more

15Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.

16They 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.

17The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.Cross-references: 2Sam 3:1

18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.Cross-references: 1Sam 26:6 · 2Sam 1:23 · 1Chr 2:15 · 1Chr 11:26 · 1Chr 12:8 · Ps 18:33 · +6 more

19Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.Cross-references: Josh 1:7 · Josh 23:6 · 2Sam 2:21 · 2Ki 22:2 · Prov 4:27

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

21Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.Cross-references: Judg 14:19

22Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”Cross-references: 2Sam 3:27 · 2Ki 14:10 · Prov 29:1 · Eccl 6:10

23However, he refused to turn away. 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.Cross-references: 2Sam 3:27 · 2Sam 4:6 · 2Sam 5:6 · 2Sam 20:10 · 2Sam 20:12

24But 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.

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

26Then 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?”Cross-references: 2Sam 2:14 · 2Sam 2:16 · 2Sam 11:25 · Job 18:2 · Job 19:2 · Ps 4:2 · +9 more

27Joab 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.”Cross-references: 1Sam 25:26 · 2Sam 2:14 · Job 27:2 · Prov 15:1 · Prov 17:14 · Prov 20:18 · +3 more

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

29Abner 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.Cross-references: 2Sam 2:8 · Song 2:17

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

31But David’s servants had struck Benjamin Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.Cross-references: 2Sam 3:1 · 1Ki 20:11

32They 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.Cross-references: 1Sam 17:58 · 2Sam 5:1 · 1Chr 2:13 · 2Chr 16:14 · 2Chr 21:1 · Prov 22:29