-
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.
02 So David went up thither, and his two wives
also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail
Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
03 And his men that were with him did David bring
up, every man with his household: and they dwelt
in the cities of Hebron.
04 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.
05 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.
06 And now the Lord shew kindness and truth unto
you: and I also will requite you this kindness,
because ye have done this thing.
07 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.
08 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's
host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and
brought him over to Mahanaim;
09 And made him king over Gilead, and over the
Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim,
and over Benjamin, and over 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 that David was king in Hebron
over the house of Judah was 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.
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.
14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now
arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let
them arise.
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.
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.
17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and
Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before
the servants of David.
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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.
19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going
he turned not to the right hand nor to the left
from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art
thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.
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.
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?
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.
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.
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered
themselves together after Abner, and became one
troop, and stood on the top of an hill.
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?
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.
28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people
stood still, and pursued after Israel no more,
neither fought they any more.
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.
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.
31 But the servants of David had smitten of
Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three
hundred and threescore men died.
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.
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