Previous     Next       Play // Stop Sound    

          DASV: 2 Samuel 2    

1 After this, David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Should I go
up into any of the towns of Judah?" The LORD said to him, "Go up."
David asked, "Where should I go?" He answered, "To Hebron."
2 So David moved there, with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,
and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.
3 David also brought up his men who were with him, each man along
with his family and they settled in the towns of Hebron.

4 The men of Judah came and anointed David king over the house of
Judah there. They told David, "The people of Jabesh-gilead were
the ones who buried Saul."
5 David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead, and told
them, "May the LORD bless you, because you have showed this kindness
to your lord Saul by burying him.
6 May the LORD now show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I also
will reward you because you have done this.
7 Now therefore let your hands be strong and valiant; for Saul your lord
is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

8 Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's army, had taken
Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
9 He made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim,
Benjamin and over all Israel.
10 Ish-bosheth, 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.
11 Now David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah for seven
years and six months.

12 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul,
left Mahanaim for Gibeon.
13 Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met
them by the pool of Gibeon. They sat down, one group on the one side
of the pool, and the other group positioned themselves on the other
side of the pool.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men get up and grapple
before us." Joab said, "Let them get up."
15 So they got up and crossed over counting off, twelve for
Benjamin and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from
the servants of David.
16 Then they grappled, each one with his opponent grabbing them by
the head, and stabbing his sword in his opponent's side. So they
fell down dead together. That is why that place was called
Helkath-hazzurim [field of swords], at Gibeon.
17 The battle was fierce that day. Abner and the men of Israel were
beaten by David's soldiers.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel.
Asahel was as swift-footed as a gazelle.
19 Asahel chased Abner down, not turning to the right hand or to the left
as he pursued him.
20 Abner looked behind him and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" He
answered, "Yes, it is I."
21 Then Abner told him, "Turn aside to your right or left, and grab hold
of one of the young soldiers, and take his weapons." But Asahel would
not turn aside from pursuing him.
22 Abner told Asahel again, "Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to
the ground? How then would I ever show my face to your brother Joab?"
23 But Asahel refused to stop his pursuit. So Abner took the butt end
of his spear struck him in the stomach, and the spear came out his back.
He fell down there and died in that very spot. Everyone who came to the
place where Asahel had fallen and died stood still in respect.
24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. The sun went down when
they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the road to the wilderness
of Gibeon.

25 The children of Benjamin rallied behind Abner, regrouped into a
single company and stood on the top of a hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab and asked, "Must the sword devour
forever? Do you not realize that it will end in bitterness? How long
will it be until you order your people to stop chasing their
brothers?"
27 Then Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely
the people would have pursued their brothers until morning."
28 So Joab blew the trumpet and all the people stopped their pursuit
of Israel. They did not fight any longer.

29 Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they
crossed over the Jordan River, marching all morning and arrived at
Mahanaim.
30 Joab returned from chasing Abner. When he had gathered all the
people together, nineteen of David's soldiers were missing besides
Asahel.
31 But the soldiers of David had killed 360 from Benjamin and
Abner's men.
32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb that was in
Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night, and reached
Hebron at daybreak.

 Previous     Next       Play // Stop Sound