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