Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.

1Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?" And the LORD said to him, "Go up." So David said, "Where shall I go up?" And He said, "To Hebron."

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

2So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

3David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.

3And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron.

4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

4Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, "It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul."

5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.

5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, "May you be blessed of the LORD because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him.

6Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.

6"Now may the LORD show lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing.

7Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”

7"Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

8Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,

8But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

9and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.

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

10Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

10Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

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

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

12One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

12Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul.

13So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.

13And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.

14Then Abner said to Joab, "Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us." And Joab said, "Let them arise."

15So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

15So they arose and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.

16Each one of them seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

17The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

17That day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,

18Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel; and Asahel was as swift-footed as one of the gazelles which is in the field.

19and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.

19Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn to the right or to the left from following Abner.

20And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.

20Then Abner looked behind him and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" And he answered, "It is I."

21So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

21So Abner said to him, "Turn to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his spoil." But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.

22Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”

22Abner repeated again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?"

23But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

23However, he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it came about that all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is in front of Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

25The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.

25The sons of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of a certain hill.

26Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”

26Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the end? How long will you refrain from telling the people to turn back from following their brothers?"

27“As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”

27Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone away in the morning, each from following his brother."

28So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.

28So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people halted and pursued Israel no longer, nor did they continue to fight anymore.

29And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.

29Abner and his men then went through the Arabah all that night; so they crossed the Jordan, walked all morning, and came to Mahanaim.

30When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,

30Then Joab returned from following Abner; when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen of David's servants besides Asahel were missing.

31but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.

31But the servants of David had struck down many of Benjamin and Abner's men, so that three hundred and sixty men died.

32Later, they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

32And they took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb which was in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men went all night until the day dawned at Hebron.

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