Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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

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 the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

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

3In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, 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, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. 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."

5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, "The LORD bless you, because you have shown 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 kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed.

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.

7Therefore, be strong and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

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."

8Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Saul's son Ish-bosheth and 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.

9He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, 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 became king over Israel; 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.

11The 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.

12Abner son of Ner and soldiers 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 and David's soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. The two groups 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's have the young men get up and compete in front of 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 from David's soldiers.

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 so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades.

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 extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's soldiers.

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. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.

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.

19He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him.

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

20Abner glanced back and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes it is," Asahel replied.

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

21Abner said to him, "Turn to your right or left, seize one of the young soldiers, and take whatever you can get from him." 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 ever look your brother Joab in the face?"

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 hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped,

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, which is 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 Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of 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? Don't you realize 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 God lives," Joab replied, "if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn't have stopped 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."

28Then 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.

29So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. 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 had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David's soldiers 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 killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner's men.

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

32Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father's tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn.

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.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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