| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 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. | 1Some time later, David inquired of the LORD to ask, "Am I to move to any one of the cities of Judah?" The LORD told him, "Go." So David asked, "To which one?" He replied, "To Hebron." |
| 2So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. | 2So David went there, along with his two wives Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, widow of Nabal from Carmel. |
| 3In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron. | 3David brought his army with him, each soldier accompanied by his household, and they settled 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." | 4After this, the army of Judah arrived, and they anointed David king over the house of Judah. There they informed David, "The men of Jabesh-gilead 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. | 5So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead and told them, "May the LORD bless you, because you showed gracious love like this to your lord Saul by burying 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. | 6Now may the Lord reward you with gracious love, as well as faithfulness, to you, too! And I will also reward you because you did this good thing. |
| 7Therefore, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them." | 7So strengthen yourselves, and be valiant in heart, because your lord Saul has died, and the household of Judah has anointed me to be king over them." |
| 8Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Saul's son Ish-bosheth and moved him to Mahanaim. | 8Meanwhile, Ner's son Abner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-bosheth and brought him to Mahanaim. |
| 9He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin--over all Israel. | 9He installed him as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all of the rest of Israel. |
| 10Saul's son Ish-bosheth was 40 years old when he began his reign over Israel; he ruled for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. | 10Ish-bosheth began to reign over Israel at the age of 40 years, and he reigned for two years, even though Judah's lineage followed David. |
| 11The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. | 11The period of David's kingship in Hebron lasted seven years and six months. |
| 12Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. | 12 Ner's son Abner and the servants of Saul's son Ish-bosheth set out from Mahanaim for Gibeon. |
| 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. | 13Zeruiah's son Joab and some of David's staff went out to meet them at the pool of Gibeon. One side encamped on one side of the pool while the other encamped 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. | 14Abner told Joab, "Let's have the young men get up and fight in our presence." Joab replied, "Let them come." |
| 15So they got up and were counted off--12 for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and 12 from David's soldiers. | 15So they got up and twelve were counted to represent Benjamin and Saul's son Ish-bosheth and twelve to represent members of David's staff. |
| 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 man grabbed his opponent by the head, plunged his sword into his opponent's side, and then they both fell together. That's why the place at Gibeon was named The Field of Swords. |
| 17The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's soldiers. | 17The battle was very violent that day, with Abner and the men of Israel being defeated in the presence of David's servants. |
| 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles. | 18Zeruiah's three sons Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were there. As a runner, Asahel was fast, like one of the wild gazelles. |
| 19He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him. | 19So Asahel ran straight after Abner, following him. |
| 20Abner glanced back and said, "Is that you, Asahel?"" Yes it is," Asahel replied. | 20When Abner looked behind him, he said, "Is that you, Asahel?" He answered, "I am." |
| 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. | 21Abner told him, "Go off to your right or left after one of the young men and grab some war spoils." But Asahel would not stop 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?" | 22so Abner told Asahel again, "Stop following me. Why should I strike you down? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?" |
| 23But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the end of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. When all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped, | 23But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner struck Asahel in the abdomen with the butt end of his spear, and the spear protruded through his back. He collapsed to the ground and died where he fell. Everyone gathered round the place where Asahel had collapsed and died, and stood still there. |
| 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. | 24Meanwhile, Joab and Abishai continued to chase Abner. At dusk, as they approached the hill of Ammah that is located near Giah on the way to the Gibeon desert, |
| 25The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a single unit and took their stand on top of a hill. | 25the descendants of Benjamin rallied around Abner, forming a single military force. They took their stand on top of the 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 out to Joab, "Must the battle sword keep on devouring forever? Don't you realize that the end result is bitterness? How long will it take for you to order your army to stop pursuing their own relatives?" |
| 27As God lives," Joab replied, "if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn't have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning." | 27Joab answered, "As God lives, if you hadn't spoken up, by morning my army would have broken off their pursuit of their own relatives." |
| 28Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. | 28So Joab sounded his battle trumpet, his entire army stopped pursuing Israel any longer, and they quit fighting. |
| 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 army traveled through the Arabah by night, crossed the Jordan, and arrived at Mahanaim after marching all morning. |
| 30When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, 19 of David's soldiers were missing, | 30Joab returned from his pursuit of Abner, and when he had mustered his entire army, nineteen of David's soldiers were missing besides Asahel. |
| 31but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner's men. | 31Meanwhile, other soldiers of David had killed 360 of Abner's men from the tribe of Benjamin. |
| 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. | 32They retrieved Asahel's body and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night until daybreak and arrived back in Hebron. |
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