2 Samuel 2 ISV NLT Parallel

◄ 2 Samuel 2 ►

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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."

1After this, David asked the LORD, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?” “Yes,” the LORD replied. Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered.

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

2David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives

3David brought his army with him, each soldier accompanied by his household, and they settled in the cities of Hebron.

3and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron.

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."

4Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah. When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul,

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.

5he sent them this message: “May the LORD bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial.

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.

6May the LORD be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done.

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."

7Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king.” Ishbosheth Proclaimed King of Israel

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

8But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth.

9He installed him as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all of the rest of Israel.

9There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.

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.

10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.

11The period of David's kingship in Hebron lasted seven years and six months.

11David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years. War between Israel and Judah

12 Ner's son Abner and the servants of Saul's son Ish-bosheth set out from Mahanaim for Gibeon.

12One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

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.

13About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David’s troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.

14Abner told Joab, "Let's have the young men get up and fight in our presence." Joab replied, "Let them come."

14Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” “All right,” Joab agreed.

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.

15So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David.

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.

16Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.

17The battle was very violent that day, with Abner and the men of Israel being defeated in the presence of David's servants.

17A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David. The Death of Asahel

18Zeruiah's three sons Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were there. As a runner, Asahel was fast, like one of the wild gazelles.

18Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,

19So Asahel ran straight after Abner, following him.

19and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything.

20When Abner looked behind him, he said, "Is that you, Asahel?" He answered, "I am."

20When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, “Is that you, Asahel?” “Yes, it is,” he replied.

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,

21“Go fight someone else!” Abner warned. “Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel kept right on chasing Abner.

22so Abner told Asahel again, "Stop following me. Why should I strike you down? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?"

22Again Abner shouted to him, “Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?”

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.

23But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.

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,

24When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner. The sun was just going down as they arrived at the hill of Ammah near Giah, along the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25the descendants of Benjamin rallied around Abner, forming a single military force. They took their stand on top of the hill.

25Abner’s troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.

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?"

26Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”

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."

27Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.”

28So Joab sounded his battle trumpet, his entire army stopped pursuing Israel any longer, and they quit fighting.

28So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.

29Abner and his army traveled through the Arabah by night, crossed the Jordan, and arrived at Mahanaim after marching all morning.

29All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn’t stop until they arrived at Mahanaim.

30Joab returned from his pursuit of Abner, and when he had mustered his entire army, nineteen of David's soldiers were missing besides Asahel.

30Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel.

31Meanwhile, other soldiers of David had killed 360 of Abner's men from the tribe of Benjamin.

31But 360 of Abner’s men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin.

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.

32Joab and his men took Asahel’s body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father’s tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

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