2 Samuel 2 NIV NLT Parallel

◄ 2 Samuel 2 ►

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1In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked. The LORD said, "Go up." David asked, "Where shall I go?" "To Hebron," the LORD answered.

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 up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

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

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

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

4Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had 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,

5he sent messengers to them to say to them, "The LORD bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master 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.

6May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.

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.

7Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me 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, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

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

9He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.

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

10Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to 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 length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was 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

12Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.

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

13Joab son of Zeruiah and David's men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

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.

14Then Abner said to Joab, "Let's have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us." "All right, let them do it," Joab said.

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 stood up and were counted off--twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

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

16Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent's side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.

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 that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David's men.

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

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

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

19He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.

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

20Abner looked behind him and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" "It is," he answered.

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

21Then Abner said to him, "Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons." But Asahel would not stop chasing 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.

22Again Abner warned Asahel, "Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?"

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 give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel's stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

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.

24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.

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.

25Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.

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

26Abner called out to Joab, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?"

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 surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning."

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 blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.

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

29All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim.

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.

30Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David's men were found missing.

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.

31But David's men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner.

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

32They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.

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.

New International Version (NIV)

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