Self-interpreting Bible

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2 Samuel 2

1By God's direction David goeth up with his company to Hebron, where he is made king over Judah. 5He commendeth the men of Jabesh-gilead for their kindness to Saul. 8Abner maketh Ish-bosheth king over Israel. 12A deadly skirmish between twelve of Abner's men and twelve of Joab's bringeth on a battle, wherein the men of Israel are worsted. 18Asahel refusing to desist from pursuing Abner is slain by him. 25At Abner's motion Joab soundeth a retreat. 30The loss in the action. 32Asahel's burial.

1 AND it came to pass after this, that David aenquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, *Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto bHebron.

2 So David went up thither, and chis two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

3 And dhis men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt ein the cities of Hebron.

4 And fthe men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That gthe men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.

5 ¶And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, hBlessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

6 And inow the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and jI also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

7 Therefore know let your hands be strengthened, and 1be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

8 ¶But lAbner the son of Ner, captain of 2Saul's host, took 3Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to mMahanaim;

9 And made him king over nGilead, and over the oAshurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

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

    11 And the 4time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

    12 ¶And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to pGibeon.

    13 And qJoab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met 5together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

    14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and r*play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

    15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to sIsh-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

    16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called 6Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

    • 6: That is, the field of strong men.

    17 And there was a very *sore battle that day; and Abner was tbeaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

    18 ¶And there were uthree sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as vlight 7of foot 8as a wild roe.

    19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left 9from following Abner.

    • 9: Heb. from after Abner. Ec. 6.10. , Ec. 6:10

    20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.

      21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his 10armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

      22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I wsmite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

      23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him xunder the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

      24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of yGibeon.

      25 ¶And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

        26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return zfrom following their brethren?

        27 And Joab said, As God liveth, aunless thou hadst spoken, surely then 11in the morning the people had 12gone up every one from following his brother.

        28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

          29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all bBithron, and they came to cMahanaim.

          30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.

            31 But the servants of David dhad smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

            32 ¶And they etook up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went fall night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.