II Samuel 2

¹And so, after these things, David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I ascend to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Ascend.” And David said, “To where shall I ascend?” And he responded to him, “To Hebron.”

²Therefore, David ascended with his two wives, Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

³And as for the men who were with him, David led forth each man with his household. And they stayed in the towns of Hebron.

⁴And the men of Judah went and anointed David there, so that he would reign over the house of Judah. And it was reported to David that the men of Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul.

⁵Therefore, David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and he said to them: “Blessed are you to the Lord, who has accomplished this mercy with your lord Saul, so that you would bury him.

⁶And now, certainly, the Lord will repay to you mercy and truth. But I also will act with favor, because you have accomplished this word.

⁷Let your hands be strengthened, and be sons of fortitude. For even though your lord Saul has died, still the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”

⁸Then Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of the army of Saul, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and he led him around, throughout the camp.

⁹And he appointed him as king over Gilead, and over Geshuri, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all of Israel.

¹⁰Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he had begun to rule over Israel. And he reigned for two years. For only the house of Judah followed David.

¹¹And the number of the days, during which David was staying and ruling in Hebron over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months.

¹²And Abner, the son of Ner, and the youths of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gibeon.

¹³Therefore, Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the youths of David, went out and met them beside the pool of Gibeon. And when they had convened together, they sat down opposite one another: these on one side of the pool, and those on the other side.

¹⁴And Abner said to Joab, “Let the youths rise up and play before us.” And Joab answered, “Let them rise up.”

¹⁵Therefore, they rose up and crossed over, twelve in number of Benjamin, from the side of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the youths of David.

¹⁶And each one, taking hold of his peer by the head, fixed a sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together. And the name of that place was called: The Field of the Valiant in Gibeon.

¹⁷And a very harsh war rose up on that day. And Abner, with the men of Israel, was put to flight by the youths of David.

¹⁸Now the three sons of Zeruiah were in that place: Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was a very swift runner, like one of the deer that lives in the forest.

¹⁹And Asahel pursued Abner, and he did not turn aside to the right, nor to the left, to cease in the pursuit of Abner.

²⁰And so, Abner looked behind his back, and he said, “Are you not Asahel?” And he responded, “I am.”

²¹And Abner said to him, “Go to the right, or to the left, and apprehend one of the youths, and take his spoils for yourself.” But Asahel was not willing to cease from pursuing him closely.

²²And again, Abner said to Asahel: “Withdraw, and do not choose to follow me. Otherwise, I will be compelled to stab you to the ground, and I will not be able to lift up my face before your brother, Joab.”

²³But he disdained to heed him, and he was not willing to turn aside. Therefore, turning, Abner struck him with his spear in the groin, and he pierced him through, and he died in the same place. And all those who would pass by the place, in which Asahel had fallen and died, would stand still.

²⁴Now while Joab and Abishai were pursuing Abner as he fled, the sun set. And they went as far as the Hill of the Aqueduct, which is opposite the valley on the way of the desert in Gibeon.

²⁵And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves to Abner. And being joined in one battle line, they stood at the summit of a hill.

²⁶And Abner cried out to Joab, and he said: “Will your sword rage unto utter destruction? Are you ignorant that it is perilous to act in desperation? How long will you not tell the people to cease from the pursuit of their brothers?”

²⁷And Joab said: “As the Lord lives, if you had spoken in the morning, the people would have withdrawn from pursuing their brothers.”

²⁸Therefore, Joab sounded the trumpet, and the entire army stood still, and they did not pursue after Israel any more, and they did not engage in conflict.

²⁹Then Abner and his men went away, all that night, through the plains. And they crossed the Jordan, and having roamed throughout all of Beth-horon, they arrived in the camp.

³⁰But Joab, returning after he had released Abner, gathered together all the people. And of David’s youths, they were missing nineteen men, aside from Asahel.

³¹But of Benjamin and of the men who were with Abner, the servants of David had struck three hundred and sixty, who also died.

³²And they took Asahel, and they buried him in the sepulcher of his father at Bethlehem. And Joab, and the men who were with him, walked throughout the night, and they arrived in Hebron at the very break of day.

II Samuel 2

¹And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into Hebron.

²So David went up, and his two wives Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:

³And the men also that were with him, David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.

⁴And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Juda. And it was told David that the men of Jabes Galaad had buried Saul.

⁵David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to your master Saul, and have buried him.

⁶And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth, and I also will requite you for this good turn, because you have done this thing.

⁷Let your hands be strengthened, and be ye men of valour: for although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed me to be their king.

⁸But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul's army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp,

⁹And made him king over Galaad, and over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

¹⁰Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years; and only the house of Juda followed David.

¹¹And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.

¹²And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon.

¹³And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out, and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together, they sat down over against one another: the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side.

¹⁴And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.

¹⁵Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

¹⁶And every one catching his fellow by the head, thrust his sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together: and the name of the place was called: The field of the valiant, in Gabaon.

¹⁷And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.

¹⁸And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai, and Asael: now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that abide in the woods.

¹⁹And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

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

²¹And Abner said to him: Go to the right hand or to the left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael would not leave off following him close.

²²And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest I be obliged to stab thee to the ground, and I shall not be able to hold up my face to Joab thy brother.

²³But he refused to hearken to him, and would not turn aside: wherefore Abner struck him with his spear with a back stroke in the groin, and thrust him through, and he died upon the spot: and all that came to the place where Asael fell down and died stood still.

²⁴Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down: and they came as far as the hill of the aqueduct, that lieth over against the valley by the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.

²⁵And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being joined in one body, they stood on the top of a hill.

²⁶And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto utter destruction? knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive people to despair? how long dost thou defer to bid the people cease from pursuing after their brethren?

²⁷And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner, even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing after their brethren.

²⁸Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.

²⁹And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plains: and they passed the Jordan, and having gone through all Beth-horon, came to the camp.

³⁰And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David's servants nineteen men, beside Asael.

³¹But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.

³²And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem and Joab, and the men that were with him, marched all the night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.