2 Samuel 2

David Anointed King over Judah 2 Samuel 2:4–7

⁴Verse 4. The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.” ⁵Verse 5. David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him. ⁶Verse 6. Now may Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing. ⁷Verse 7. Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

Ishbosheth Made King by Abner 2 Samuel 2:8–10

⁸Verse 8. Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; ⁹Verse 9. and he made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. ¹⁰Verse 10. Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Duration of David's Reign in Hebron 2 Samuel 2:11

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

Conflict Begins at Gibeon 2 Samuel 2:12–17

¹²Verse 12. Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ¹³Verse 13. Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them 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. ¹⁴Verse 14. Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and play before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!” ¹⁵Verse 15. Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.

¹⁶Verse 16. They each caught his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim. ¹⁷Verse 17. The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.

Asahel's Pursuit of Abner 2 Samuel 2:18–23

¹⁸Verse 18. The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. ¹⁹Verse 19. Asahel pursued Abner; and in going he didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. ²⁰Verse 20. Then Abner looked behind him, and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.” ²¹Verse 21. Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him. ²²Verse 22. Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”

²³Verse 23. However he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

End of Conflict and Aftermath 2 Samuel 2:24–32

²⁴Verse 24. But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. ²⁵Verse 25. The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill. ²⁶Verse 26. Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?” ²⁷Verse 27. Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”

²⁸Verse 28. So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more. ²⁹Verse 29. Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim. ³⁰Verse 30. Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing. ³¹Verse 31. But David’s servants had struck Benjamin and of Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died. ³²Verse 32. They took up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.