1 And it came to pass1961 after310 this,3651 that David1732 inquired7592 of the LORD,3068 saying,559 Shall I go up5927 into any259 of the cities5892 of Judah?3063 And the LORD3068 said559 unto413 him, Go up.5927 And David1732 said,559 Whither575 shall I go up?5927 And he said,559 Unto Hebron.2275

2 So David1732 went up5927 thither,8033 and his two8147 wives802 also,1571 Ahinoam293 the Jezreelitess,3159 and Abigail26 Nabal's5037 wife802 the Carmelite.3761

3 And his men376 that834 were with5973 him did David1732 bring up,5927 every man376 with his household:1004 and they dwelt3427 in the cities5892 of Hebron.2275

4 And the men376 of Judah3063 came,935 and there8033 they anointed4886 853 David1732 king4428 over5921 the house1004 of Judah.3063 And they told5046 David,1732 saying,559 That the men376 of Jabesh-gilead3003 1568 were they that834 buried6912 853 Saul.7586

5 And David1732 sent7971 messengers4397 unto413 the men376 of Jabesh-gilead,3003 1568 and said559 unto413 them, Blessed1288 be ye859 of the LORD,3068 that834 ye have showed6213 this2088 kindness2617 unto5973 your lord,113 even unto5973 Saul,7586 and have buried6912 him.

6 And now6258 the LORD3068 show6213 kindness2617 and truth571 unto5973 you: and I595 also1571 will requite6213 you this2063 kindness,2896 because834 ye have done6213 this2088 thing.1697

7 Therefore now6258 let your hands3027 be strengthened,2388 and be1961 ye valiant:1121 2428 for3588 your master113 Saul7586 is dead,4191 and also1571 the house1004 of Judah3063 have anointed4886 me king4428 over5921 them.

8 But Abner74 the son1121 of Ner,5369 captain8269 of Saul's7586 host,6635 took3947 853 Ish-bosheth378 the son1121 of Saul,7586 and brought him over5674 to Mahanaim;4266

9 And made him king4427 over413 Gilead,1568 and over413 the Ashurites,843 and over413 Jezreel,3157 and over5921 Ephraim,669 and over5921 Benjamin,1144 and over5921 all3605 Israel.3478

10 Ish-bosheth378 Saul's7586 son1121 was forty705 years8141 old1121 when he began to reign4427 over5921 Israel,3478 and reigned4427 two8147 years.8141 But389 the house1004 of Judah3063 followed1961 310 David.1732

11 And the time4557 3117 that834 David1732 was1961 king4428 in Hebron2275 over5921 the house1004 of Judah3063 was1961 seven7651 years8141 and six8337 months.2320

12 And Abner74 the son1121 of Ner,5369 and the servants5650 of Ish-bosheth378 the son1121 of Saul,7586 went out3318 from Mahanaim4480 4266 to Gibeon.1391

13 And Joab3097 the son1121 of Zeruiah,6870 and the servants5650 of David,1732 went out,3318 and met6298 together3162 by5921 the pool1295 of Gibeon:1391 and they sat down,3427 the one428 on the one side4480 2088 of5921 the pool,1295 and the other428 on the other side4480 2088 of5921 the pool.1295

14 And Abner74 said559 to413 Joab,3097 Let the young men5288 now4994 arise,6965 and play7832 before6440 us. And Joab3097 said,559 Let them arise.6965

15 Then there arose6965 and went over5674 by number4557 twelve8147 6240 of Benjamin,1144 which pertained to Ish-bosheth378 the son1121 of Saul,7586 and twelve8147 6240 of the servants4480 5650 of David.1732

16 And they caught2388 every one376 his fellow7453 by the head,7218 and thrust his sword2719 in his fellow's7453 side;6654 so they fell down5307 together:3162 wherefore that1931 place4725 was called7121 Helkath-hazzurim,2521 which834 is in Gibeon.1391

17 And there was1961 a very5704 3966 sore7186 battle4421 that1931 day;3117 and Abner74 was beaten,5062 and the men376 of Israel,3478 before6440 the servants5650 of David.1732

18 And there8033 were1961 three7969 sons1121 of Zeruiah6870 there, Joab,3097 and Abishai,52 and Asahel:6214 and Asahel6214 was as light7031 of foot7272 as a259 wild834 7704 roe.6643

19 And Asahel6214 pursued7291 after310 Abner;74 and in going1980 he turned5186 not3808 to5921 the right3225 hand nor to5921 the left8040 from following4480 310 Abner.74

20 Then Abner74 looked6437 behind310 him, and said,559 Art thou859 Asahel?6214 And he answered,559 I595 am.

21 And Abner74 said559 to him, Turn thee aside5186 to5921 thy right3225 hand or176 to5921 thy left,8040 and lay thee hold270 on one259 of the young men,4480 5288 and take3947 thee853 his armor.2488 But Asahel6214 would14 not3808 turn aside5493 from following4480 310 of him.

22 And Abner74 said559 again3254 to413 Asahel,6214 Turn thee aside5493 from following4480 310 me: wherefore4100 should I smite5221 thee to the ground?776 how349 then should I hold up5375 my face6440 to413 Joab3097 thy brother?251

23 Howbeit he refused3985 to turn aside:5493 wherefore Abner74 with the hinder end of310 the spear2595 smote5221 him under413 the fifth2570 rib, that the spear2595 came out3318 behind4480 310 him; and he fell down5307 there,8033 and died4191 in the same place:8478 and it came to pass,1961 that as many3605 as came935 to413 the place4725 where834 Asahel6214 fell down5307 and died4191 stood still.5975

24 Joab3097 also and Abishai52 pursued7291 after310 Abner:74 and the sun8121 went down935 when they1992 were come935 to5704 the hill1389 of Ammah,522 that834 lieth before5921 6440 Giah1520 by the way1870 of the wilderness4057 of Gibeon.1391

25 And the children1121 of Benjamin1144 gathered themselves together6908 after310 Abner,74 and became1961 one259 troop,92 and stood5975 on5921 the top7218 of a259 hill.1389

26 Then Abner74 called7121 to413 Joab,3097 and said,559 Shall the sword2719 devour398 forever?5331 knowest3045 thou not3808 that3588 it will be1961 bitterness4751 in the latter end?314 how long5704 shall it be then, ere3808 thou bid559 the people5971 return7725 from following4480 310 their brethren?251

27 And Joab3097 said,559 As God430 liveth,2416 unless3588 3884 thou hadst spoken,1696 surely3588 then227 in the morning1242 the people5971 had gone up5927 every one376 from following4480 310 his brother.251

28 So Joab3097 blew8628 a trumpet,7782 and all3605 the people5971 stood5975 still, and pursued7291 after310 Israel3478 no3808 more,5750 neither3808 fought3898 they any more.3254

29 And Abner74 and his men376 walked1980 all3605 that1931 night3915 through the plain,6160 and passed over5674 853 Jordan,3383 and went through1980 all3605 Bithron,1338 and they came935 to Mahanaim.4266

30 And Joab3097 returned7725 from following4480 310 Abner:74 and when he had gathered all the people together,6908 853 3605 5971 there lacked6485 of David's servants4480 5650 1732 nineteen8672 6240 men376 and Asahel.6214

31 But the servants5650 of David1732 had smitten5221 of Benjamin,4480 1144 and of Abner's74 men,4480 376 so that three7969 hundred3967 and threescore8346 men376 died.4191

32 And they took up5375 853 Asahel,6214 and buried6912 him in the sepulcher6913 of his father,1 which834 was in Bethlehem.1035 And Joab3097 and his men376 went1980 all3605 night,3915 and they came to Hebron2275 at break of day.215