New King James Version

English Standard Version

David Anointed King of Judah

It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?”
And the Lord said to him, “Go up.”
David said, “Where shall I go up?”
And He said, “To Hebron.”

1

David Anointed King of Judah

After this David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.”

2

So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

2

So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

3

And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

3

And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron.

4

Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.”

4

And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.
When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,”

5

So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him.

5

David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him.

6

And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.

6

Now may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing.

7

Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

7

Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

8

Ishbosheth Made King of Israel

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took [a]Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim;

8

Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim,

9

and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

9

and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel.

10

Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.

10

Ish-bosheth, 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.

11

And the [b]time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

11

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

12

Israel and Judah at War

Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

12

The Battle of Gibeon

Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13

And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

13

And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at 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

Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.”
And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

14

And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”

15

So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.

15

Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16

And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called [c]the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon.

16

And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim,a which is at Gibeon.

17

So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

17

And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.

18

Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.

18

And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle.

19

So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

19

And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

20

Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?”
He answered, “I am.”

20

Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.”

21

And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

21

Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

22

So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?”

22

And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?”

23

However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

23

But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24

Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon.

24

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25

Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became [d]a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill.

25

And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill.

26

Then Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?”

26

Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?”

27

And Joab said, “As God lives, [e]unless you had spoken, surely then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren.”

27

And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.”

28

So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore.

28

So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore.

29

Then Abner and his men went on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.

29

And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim.

30

So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.

30

Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel.

31

But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and Abner’s men, three hundred and sixty men who died.

31

But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men.

32

Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.

32

And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.

Parallel

New King James Version

English Standard Version

2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 2