2 Samuel 2

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 After this David consulted Yahweh, asking, 'Shal I go up to one of the towns of Judah?' Yahwehreplied, 'Go up!' 'Which one shal I go to?' David asked. 'To Hebron,' was the reply.	1 And 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.
2 So David went up, with his two wives Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel.	2 So David went up, and his two wives, Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:
3 In addition David brought up the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in thetowns of Hebron.	3 And the men also that were with him, David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.
4 The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David as king of the House of Judah. They told Davidthat the people of Jabesh in Gilead had given Saul burial,	4 And 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.
5 so David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh in Gilead. 'May you be blessed by Yahweh,' he said,'for showing this faithful love to Saul your lord, and for burying him.	5 David 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.
6 And now may Yahweh show faithful love and constancy towards you! I too shall treat you wel becauseyou have done this.	6 And 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.
7 And now take courage and be men of valour. Saul your lord is dead, but the House of Judah hasanointed me to be their king.'	7 Let 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.
8 Abner son of Ner, Saul's army commander, had taken Ishbaal son of Saul and brought him over toMahanaim.	8 But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul's army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp?
9 He had made him king of Gilead, of the Asherites, of Jezreel, of Ephraim, of Benjamin and indeed of allIsrael.	9 And made him king over Galaad, and, over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 Ishbaal son of Saul was forty years old when he became king of Israel, and he reigned for two years.Only the House of Judah supported David.	10 Isboseth 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.
11 The length of David's reign over Judah in Hebron was seven years and six months.	11 And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.
12 Abner son of Ner, with the retainers of Ishbaal son of Saul, marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.	12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon
13 Joab son of Zeruiah, with David's retainers, also took the field, encountering them at the pool ofGibeon. There they halted, one party on one side of the pool, and the other opposite.	13 And 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.
14 Abner then said to Joab, 'Let the men come forward and fight it out between us!' Joab replied, 'Letthem come forward.'	14 And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.
15 So they came forward and were numbered off, twelve from Benjamin for Ishbaal son of Saul, andtwelve of David's retainers.	15 Then 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.
16 Each caught his opponent by the head and drove his sword into his side; and thus they al felltogether. Hence the place was cal ed the Field of Sides; it is at Gibeon.	16 And 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.
17 That day a very fierce battle took place, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by David'sretainers.	17 And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel could run like a wildgazel e.	18 And 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.
19 Asahel chased Abner, not swerving to the right or left from pursuing him.	19 And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Abner turned and said, 'Asahel, is that you?' He replied, 'It is.'	20 And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he answered: I am.
21 Abner said, 'Turn to your right or your left, catch one of the men and take his spoil!' But Asahel wouldnot break off the pursuit.	21 And 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.
22 Again Abner spoke to Asahel, 'Stop following me, unless you want me to strike you to the ground; andthen how could I look your brother Joab in the face?'	22 And 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.
23 But he refused to be diverted, so Abner struck him in the belly with the butt of his spear so that theshaft came out through his back; and he fell at his feet and died on the spot. On coming to the place whereAsahel had fal en and died, everyone halted.	23 But 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.
24 Joab and Abishai took up the pursuit of Abner and at sunset reached the Hil of Ammah, which is tothe east of Giah on the road through the desert of Gibeon.	24 Now 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.
25 The Benjaminites gathered in close formation behind Abner and halted on the top of a hil .	25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to Abner: and being joined in one body, they stood on the top of a hill.
26 Abner cal ed out to Joab, 'Is the sword to go on devouring for ever? Surely you see that this can onlyend in bitterness? How long wil it be before you order those people to stop pursuing their brothers?'	26 And 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?
27 Joab replied, 'As Yahweh lives, if you had not spoken, these men would not have given up the pursuitof their brothers until morning.'	27 And 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.
28 Joab then sounded the trumpet and all the troops halted; they pursued Israel no further and fought nomore.	28 Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.
29 Al that night Abner and his men made their way through the Arabah; they crossed the Jordan and,marching throughout the morning, came to Mahanaim.	29 And 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.
30 Joab, having stopped pursuing Abner, mustered the whole contingent; David's retainers had lostnineteen men in addition to Asahel,	30 And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the people: and there were wanting of David's servants nineteen men, beside Asael.
31 but had killed three hundred and sixty of Benjamin, Abner's men.	31 But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.
32 They took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb, which is at Bethlehem. Joab and his menthen marched throughout the night, reaching Hebron at daybreak.	32 And 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.