2 Samuel 2

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
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 After this David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?" The LORD replied to him, "Yes." Then David asked, "Where shall I go?" He replied, "To 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 there accompanied by his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow 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 David also brought up his men with their families, and they dwelt in the cities near 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 Then the men of Judah came there and anointed David king of the Judahites.A report reached David that the men of Jabesh-gilead 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 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them: "May you be blessed by the LORD for having done this kindness to your lord Saul in burying 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 may the LORD be kind and faithful to you. I, too, will be generous to you for having done this.
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 Take courage, therefore, and prove yourselves valiant men, for though your lord Saul is dead, the Judahites have anointed me their king."
8 Abner son of Ner, Saul's army commander, had taken Ishbaal son of Saul and brought him over toMahanaim.	8 Abner, son of Ner, Saul's general, took Ishbaal, son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim,
9 He had made him king of Gilead, of the Asherites, of Jezreel, of Ephraim, of Benjamin and indeed of allIsrael.	9 where he made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and the rest of 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 Ishbaal, son of Saul, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The Judahites alone followed David.
11 The length of David's reign over Judah in Hebron was seven years and six months.	11 In all, David spent seven years and six months in Hebron as king of the Judahites.
12 Abner son of Ner, with the retainers of Ishbaal son of Saul, marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.	12 Now Abner, son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbaal, Saul's son, left Mahanaim for Gibeon.
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 Joab, son of Zeruiah, and David's servants also set out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other on the opposite side.
14 Abner then said to Joab, 'Let the men come forward and fight it out between us!' Joab replied, 'Letthem come forward.'	14 Then Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men rise and perform for us." Joab replied, "All right!"
15 So they came forward and were numbered off, twelve from Benjamin for Ishbaal son of Saul, andtwelve of David's retainers.	15 So they rose and were counted off: twelve of the Benjaminites of Ishbaal, son of Saul, and twelve of David's servants.
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 Then each one grasped his opponent's head and thrust his sword into his opponent's side, and all fell down together. And so that place, which is in Gideon, was named the Field of the Sides.
17 That day a very fierce battle took place, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by David'sretainers.	17 After a very fierce battle that day, Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's servants.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel could run like a wildgazel e.	18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there-Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, who was as fleet of foot as a gazelle in the open field,
19 Asahel chased Abner, not swerving to the right or left from pursuing him.	19 set out after Abner, turning neither right nor left in his pursuit.
20 Abner turned and said, 'Asahel, is that you?' He replied, 'It is.'	20 Abner turned around and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" He replied, "Yes."
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 Abner said to him, "Turn right or left; seize one of the young men and take what you can strip from him." But Asahel would not desist from his pursuit.
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 Once more Abner said to Asahel: "Stop pursuing me! Why must I strike you to the ground? How could I face your brother Joab?"
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 Still he refused to stop. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the heel of his javelin, and the weapon protruded from his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, came to a halt.
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 Joab and Abishai, however, continued the pursuit of Abner. The sun had gone down when they came to the hill of Ammah which lies east of the valley toward the desert near Geba.
25 The Benjaminites gathered in close formation behind Abner and halted on the top of a hil .	25 Here the Benjaminites rallied around Abner, forming a single group, and made a stand on the hilltop.
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 Then Abner called to Joab and said: "Must the sword destroy to the utmost? Do you not know that afterward there will be bitterness? How much longer will you refrain from ordering the people to stop the pursuit of their brothers?"
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 Joab replied, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, the soldiers would not have been withdrawn from the pursuit of their brothers until morning."
28 Joab then sounded the trumpet and all the troops halted; they pursued Israel no further and fought nomore.	28 Joab then sounded the horn, and all the soldiers came to a halt, pursuing Israel no farther and fighting no 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 Abner and his men marched all night long through the Arabah, crossed the Jordan, marched all through the morning, and came to Mahanaim.
30 Joab, having stopped pursuing Abner, mustered the whole contingent; David's retainers had lostnineteen men in addition to Asahel,	30 Joab, after interrupting the pursuit of Abner, assembled all the men. Besides Asahel, nineteen other servants of David were missing.
31 but had killed three hundred and sixty of Benjamin, Abner's men.	31 But David's servants had fatally wounded three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin, followers of Abner.
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 They took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. Joab and his men made an all-night march, and dawn found them in Hebron.