2 Samuel 2

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 so, after these things, David consulted the Lord, saying, “Shall I ascend to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Ascend.” And David said, “To where shall I ascend?” And he responded to him, “To Hebron.”
2 So David went up, with his two wives Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail widow of Nabal of Carmel.	2 Therefore, David ascended with his two wives, Ahinoam, the Jezreelite, 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 as for the men who were with him, David led forth each man with his household. And they stayed 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 Judah went and anointed David there, so that he would reign over the house of Judah. And it was reported to 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 Therefore, David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and he said to them: “Blessed are you to the Lord, who has accomplished this mercy with your lord Saul, so that you would bury 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, certainly, the Lord will repay to you mercy and truth. But I also will act with favor, because you have accomplished this word.
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 sons of fortitude. For even though your lord Saul has died, still the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”
8 Abner son of Ner, Saul's army commander, had taken Ishbaal son of Saul and brought him over toMahanaim.	8 Then Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of the army of Saul, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and he led him around, throughout 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 he appointed him as king over Gilead, and over Geshuri, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all 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 Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he had begun to rule over Israel. And he reigned for two years. For only the house of Judah 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, during which David was staying and ruling in Hebron over the house of Judah, 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 youths of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from the camp to 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 Therefore, Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the youths of David, went out and met them beside the pool of Gibeon. And when they had convened together, they sat down opposite one another: these on one side of the pool, and those 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 youths rise up and play before us.” And Joab answered, “Let them rise up.”
15 So they came forward and were numbered off, twelve from Benjamin for Ishbaal son of Saul, andtwelve of David's retainers.	15 Therefore, they rose up and crossed over, twelve in number of Benjamin, from the side of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the youths 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 each one, taking hold of his peer by the head, fixed a sword into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together. And the name of that place was called: The Field of the Valiant in Gibeon.
17 That day a very fierce battle took place, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by David'sretainers.	17 And a very harsh war rose up on that day. And Abner, with the men of Israel, was put to flight by the youths of David.
18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel could run like a wildgazel e.	18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were in that place: Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was a very swift runner, like one of the deer that lives in the forest.
19 Asahel chased Abner, not swerving to the right or left from pursuing him.	19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and he did not turn aside to the right, nor to the left, to cease in the pursuit of Abner.
20 Abner turned and said, 'Asahel, is that you?' He replied, 'It is.'	20 And so, Abner looked behind his back, and he said, “Are you not Asahel?” And he responded, “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, or to the left, and apprehend one of the youths, and take his spoils for yourself.” But Asahel was not willing to cease from pursuing him closely.
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 Asahel: “Withdraw, and do not choose to follow me. Otherwise, I will be compelled to stab you to the ground, and I will not be able to lift up my face before 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 But he disdained to heed him, and he was not willing to turn aside. Therefore, turning, Abner struck him with his spear in the groin, and he pierced him through, and he died in the same place. And all those who would pass by the place, in which Asahel had fallen and died, would stand 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 Abishai were pursuing Abner as he fled, the sun set. And they went as far as the Hill of the Aqueduct, which is opposite the valley on the way of the desert in Gibeon.
25 The Benjaminites gathered in close formation behind Abner and halted on the top of a hil .	25 And the sons of Benjamin gathered themselves to Abner. And being joined in one battle line, they stood at the summit 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 he said: “Will your sword rage unto utter destruction? Are you ignorant that it is perilous to act in desperation? How long will you not tell the people to cease from 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 And Joab said: “As the Lord lives, if you had spoken in the morning, the people would have withdrawn from pursuing their brothers.”
28 Joab then sounded the trumpet and all the troops halted; they pursued Israel no further and fought nomore.	28 Therefore, Joab sounded the trumpet, and the entire army stood still, and they did not pursue after Israel any more, and they did not engage in conflict.
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 Then Abner and his men went away, all that night, through the plains. And they crossed the Jordan, and having roamed throughout all of Beth-horon, they arrived in the camp.
30 Joab, having stopped pursuing Abner, mustered the whole contingent; David's retainers had lostnineteen men in addition to Asahel,	30 But Joab, returning after he had released Abner, gathered together all the people. And of David’s youths, they were missing nineteen men, aside from Asahel.
31 but had killed three hundred and sixty of Benjamin, Abner's men.	31 But of Benjamin and of the men who were with Abner, the servants of David had struck three hundred and sixty, who also 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 Asahel, and they buried him in the sepulcher of his father at Bethlehem. And Joab, and the men who were with him, walked throughout the night, and they arrived in Hebron at the very break of day.