David Anointed King of Judah 1 UEB After this David asked Yahweh and said, "Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?" Yahweh replied to him, "Go up." David said, "To which city should I go?" Yahweh replied, "To Hebron." BSB BSB: Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.
2 UEB So David went up with his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel, and Abigail from Carmel, the widow of Nabal. BSB BSB: So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
3 UEB David brought the men who were with him, who each brought his family, to the cities of Hebron, where they began to live. BSB BSB: David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
4 UEB Then men from Judah came and anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, "The men of Jabesh Gilead have buried Saul." BSB BSB: Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
5 UEB So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead and said to them, "You are blessed by Yahweh, since you have showed this loyalty to your master Saul and have buried him. BSB BSB: So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
6 UEB Now may Yahweh show you covenantal loyalty and faithfulness. I also will show you this goodness because you have done this thing. BSB BSB: Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.
7 UEB Now then, let your hands be strong; be courageous for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them." BSB BSB: Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”
Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel 8 UEB But Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth son of Saul and brought him to Mahanaim. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
9 UEB He made Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and over all Israel. BSB BSB: and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.
10 UEB Ishbosheth son of Saul, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. BSB BSB: Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
11 UEB The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. BSB BSB: And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
The Battle of Gibeon 12 UEB Abner son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. BSB BSB: One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 UEB Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. There they sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other on the other side. BSB BSB: So Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14 UEB Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and compete before us." Then Joab said, "Let them arise." BSB BSB: Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15 UEB Then the young men got up and gathered together, twelve for Benjamin and Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve from servants of David. BSB BSB: So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
16 UEB Each man seized his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into the side of his opponent, and they fell down together. Therefore that place was called "Helkath Hazzurim," or "Field of Swords," which is in Gibeon. BSB BSB: Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.
17 UEB The battle was very severe that day and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David. BSB BSB: The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
18 UEB The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was swift in his feet like a wild gazelle. BSB BSB: The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
19 UEB Asahel closely pursued Abner and followed him without turning away in any direction. BSB BSB: and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
20 UEB Abner looked behind him and said, "Is that you Asahel?" He answered, "It is I." BSB BSB: And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.
21 UEB Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his armor." But Asahel would not turn aside. BSB BSB: So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22 UEB So Abner said again to Asahel, "Stop pursuing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I hold up my face to Joab, your brother?" BSB BSB: Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
23 UEB But Asahel refused to turn aside, and so Abner stabbed him in the body with the blunt end of his spear, so that the spear came out the other side. Asahel fell down and died there. So it came about that anyone who arrived at the place where Asahel fell down and died, he stopped and stood still. BSB BSB: But Asahel refused to turn away. So Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 UEB But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. When the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is near Giah by the road to the wilderness of Gibeon. BSB BSB: But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 UEB The men of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and stood on the top of the hill. BSB BSB: The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.
26 UEB Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Must the sword devour forever? Do you not know it will be bitter in the end? How long will it be before you tell your men to stop pursuing their brothers?" BSB BSB: Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
27 UEB Joab replied, "Just as God lives, if you had not said that, my soldiers would have pursued their brothers until the morning!" BSB BSB: “As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”
28 UEB So Joab blew the trumpet, and all his men stopped and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore. BSB BSB: So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.
29 UEB Abner and his men traveled all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all the next morning, and then reached Mahanaim. BSB BSB: And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.
30 UEB Joab returned from pursuing Abner. He assembled all his men, from whom were missing Asahel and nineteen of David's soldiers. BSB BSB: When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,
31 UEB But the men of David had killed 360 men of Benjamin with Abner. BSB BSB: but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.
32 UEB Then they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men traveled all night, and the day dawned on them at Hebron. BSB BSB: And they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.