2 Samuel 2:1-19

1Some time laterH310H3651, DavidH1732 inquiredH7592 of the LORDH3068, “Should I go upH5927 to oneH259 of the townsH5892 of JudahH3063?”

“Go upH5927,” the LORDH3068 answeredH559H413.

Then DavidH1732 askedH559, “WhereH575 should I goH5927?”

“To HebronH2275,” repliedH559 the LORD.

2So DavidH1732H1571 wentH5927 thereH8033 with his twoH8147 wivesH802, AhinoamH293 of JezreelH3158 and AbigailH26 the widowH802 of NabalH5037 of CarmelH3761. 3David alsoH1732 tookH5927 the menH582 whoH834 were with himH5973, eachH376 with his householdH1004, and they settledH3427 in the townsH5892 near HebronH2275.

4Then the menH582 of JudahH3063 cameH935 to Hebron, and thereH8033 they anointedH4886 DavidH1732 kingH4428 overH5921 the houseH1004 of JudahH3063. And they toldH5046 DavidH1732H559, “It was the menH582 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 who buriedH6912 SaulH7586.”

5So DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 toH413 the menH582 of Jabesh-gileadH3003H1568 to tellH559 themH413, “The LORDH3068 blessH1288 youH859, becauseH834 you showedH6213 thisH2088 kindnessH2617 toH5973 SaulH7586 your lordH113H5973 when you buried himH6912. 6NowH6258 may the LORDH3068 showH6213 youH5973 loving devotionH26171 and faithfulnessH571, and IH595 will alsoH1571 showH6213 youH854 the sameH2063 favorH2896 becauseH834 you have doneH6213 thisH2088. 7Now thenH6258, be strongH2388H3027H1961 and courageousH1121H2428, forH3588 though SaulH7586 your lordH113 is deadH4191, the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 has anointed meH4886 as their kingH4428H5921.”

8Meanwhile, AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369, the commanderH8269 of Saul’sH7586 armyH6635, tookH3947 Saul’sH7586 sonH1121 Ish-boshethH378,2 moved himH5674 to MahanaimH4266, 9and made him kingH4427 overH413 GileadH1568H413, AsherH805H413, JezreelH3157, EphraimH669H5921, and BenjaminH1144—overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478.

10Saul’sH7586 sonH1121 Ish-boshethH378 was fortyH705 years oldH1121H8141 when he began to reignH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478, and he reignedH4427 for twoH8147 yearsH8141.

The houseH1004 of JudahH3063, howeverH389, followedH1961H310 DavidH1732. 11And the lengthH4557 of timeH3117 thatH834H1961 DavidH1732 wasH1961 kingH4428 in HebronH2275 overH5921 the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 was sevenH7651 yearsH8141 and sixH8337 monthsH2320.

12One day AbnerH74 sonH1121 of NerH5369 and the servantsH5650 of Ish-boshethH378 sonH1121 of SaulH7586 marched outH3318 from MahanaimH4266 to GibeonH1391. 13So JoabH3097 sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 and the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 marched outH3318 and met themH6298 byH5921 the poolH1295 of GibeonH1391H3162. And the two groupsH428 took up positionsH3427 onH5921 opposite sidesH2088H428H5921H1295 of the poolH1295.

14Then AbnerH74 saidH559 toH413 JoabH3097, “Let us have the young menH5288 get upH6965H4994 and competeH7832 before usH6440.”

“Let them get upH6965,” JoabH3097 repliedH559.

15So they got upH6965H5674 and were counted offH4557—twelveH8147H6240 for BenjaminH1144 and Ish-boshethH378 sonH1121 of SaulH7586, and twelveH8147H6240 for DavidH1732. 16Then each manH376 grabbedH2388 his opponentH7453 by the headH7218 and thrust his swordH2719 into his opponent’sH7453 sideH6654, and they all fellH5307 togetherH3162. So thisH1931 placeH4725, whichH834 is in GibeonH1391, is calledH7121 Helkath-hazzurimH2521.3

17The battleH4421 thatH1931 dayH3117 wasH1961 intenseH3966H7186, and AbnerH74 and the menH582 of IsraelH3478 were defeatedH5062 byH6440 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732.

18The threeH7969 sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 wereH1961 thereH8033: JoabH3097, AbishaiH52, and AsahelH6214. Now AsahelH6214 was fleetH7031 of footH7272 like aH259 wildH7704 gazelleH6643, 19and heH6214H310 chasedH7291 AbnerH74, notH3808 turningH5186H1980H5921 to the rightH3225H5921 or to the leftH8040H310 in his pursuitH74.