2 Samuel 2:1-19

1After some time, David asked the Lord, ‘Should I go up to one of Judah's towns?’ The Lord said to him, ‘Go up.’ David asked, ‘Where should I go?’ The Lord replied, ‘Go to Hebron.’

2So David went up to Hebron. He took his two wives with him. They were Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel.

3David also took the men who had been with him. Each man took his family. They lived in Hebron and in the towns near there.

4Then the men of Judah's tribe came to Hebron. They anointed David as king over Judah's people. David heard that the people from Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul's body.

5So David sent men to them with a message. He said, ‘You were kind to Saul, your master, when you buried his body. So I pray that the Lord will bless you.

6I pray that the Lord will keep you safe with his faithful love. I too will do good things for you, because of what you have done.

7Saul, your master, is dead, so you must continue to be strong and brave. The people of Judah have now chosen me to rule them as king.’

8Ner's son Abner was the leader of Saul's army. He took Saul's son Ish-Bosheth to Mahanaim.

9Abner gave Ish-Bosheth authority to rule as king over Gilead, Asher and Jezreel, as well as the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin. So Ish-Bosheth became king of all Israel.

10Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth, was 40 years old when he became king over Israel. He ruled Israel for two years. But Judah's people were faithful to David as their king.

11David remained in Hebron as king of Judah for seven and a half years.

12Then Ner's son, Abner, left Mahanaim and he went to Gibeon. He took with him the men who served Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth.

13Zeruiah's son, Joab, took David's men to meet Abner's men at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool while the other group sat on the other side.

14Then Abner said to Joab, ‘Some young men from each of our groups should fight against each other. Then we can watch them.’ Joab agreed.

15So they chose 12 men to fight on behalf of Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth. They also chose 12 of David's men to fight against them.

16As they fought, each man took hold of his enemy's head. And each man pushed his sword into his enemy's side. So they all fell down together and they were dead. So people called that place ‘The Field of Swords’. It is in Gibeon.

17That day, the two groups fought a great battle against each other. David's men won the fight against Abner and the men of Israel.

18Zeruiah's three sons were there. They were Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel could run as fast as a wild deer.

19He chased after Abner. He ran straight after him. He did not turn to the right or to the left.