2 Samuel 2:8-32

8But 1AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, commanderH8269 of Saul’sH7586 armyH6635, had takenH3947 2Ish-boshethH378 the sonH1121 of SaulH7586 and broughtH5674 him overH5674 to 3MahanaimH4266. 9He madeH4427 him kingH4427 overH413 4GileadH1568, overH413 the 5AshuritesH805, overH413 6JezreelH3157, overH5921 EphraimH669, and overH5921 BenjaminH1144, even overH5921 allH3605 IsraelH3478. 10Ish-boshethH378, Saul’sH7586 sonH1121, was fortyH705 yearsH8141 oldH1121 when he becameH4427 kingH4427 overH5921 IsraelH3478, and he was kingH4427 for twoH8147 yearsH8141. The houseH1004 of JudahH3063, howeverH389, followedH310 DavidH1732. 117The 8timeH4557H3117 that DavidH1732 was kingH4428 in HebronH2275 overH5921 the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 was sevenH7651 yearsH8141 and sixH8337 monthsH2320.

12Now AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, wentH3318 out from MahanaimH4266 to 9GibeonH1391 with the servantsH5650 of Ish-boshethH378 the sonH1121 of SaulH7586. 13And 10JoabH3097 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 and the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 wentH3318 out and metH6298 11them by the poolH1295 of GibeonH1391; and they satH3427 downH3427, 12oneH428 on the oneH2088 sideH2088 of the poolH1295 and 13the otherH2088 on the otherH2088 sideH2088 of the poolH1295. 14Then AbnerH74 saidH559 to JoabH3097, “NowH4994 let the youngH5288 menH5288 ariseH6965 and 1415holdH7832 a contestH7832 beforeH6440 us.” And JoabH3097 saidH559, “Let them ariseH6965.” 15So they aroseH6965 and wentH5674 overH5674 by countH4557, twelveH8147H6240 for BenjaminH1144 and Ish-boshethH378 the sonH1121 of SaulH7586, and twelveH8147H6240 of the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732. 16EachH376 oneH376 of them seizedH2388 his 16opponentH7453 by the headH7218 and thrust his swordH2719 in his 17opponent’sH7453 sideH6654; so they fellH5307 downH5307 togetherH3164. Therefore that placeH4725 was calledH7121 18Helkath-hazzurimH2521, whichH834 is in GibeonH1391. 17That dayH3117 the battleH4421 was veryH3966 severeH7186, and 19AbnerH74 and the menH376 of IsraelH3478 were beatenH5062 beforeH6440 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732.

18Now 20the threeH7969 sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 were thereH8033, JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 and AsahelH6214; and AsahelH6214 was 21as 22swift-footedH7031H7272 as oneH259 of the gazellesH6643 whichH834 is in the fieldH7704. 19AsahelH6214 pursuedH7291 AbnerH74 and did not 23turnH5186 to the rightH3225 or to the leftH8040 from followingH310 AbnerH74. 20Then AbnerH74 lookedH6437 behindH310 him and saidH559, “Is that you, AsahelH6214?” And he answeredH559, “It is I.” 21So AbnerH74 saidH559 to him, “24TurnH5186 to your rightH3225 orH176 to your leftH8040, and takeH270 holdH270 of oneH259 of the youngH5288 menH5288 for yourself, and takeH3947 for yourself his spoilH2488.” But AsahelH6214 was not willingH14 to turnH5493 asideH5493 from followingH310 him. 22AbnerH74 repeatedH3254H559 againH5750 to AsahelH6214, “TurnH5493 25asideH5493 from followingH310 me. WhyH4100 should I strikeH5221 you to the groundH776? 26HowH349 then could I liftH5375 up my faceH6440 to your brotherH251 JoabH3097?” 23However, he refusedH3985 to turnH5493 asideH5493; therefore AbnerH74 struckH5221 him in the bellyH2570 with the buttH310 endH310 of the spearH2595, so that the spearH2595 cameH3318 out at his backH310. And he fellH5307 thereH8033 and diedH4191 on the spotH8478. And it cameH1961 about that allH3605 who cameH935 to the placeH4725 whereH834H8033 27AsahelH6214 had fallenH5307 and diedH4191, stoodH5975 stillH5975.

24But JoabH3097 and AbishaiH52 pursuedH7291 AbnerH74, and when the sunH8121 was goingH935 down, they cameH935 to the hillH1389 of AmmahH522, whichH834 is in frontH6440 of GiahH1520 by the wayH1870 of the wildernessH4057 of GibeonH1391. 25The sonsH1121 of BenjaminH1144 gatheredH6908 together behindH310 AbnerH74 and becameH1961 oneH259 bandH92, and they stoodH5975 on the topH7218 of a certainH259 hillH1389. 26Then AbnerH74 calledH7121 to JoabH3097 and saidH559, “Shall the swordH2719 devourH398 foreverH5331? Do you not knowH3045 that it will be bitterH4751 in the endH314? HowH4970 longH5704H4970 will you 28refrainH3808 from tellingH559 the peopleH5971 to turnH7725 backH7725 from followingH310 their brothersH251?” 27JoabH3097 saidH559, “As GodH430 livesH2416, ifH3588H3884 you had not spokenH1696, surelyH3588 thenH227 the peopleH5971 would have goneH5927 awayH5927 in the morningH1242, eachH376 from followingH310 his brotherH251.” 28So JoabH3097 blewH8628 the trumpetH7782; and allH3605 the peopleH5971 haltedH5975 and pursuedH7291 IsraelH3478 noH3808 longerH5750, 29norH3808 did they continueH3254 to fightH3898 anymoreH5750. 29AbnerH74 and his menH376 then wentH1980 through the ArabahH6160 allH3605 that nightH3915; so they crossedH5674 the JordanH3383, walkedH1980 allH3605 morningH1338, and cameH935 to 30MahanaimH4266.

30Then JoabH3097 returnedH7725 from followingH310 AbnerH74; when he had gatheredH6908 allH3605 the peopleH5971 together, 31nineteenH8672H6240 of David’sH1732 servantsH5650 besides AsahelH6214 were missingH6485. 31But the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732 had struckH5221 downH5221 many of BenjaminH1144 and Abner’sH74 menH376, so that threeH7969 hundredH3967 and sixtyH8346 menH376 diedH4191. 32And they tookH5375 up AsahelH6214 and buriedH6912 him 32in his father’sH1 tombH6913 whichH834 was in BethlehemH1035. Then JoabH3097 and his menH376 wentH1980 allH3605 nightH3915 until the day 33dawnedH215 at HebronH2275.