New American Standard Bible 2020

2 Samuel 2:8-24

8But 1Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken 2Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to 3Mahanaim. 9And he made him king over 4Gilead, over the 5Ashurites, over 6Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11And 7the 8time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12Now Abner the son of Ner, went from Mahanaim to 9Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul. 13And 10Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met 11them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, 12Abner’s men on the one side of the pool and 13Joab’s men on the other side of the pool. 14Then Abner said to Joab, “Now have the young men arise and 14hold a martial skills match in our presence.” And Joab said, “Have them arise!” 15So they got up and went over by count, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16And each one of them seized his 15opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his 16opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called 17Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. 17That day the battle was very severe, and 18Abner and the men of Israel were defeated 19by the servants of David.

18Now 20the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asahel was 21as 22swift-footed as one of the gazelles that is in the field. 19Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn 23to the right or to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind himself and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” And he said, “It is I!” 21So Abner said to him, “Turn aside for your own good to your right or to your left, and take hold of one of the young men for yourself, and take for yourself his equipment.” But Asahel was unwilling to turn aside from following him. 22Then Abner repeated again to Asahel, “Turn aside for your own good from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? 24How then could I 25show my face to your brother Joab?” 23However, he refused to turn aside; so Abner struck him in the belly with the butt end of the spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died on the spot. And it happened that all who came thereafter to the place where 26Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and when the sun was going down, they came to the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah by way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

Read all of 2 Samuel 2

Notes

1. 2 Samuel 2:8 1 Sam 14:50 ↩
2. 2 Samuel 2:8 I.e., man of shame; cf. 1 Chr 8:33, Eshbaal ↩
3. 2 Samuel 2:8 Gen 32:2; 2 Sam 17:24 ↩
4. 2 Samuel 2:9 Josh 22:9 ↩
5. 2 Samuel 2:9 Judg 1:32 ↩
6. 2 Samuel 2:9 1 Sam 29:1 ↩
7. 2 Samuel 2:11 2 Sam 5:5 ↩
8. 2 Samuel 2:11 Lit number of days ↩
9. 2 Samuel 2:12 Josh 10:12; 18:25 ↩
10. 2 Samuel 2:13 2 Sam 8:16; 1 Chr 2:16; 11:6 ↩
11. 2 Samuel 2:13 Lit them together ↩
12. 2 Samuel 2:13 Lit these on ↩
13. 2 Samuel 2:13 Lit these on ↩
14. 2 Samuel 2:14 2 Sam 2:16, 17 ↩
15. 2 Samuel 2:16 Lit fellow ↩
16. 2 Samuel 2:16 Lit fellow’s ↩
17. 2 Samuel 2:16 I.e., the field of sword-edges ↩
18. 2 Samuel 2:17 2 Sam 3:1 ↩
19. 2 Samuel 2:17 Lit in front of ↩
20. 2 Samuel 2:18 1 Chr 2:16 ↩
21. 2 Samuel 2:18 1 Chr 12:8; Hab 3:19 ↩
22. 2 Samuel 2:18 Lit light in his feet ↩
23. 2 Samuel 2:19 Lit to go to ↩
24. 2 Samuel 2:22 2 Sam 3:27 ↩
25. 2 Samuel 2:22 Lit lift up ↩
26. 2 Samuel 2:23 2 Sam 20:12 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 2