2 Samuel 2:1-19

1And it came to pass after thisH310, that DavidH1732 enquiredH7592 of YhwhH3068, sayingH559, Shall I go upH5927 into anyH259 of the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063? And YhwhH3068 saidH559 unto him, Go upH5927. And DavidH1732 saidH559, Whither shall I go upH5927? And he saidH559, Unto HebronH2275. 2So DavidH1732 went upH5927 thither, and his twoH8147 wivesH802 also, AhinoamH293 the JezreelitessH3159, and AbigailH26 Nabal’sH5037 wifeH802 the CarmeliteH3761. 3And his menH582 that were with him did DavidH1732 bring upH5927, every manH376 with his householdH1004: and they dweltH3427 in the citiesH5892 of HebronH2275. 4And the menH582 of JudahH3063 cameH935, and there they anointedH4886 DavidH1732 kingH4428 over the houseH1004 of JudahH3063. And they toldH5046 DavidH1732, sayingH559, That the menH582 of Jabesh–gileadH1568H3003 were they that buriedH6912 SaulH7586.

5And DavidH1732 sentH7971 messengersH4397 unto the menH582 of Jabesh–gileadH1568H3003, and saidH559 unto them, BlessedH1288 be ye of YhwhH3068, that ye have shewedH6213 this kindnessH2617 unto your lordH113, even unto SaulH7586, and have buriedH6912 him. 6And now YhwhH3068 shewH6213 kindnessH2617 and truthH571 unto you: and I also will requiteH6213 you this kindnessH2896, because ye have doneH6213 this thingH1697. 7Therefore now let your handsH3027 be strengthenedH2388, and be ye valiantH2428H1121: for your masterH113 SaulH7586 is deadH4191, and also the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 have anointedH4886 me kingH4428 over them.1

8But AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, captainH8269 of Saul’sH7586 armyH6635, tookH3947 Ish–boshethH378 the sonH1121 of SaulH7586, and brought him overH5674 to MahanaimH4266;23 9And made him kingH4427 over GileadH1568, and over the AshuritesH805, and over JezreelH3157, and over EphraimH669, and over BenjaminH1144, and over all IsraelH3478. 10Ish–boshethH378 Saul’sH7586 sonH1121 was fortyH705 yearsH8141 oldH1121 when he began to reignH4427 over IsraelH3478, and reignedH4427 twoH8147 yearsH8141. But the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 followedH310 DavidH1732. 11And the timeH3117H4557 that DavidH1732 was kingH4428 in HebronH2275 over the houseH1004 of JudahH3063 was sevenH7651 yearsH8141 and sixH8337 monthsH2320.4

12And AbnerH74 the sonH1121 of NerH5369, and the servantsH5650 of Ish–boshethH378 the sonH1121 of SaulH7586, went outH3318 from MahanaimH4266 to GibeonH1391. 13And JoabH3097 the sonH1121 of ZeruiahH6870, and the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732, went outH3318, and metH6298 togetherH3162 by the poolH1295 of GibeonH1391: and they sat downH3427, the one on the one side of the poolH1295, and the other on the other side of the poolH1295.5 14And AbnerH74 saidH559 to JoabH3097, Let the young menH5288 now ariseH6965, and playH7832 beforeH6440 us. And JoabH3097 saidH559, Let them ariseH6965. 15Then there aroseH6965 and went overH5674 by numberH4557 twelveH6240H8147 of BenjaminH1144, which pertained to Ish–boshethH378 the sonH1121 of SaulH7586, and twelveH6240H8147 of the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732. 16And they caughtH2388 every oneH376 his fellowH7453 by the headH7218, and thrust his swordH2719 in his fellow’sH7453 sideH6654; so they fell downH5307 togetherH3162: wherefore that placeH4725 was calledH7121 Helkath–hazzurimH2521, which is in GibeonH1391.6 17And there was a veryH3966 soreH7186 battleH4421 that dayH3117; and AbnerH74 was beatenH5062, and the menH582 of IsraelH3478, beforeH6440 the servantsH5650 of DavidH1732.

18And there were threeH7969 sonsH1121 of ZeruiahH6870 there, JoabH3097, and AbishaiH52, and AsahelH6214: and AsahelH6214 was as lightH7031 of footH7272 as aH259 wildH7704 roeH6643.78 19And AsahelH6214 pursuedH7291 afterH310 AbnerH74; and in goingH3212 he turnedH5186 not to the right handH3225 nor to the leftH8040 from followingH310 AbnerH74.9