And it came to pass after this{H310}, that David{H1732} enquired{H7592}{(H8799)} of the LORD{H3068}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, Shall I go up{H5927}{(H8799)} into any{H259} of the cities{H5892} of Judah{H3063}? And the LORD{H3068} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto him, Go up{H5927}{(H8798)}. And David{H1732} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Whither shall I go up{H5927}{(H8799)}? And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, Unto Hebron{H2275}.

So David{H1732} went up{H5927}{(H8799)} thither, and his two{H8147} wives{H802} also, Ahinoam{H293} the Jezreelitess{H3159}, and Abigail{H26} Nabal's{H5037} wife{H802} the Carmelite{H3761}.

And his men{H582} that were with him did David{H1732} bring up{H5927}{(H8689)}, every man{H376} with his household{H1004}: and they dwelt{H3427}{(H8799)} in the cities{H5892} of Hebron{H2275}.

And the men{H582} of Judah{H3063} came{H935}{(H8799)}, and there they anointed{H4886}{(H8799)} David{H1732} king{H4428} over the house{H1004} of Judah{H3063}. And they told{H5046}{(H8686)} David{H1732}, saying{H559}{(H8800)}, That the men{H582} of Jabeshgilead{H3003}{H1568} were they that buried{H6912}{(H8804)} Saul{H7586}.

And David{H1732} sent{H7971}{(H8799)} messengers{H4397} unto the men{H582} of Jabeshgilead{H3003}{H1568}, and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, Blessed{H1288}{(H8803)} be ye of the LORD{H3068}, that ye have shewed{H6213}{(H8804)} this kindness{H2617} unto your lord{H113}, even unto Saul{H7586}, and have buried{H6912}{(H8799)} him.

And now the LORD{H3068} shew{H6213}{(H8799)} kindness{H2617} and truth{H571} unto you: and I also will requite{H6213}{(H8799)} you this kindness{H2896}, because ye have done{H6213}{(H8804)} this thing{H1697}.

Therefore now let your hands{H3027} be strengthened{H2388}{(H8799)}, and be ye valiant{H1121}{H2428}: for your master{H113} Saul{H7586} is dead{H4191}{(H8804)}, and also the house{H1004} of Judah{H3063} have anointed{H4886}{(H8804)} me king{H4428} over them.

But Abner{H74} the son{H1121} of Ner{H5369}, captain{H8269} of Saul's{H7586} host{H6635}, took{H3947}{(H8804)} Ishbosheth{H378} the son{H1121} of Saul{H7586}, and brought him over{H5674}{(H8686)} to Mahanaim{H4266};

And made him king{H4427}{(H8686)} over Gilead{H1568}, and over the Ashurites{H805}, and over Jezreel{H3157}, and over Ephraim{H669}, and over Benjamin{H1144}, and over all Israel{H3478}.

Ishbosheth{H378} Saul's{H7586} son{H1121} was forty{H705} years{H8141} old{H1121} when he began to reign{H4427}{(H8800)} over Israel{H3478}, and reigned{H4427}{(H8804)} two{H8147} years{H8141}. But the house{H1004} of Judah{H3063} followed{H310} David{H1732}.

And the time{H4557}{H3117} that David{H1732} was king{H4428} in Hebron{H2275} over the house{H1004} of Judah{H3063} was seven{H7651} years{H8141} and six{H8337} months{H2320}.

And Abner{H74} the son{H1121} of Ner{H5369}, and the servants{H5650} of Ishbosheth{H378} the son{H1121} of Saul{H7586}, went out{H3318}{(H8799)} from Mahanaim{H4266} to Gibeon{H1391}.

And Joab{H3097} the son{H1121} of Zeruiah{H6870}, and the servants{H5650} of David{H1732}, went out{H3318}{(H8804)}, and met{H6298}{(H8799)} together{H3162} by the pool{H1295} of Gibeon{H1391}: and they sat down{H3427}{(H8799)}, the one on the one side of the pool{H1295}, and the other on the other side of the pool{H1295}.

And Abner{H74} said{H559}{(H8799)} to Joab{H3097}, Let the young men{H5288} now arise{H6965}{(H8799)}, and play{H7832}{(H8762)} before{H6440} us. And Joab{H3097} said{H559}{(H8799)}, Let them arise{H6965}{(H8799)}.

Then there arose{H6965}{(H8799)} and went over{H5674}{(H8799)} by number{H4557} twelve{H8147}{H6240} of Benjamin{H1144}, which pertained to Ishbosheth{H378} the son{H1121} of Saul{H7586}, and twelve{H8147}{H6240} of the servants{H5650} of David{H1732}.

And they caught{H2388}{(H8686)} every one{H376} his fellow{H7453} by the head{H7218}, and thrust his sword{H2719} in his fellow's{H7453} side{H6654}; so they fell down{H5307}{(H8799)} together{H3162}: wherefore that place{H4725} was called{H7121}{(H8799)} Helkathhazzurim{H2521}, which is in Gibeon{H1391}.

And there was a very{H3966} sore{H7186} battle{H4421} that day{H3117}; and Abner{H74} was beaten{H5062}{(H8735)}, and the men{H582} of Israel{H3478}, before{H6440} the servants{H5650} of David{H1732}.

And there were three{H7969} sons{H1121} of Zeruiah{H6870} there, Joab{H3097}, and Abishai{H52}, and Asahel{H6214}: and Asahel{H6214} was as light{H7031} of foot{H7272} as a{H259} wild{H7704} roe{H6643}.

And Asahel{H6214} pursued{H7291}{(H8799)} after{H310} Abner{H74}; and in going{H3212}{(H8800)} he turned{H5186}{(H8804)} not to the right hand{H3225} nor to the left{H8040} from following{H310} Abner{H74}.

Then Abner{H74} looked{H6437}{(H8799)} behind{H310} him, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Art thou Asahel{H6214}? And he answered{H559}{(H8799)}, I am.

And Abner{H74} said{H559}{(H8799)} to him, Turn thee aside{H5186}{(H8798)} to thy right hand{H3225} or to thy left{H8040}, and lay thee hold{H270}{(H8798)} on one{H259} of the young men{H5288}, and take{H3947}{(H8798)} thee his armour{H2488}. But Asahel{H6214} would{H14}{(H8804)} not turn aside{H5493}{(H8800)} from following{H310} of him.

And Abner{H74} said{H559}{(H8800)} again{H3254}{(H8686)} to Asahel{H6214}, Turn thee aside{H5493}{(H8798)} from following{H310} me: wherefore should I smite{H5221}{(H8686)} thee to the ground{H776}? how then should I hold up{H5375}{(H8799)} my face{H6440} to Joab{H3097} thy brother{H251}?

Howbeit he refused{H3985}{(H8762)} to turn aside{H5493}{(H8800)}: wherefore Abner{H74} with the hinder end{H310} of the spear{H2595} smote{H5221}{(H8686)} him under{H413} the fifth{H2570} rib, that the spear{H2595} came out{H3318}{(H8799)} behind{H310} him; and he fell down{H5307}{(H8799)} there, and died{H4191}{(H8799)} in the same place{H8478}: and it came to pass, that as many as came{H935}{(H8802)} to the place{H4725} where Asahel{H6214} fell down{H5307}{(H8804)} and died{H4191}{(H8799)} stood still{H5975}{(H8799)}.

Joab{H3097} also and Abishai{H52} pursued{H7291}{(H8799)} after{H310} Abner{H74}: and the sun{H8121} went down{H935}{(H8804)} when they were come{H935}{(H8804)} to the hill{H1389} of Ammah{H522}, that lieth before{H6440} Giah{H1520} by the way{H1870} of the wilderness{H4057} of Gibeon{H1391}.

And the children{H1121} of Benjamin{H1144} gathered themselves together{H6908}{(H8691)} after{H310} Abner{H74}, and became one{H259} troop{H92}, and stood{H5975}{(H8799)} on the top{H7218} of an hill{H1389}.

Then Abner{H74} called{H7121}{(H8799)} to Joab{H3097}, and said{H559}{(H8799)}, Shall the sword{H2719} devour{H398}{(H8799)} for ever{H5331}? knowest{H3045}{(H8804)} thou not that it will be bitterness{H4751} in the latter end{H314}? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid{H559}{(H8799)} the people{H5971} return{H7725}{(H8800)} from following{H310} their brethren{H251}?

And Joab{H3097} said{H559}{(H8799)}, As God{H430} liveth{H2416}, unless{H3884} thou hadst spoken{H1696}{(H8765)}, surely then in the morning{H1242} the people{H5971} had gone up{H5927}{(H8738)} every one{H376} from following{H310} his brother{H251}.

So Joab{H3097} blew{H8628}{(H8799)} a trumpet{H7782}, and all the people{H5971} stood still{H5975}{(H8799)}, and pursued{H7291}{(H8799)} after{H310} Israel{H3478} no more, neither fought{H3898}{(H8736)} they any more{H3254}{(H8804)}.

And Abner{H74} and his men{H582} walked{H1980}{(H8804)} all that night{H3915} through the plain{H6160}, and passed over{H5674}{(H8799)} Jordan{H3383}, and went through{H3212}{(H8799)} all Bithron{H1338}, and they came{H935}{(H8799)} to Mahanaim{H4266}.

And Joab{H3097} returned{H7725}{(H8804)} from following{H310} Abner{H74}: and when he had gathered{H6908} all the people{H5971} together{H6908}{(H8799)}, there lacked{H6485}{(H8735)} of David's{H1732} servants{H5650} nineteen{H8672}{H6240} men{H376} and Asahel{H6214}.

But the servants{H5650} of David{H1732} had smitten{H5221}{(H8689)} of Benjamin{H1144}, and of Abner's{H74} men{H582}, so that three{H7969} hundred{H3967} and threescore{H8346} men{H376} died{H4191}{(H8804)}.

And they took up{H5375}{(H8799)} Asahel{H6214}, and buried{H6912}{(H8799)} him in the sepulchre{H6913} of his father{H1}, which was in Bethlehem{H1035}. And Joab{H3097} and his men{H582} went{H3212}{(H8799)} all night{H3915}, and they came to Hebron{H2275} at break of day{H215}{(H8735)}.