Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 2"

2 Samuel 2

The Message Bible MSG

1 After all this, David prayed. He asked God, "Shall I move to one of the cities of Judah?" God said, "Yes, move." "And to which city?" "To Hebron."

2 So David moved to Hebron, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

3 David's men, along with their families, also went with him and made their home in and around Hebron.

4 The citizens of Judah came to Hebron, and then and there made David king over the clans of Judah.

5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead: "God bless you for this - for honoring your master, Saul, with a funeral.

6 God honor you and be true to you - and I'll do the same, matching your generous act of goodness.

7 Strengthen your resolve and do what must be done. Your master, Saul, is dead. The citizens of Judah have made me their king."

8 In the meantime, Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-Bosheth to Mahanaim

9 and made him king over Gilead, over Asher, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin - king, as it turns out, over all Israel.

10 Ish-Bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he was made king over Israel. He lasted only two years. But the people of Judah stuck with David.

11 David ruled the people of Judah from Hebron for seven and a half years.

12 One day Abner son of Ner set out from Mahanaim with the soldiers of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, headed for Gibeon.

13 Joab son of Zeruiah, with David's soldiers, also set out. They met at the Pool of Gibeon, Abner's group on one side, Joab's on the other.

14 Abner challenged Joab, "Put up your best fighters. Let's see them do their stuff." Joab said, "Good! Let them go at it!"

15 So they lined up for the fight, twelve Benjaminites from the side of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve soldiers from David's side.

16 The men from each side grabbed their opponents' heads and stabbed them with their daggers. They all fell dead - the whole bunch together. So, they called the place Slaughter Park. It's right there at Gibeon.

17 The fighting went from bad to worse throughout the day. Abner and the men of Israel were beaten to a pulp by David's men.

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were present: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, as fast as a wild antelope

19 on the open plain, chased Abner, staying hard on his heels.

20 Abner turned and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "It surely is," he said.

21 Abner said, "Let up on me. Pick on someone you have a chance of beating and be content with those spoils!" But Asahel wouldn't let up.

22 Abner tried again, "Turn back. Don't force me to kill you. How would I face your brother Joab?"

23 When he refused to quit, Abner struck him in the belly with the blunt end of his spear so hard that it came out his back. Asahel fell to the ground and died at once. Everyone who arrived at the spot where Asahel fell and died stood and gaped - Asahel dead!

24 But Joab and Abishai kept up the chase after Abner. As the sun began to set, they came to the hill of Ammah that faced Giah on the road to the backcountry of Gibeon.

25 The Benjaminites had taken their stand with Abner there, deployed strategically on a hill.

26 Abner called out to Joab, "Are we going to keep killing each other till doomsday? Don't you know that nothing but bitterness will come from this? How long before you call off your men from chasing their brothers?"

27 "As God lives," said Joab, "if you hadn't spoken up, we'd have kept up the chase until morning!"

28 Then he blew the ram's horn trumpet and the whole army of Judah stopped in its tracks. They quit chasing Israel and called off the fighting.

29 Abner and his soldiers marched all that night up the Arabah Valley. They crossed the Jordan and, after a long morning's march, arrived at Mahanaim.

30 After Joab returned from chasing Abner, he took a head count of the army. Nineteen of David's men (besides Asahel) were missing.

31 David's men had cut down three hundred and sixty of Abner's men, all Benjaminites - all dead.

32 They brought Asahel and buried him in the family tomb in Bethlehem. Joab and his men then marched all night, arriving in Hebron as the dawn broke.

New Century Version NCV

1 Later, David prayed to the Lord, saying, "Should I go up to any of the cities of Judah?" The Lord said to David, "Go." David asked, "Where should I go?" The Lord answered, "To Hebron."

2 So David went up to Hebron with his two wives: Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.

3 David also brought his men and their families, and they all made their homes in the cities of Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and appointed David king over Judah. They told David that the men of Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul.

5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead and said to them, "The Lord bless you. You have shown loyalty to your master Saul by burying him.

6 May the Lord now be loyal and true to you. I will also treat you well because you have done this.

7 Now be strong and brave. Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have appointed me their king."

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

9 and made him king of Gilead, Ashuri, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel.

10 Saul's son Ish-Bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he ruled two years. But the people of Judah followed David.

11 David was king in Hebron for seven years and six months.

12 Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.

13 Joab son of Zeruiah and David's men also went there and met Abner and Ish-Bosheth's men at the pool of Gibeon. Abner's group sat on one side of the pool; Joab's group sat on the other.

14 Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men have a contest here." Joab said, "Yes, let them have a contest."

15 Then the men got up and were counted -- twelve from the people of Benjamin for Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David's men.

16 Each man grabbed the one opposite him by the head and stabbed him in the side with a knife. So the men fell down together. For that reason, that place in Gibeon is called the Field of Knives.

17 That day there was a terrible battle, and David's men defeated Abner and the Israelites.

18 Zeruiah's three sons, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel, were there. Now Asahel was a fast runner, as fast as a deer in the field.

19 Asahel chased Abner, going straight toward him.

20 Abner looked back and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" Asahel said, "Yes, it is."

21 Then Abner said to Asahel, "Turn to your right or left and catch one of the young men and take his armor." But Asahel refused to stop chasing him.

22 Abner again said to Asahel, "Stop chasing me! If you don't stop, I'll have to kill you! Then I won't be able to face your brother Joab again!"

23 But Asahel refused to stop chasing Abner. So using the back end of his spear, Abner stabbed Asahel in the stomach, and the spear came out of his back. Asahel died right there, and everyone stopped when they came to the place where Asahel's body lay.

24 But Joab and Abishai continued chasing Abner. As the sun was going down, they arrived at the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the desert near Gibeon.

25 The men of Benjamin came to Abner, and all stood together at the top of the hill.

26 Abner shouted to Joab, "Must the sword kill forever? Surely you must know this will only end in sadness! Tell the people to stop chasing their own brothers!"

27 Then Joab said, "As surely as God lives, if you had not said anything, the people would have chased their brothers until morning."

28 Then Joab blew a trumpet, and his people stopped chasing the Israelites. They did not fight them anymore.

29 Abner and his men marched all night through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, and after marching all day, arrived at Mahanaim.

30 After he had stopped chasing Abner, Joab came back and gathered the people together. Asahel and nineteen of David's men were missing.

31 But David's men had killed three hundred sixty Benjaminites who had followed Abner.

32 David's men took Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night. The sun came up as they reached Hebron.