Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 2"

2 Samuel 2

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.

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 After this, David consulted ADONAI; he asked, "Should I go up into any of the cities of Y'hudah?"ADONAI said to him, "Go up." David asked, "Where should I go up?" He said, "To Hevron."

2 So David went up there with his two wives Achino'am from Yizre'el and Avigayil the widow of Naval from Karmel.

3 David brought the men up with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hevron.

4 Then the men of Y'hudah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Y'hudah. They informed David that the men of Yavesh-Gil'ad were the ones who had buried Sha'ul.

5 So David sent messengers to the men of Yavesh-Gil'ad with this message: "May you be blessed by ADONAI, because you showed this kindness to your lord, Sha'ul, and buried him.

6 Now may ADONAI show kindness and truth to you; and I too will show you favor because you have done this.

7 Be strong, and be brave. Sha'ul your lord is dead, but the house of Y'hudah have anointed me king over them."

8 Avner the son of Ner, commander of Sha'ul's army, had taken Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul, brought him over to Machanayim,

9 and made him king over Gil'ad, the Ashuri, Yizre'el, Efrayim, Binyamin and all Isra'el.

10 Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul was forty years old when he began to rule over Isra'el, and he ruled for two years. But the house of Y'hudah followed David.

11 David was king in Hevron over the house of Y'hudah for seven years and six months.

12 Avner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul went out from Machanayim to Giv'on;

13 while Yo'av the son of Tz'ruyah and David's servants also went out; and they met together by the pool at Giv'on. One group sat down on one side of the pool and the other on the other side.

14 Avner said to Yo'av, "If it's all right with you, let's have the young men get up and fight it out between themselves, while we watch." Yo'av said, "Yes, let them."

15 So they got up and paired off, twelve for Binyamin and Ish-Boshet the son of Sha'ul, and twelve of David's servants.

16 Each one grabbed his partner by the head and drove his sword into his side, so that they fell down together. For this reason that place was named Helkat-Hatzurim [field of blades]; it is in Giv'on.

17 The battle that day was very fierce; Avner and the men of Isra'el were beaten by David's servants.

18 The three sons of Tz'ruyah were there, Yo'av, Avishai and 'Asah'el. 'Asah'el was as fleet-footed as a gazelle in an open field.

19 'Asah'el chased Avner, going straight for him, veering neither right nor left.

20 Avner looked behind him and asked, "Is that you, 'Asah'el?""Yes, it is," he answered.

21 Avner said to him, "Turn off to your right or your left, catch one of the young men and take his armor." But 'Asah'el wouldn't turn aside and kept following him.

22 Avner said again to 'Asah'el, "Turn aside and stop following me! Why should I kill you? If I did, how could I look your brother Yo'av in the eye?"

23 But he still refused to turn aside; so Avner stabbed him in the groin with the back end of the spear, so that the shaft protruded behind him. He fell down and died on the spot. Everyone who came to the place where 'Asah'el lay dead stopped there.

24 Yo'av and Avishai continued in pursuit of Avner; the sun went down when they arrived at Amah Hill, across from Giach along the Giv'on Desert road.

25 The people of Binyamin gathered themselves together into a phalanx behind Avner and stood on top of a hill.

26 Then Avner called out to Yo'av, "Must the sword go on devouring forever? Don't you know that in the end it can produce only bitterness? How long will it be, then, before you tell the people to quit pursuing their brothers?"

27 Yo'av said, "As God lives, if you hadn't said something, there is no doubt that the people would have kept following their brothers all night long."

28 Then Yo'av sounded the shofar, and with that the people halted. They stopped pursuing Isra'el, and they stopped fighting.

29 Avner and his men went through the 'Aravah all that night; they crossed the Yarden, went through all of Bitron and arrived at Machanayim.

30 Yo'av returned from following Avner. When he brought the troops together for review, nineteen of David's servants were missing, along with 'Asah'el.

31 But David's servants had killed 360 of Avner's men of Binyamin.

32 They took 'Asah'el and buried him in his father's tomb in Beit-Lechem. Then Yo'av and his men marched all night, so that they reached Hevron at daybreak.