Parallel Bible results for "2 samuel 2"

2 Samuel 2

New Living Translation NLT

1 After this, David asked the LORD, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?” “Yes,” the LORD replied. Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered.

2 David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives

3 and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah. When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul,

5 he sent them this message: “May the LORD bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial.

6 May the LORD be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done.

7 Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king.”

8 But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth.

9 There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.

10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.

11 David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.

12 One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David’s troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.

14 Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” “All right,” Joab agreed.

15 So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing David.

16 Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.

17 A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David.

18 Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,

19 and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything.

20 When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, “Is that you, Asahel?” “Yes, it is,” he replied.

21 “Go fight someone else!” Abner warned. “Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel kept right on chasing Abner.

22 Again Abner shouted to him, “Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?”

23 But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.

24 When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner. The sun was just going down as they arrived at the hill of Ammah near Giah, along the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25 Abner’s troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.

26 Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”

27 Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.”

28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.

29 All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn’t stop until they arrived at Mahanaim.

30 Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel.

31 But 360 of Abner’s men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin.

32 Joab and his men took Asahel’s body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father’s tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

Common English Bible CEB

1 Some time later, David questioned the LORD, "Should I go to one of the towns in Judah?" "Yes, go," the LORD told him. "Which one should I go to?" David asked. "To Hebron," the LORD replied.

2 So David went there, along with his two wives: Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel.

3 David also took the soldiers who were with him, each with his family, and they lived in the towns around Hebron.

4 Then the people of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was informed that it was the people of Jabesh-gilead who had buried Saul,

5 he sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead. "The LORD bless you," he said to them, "for doing this loyal deed for your master Saul by burying him.

6 May the LORD now show you loyal love and faithfulness. I myself will also reward you because you did this.

7 So now take courage and be brave—yes, your master Saul is dead, but the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

8 Meanwhile, Abner, Ner's son, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ishbosheth, Saul's son, and brought him over to Mahanaim.

9 There he made him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.

10 Saul's son Ishbosheth was 40 years old when he became king over Israel, and he ruled for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

11 The amount of time David ruled in Hebron over the house of Judah totaled seven and a half years.

12 Abner, Ner's son, along with the soldiers of Ishbosheth, Saul's son, left Mahanaim to go to Gibeon.

13 Joab, Zeruiah's son, and David's soldiers also came out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool; the other sat on the opposite side of the pool.

14 Abner said to Joab, "Let's have the young men fight in a contest before us." "All right," Joab said, "let's do it."

15 So the men came forward and were counted as they passed by: twelve for Benjamin and Ishbosheth, Saul's son; and twelve of David's soldiers.

16 Each man grabbed his opponent by the head and stuck his sword into his opponent's side so that they both fell dead together. That's why that place is called The Field of Daggers, which is located in Gibeon.

17 A fierce battle took place that day, and Abner and the Israelite troops were defeated by David's soldiers.

18 Now Zeruiah's three sons were present at the battle: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as fast as a gazelle in an open field.

19 Asahel went after Abner, staying completely focused in his pursuit of Abner.

20 Abner looked behind him and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes, it's me," Asahel answered.

21 "Break off your pursuit!" Abner told him. "Fight one of the young warriors and take his gear for yourself!" But Asahel wouldn't stop chasing him.

22 So Abner repeated himself to Asahel: "Stop chasing me. Why should I kill you? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?"

23 But Asahel wouldn't turn back, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the back end of his spear. But the spear went through Asahel's back. He fell down and died right there. Everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died just stood there,

24 but Joab and Abishai went after Abner. The sun was setting when they came to the hill of Ammah, which faces Giah on the road to the Gibeon wilderness.

25 The Benjaminites rallied behind Abner, forming a single unit. Then they took their positions on the top of a hill.

26 Abner yelled down to Joab, "Must the sword keep killing forever? Don't you realize that this will end bitterly? How long before you order the troops to stop chasing their brothers?"

27 "As surely as God lives," Joab replied, "if you hadn't just said that, the soldiers would have continued after their brothers until morning."

28 Joab blew the trumpet, and all the soldiers stopped. They didn't pursue Israel anymore, nor did they continue to fight.

29 Abner and his men then marched all night through the wilderness, crossing the Jordan River and marching all morning until they got to Mahanaim.

30 Joab, meanwhile, returned from pursuing Abner and assembled the troops. Nineteen of David's soldiers were counted missing in addition to Asahel.

31 But David's soldiers had defeated the Benjaminites, killing three hundred sixty of Abner's soldiers.

32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night. When daylight came, they were in Hebron.