2 Samuel 2:6-16

6 And now soothly the Lord shall yield to you mercy and truth, but also I shall yield thanking, for ye did this word. (And now surely the Lord shall show truth and kindness to you, and I shall also give you thanks, for ye did this thing.)

7 Your hands be comforted, and be ye the sons of strength; for though your lord Saul is dead, nevertheless the house of Judah hath anointed me king to him. (May your hands be strengthened, and may ye be the sons of strength; for though your lord Saul is dead, nevertheless the house of Judah hath anointed me king upon them.)

8 Forsooth Abner, the son of Ner, prince of the host of Saul, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and led him about by the castles, (Then Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim,)

9 and made him king on Gilead, and on Ashurites, and on Jezreel, and on Ephraim, and on Benjamin, and on all Israel.

10 Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was of forty years, when he began to reign upon Israel; and he reigned two years. Soothly the house alone of Judah followed David. (Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he began to reign upon Israel; and he reigned for two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.)

11 And the number of days, by which David dwelled reigning in Hebron on the house of Judah, was of seven years and six months.

12 And Abner, the son of Ner, went out, and the servants of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, from the castles in[to] Gibeon. (And Abner, the son of Ner, and the men of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.)

13 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and they came to them beside the cistern of Gibeon. And when they had come together into one place even against either other, these sat on one part of the cistern, and they on the tother. (And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and David's men, went out, and they came to them beside the pool of Gibeon. And when they had come together at a place opposite each other, those men sat on one side of the pool, and they sat on the other side.)

14 And Abner said to Joab, The children rise, and play before us (And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men rise up, and slay, or kill, each other). And Joab answered, Rise they up.

15 Then they rose up, and passed forth twelve in number of Benjamin, of the part of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul; and twelve of the servants of David. (Then they rose up, and came forth twelve in number for Benjamin, on the part of Ishbosheth, Saul's son; and twelve of David's men.)

16 And each man, when he had taken his fellow by the head, fixed his sword into the side of his adversary; and they felled down together. And (so) the name of that place was called The Field of Men Slain Together, (which is) in Gibeon.

2 Samuel 2:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 2

This chapter relates that David, upon inquiring of the Lord, was directed to go up to Hebron, and did, where he was anointed king of Judah, 2Sa 2:1-4. And that being told of the kindness of the men of Jabeshgilead in burying Saul, he sent them thanks, and promised to remember it, and took the opportunity to let them know he was anointed king over Judah, 2Sa 2:5-7. It also relates that Abner set up Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, to be king over Israel, 2Sa 2:8-11; and that there was an encounter between twelve of Abner's men and twelve of David's, which brought on a sore battle between them, in which Abner was beaten, 2Sa 2:12-17; and Asahel, who was of David's party, was slain in the pursuit by Abner, 2Sa 2:18-25; when a retreat was sounded by Joab, at the influence of Abner, who, with his wen, betook themselves to Mahanaim, where he had left Ishbosheth, 2Sa 2:26-29. And the chapter closes with an account of the slain on both sides, the burial of Asahel, and the return of Joab with David's men to Hebron, 2Sa 2:30-32.