| Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Some time later, David inquired of the LORD: "Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?" The LORD answered him, "Go." Then David asked, "Where should I go?" "To Hebron," the LORD replied. | 1Afterward David inquired of the LORD, "Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?" The LORD told him, "Go up." David asked, "Where should I go?" The LORD replied, "To Hebron." |
| 2So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. | 2So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. |
| 3In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron. | 3David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the cities of Hebron. |
| 4Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David: "It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul." | 4The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people of Judah. David was told, "The people of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul." |
| 5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, "The LORD bless you, because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him. | 5So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, "May you be blessed by the LORD because you have shown this kindness to your lord Saul by burying him. |
| 6Now, may the LORD show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed. | 6Now may the LORD show you true kindness! I also will reward you, because you have done this deed. |
| 7Therefore, be strong and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them." | 7Now be courageous and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them." |
| 8Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Saul's son Ish-bosheth and moved him to Mahanaim. | 8Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul's army, had taken Saul's son Ish-bosheth and had brought him to Mahanaim. |
| 9He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin--over all Israel. | 9He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. |
| 10Saul's son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel; he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. | 10Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people of Judah followed David. |
| 11The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. | 11David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven and a half years. |
| 12Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. | 12Then Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. |
| 13So Joab son of Zeruiah and David's soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool. | 13Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group stationed themselves on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool. |
| 14Then Abner said to Joab, "Let's have the young men get up and compete in front of us." "Let them get up," Joab replied. | 14Abner said to Joab, "Let the soldiers get up and fight before us." Joab said, "So be it!" |
| 15So they got up and were counted off--twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David's soldiers. | 15So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. |
| 16Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent's side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades. | 16As they grappled with one another, each one stabbed his opponent with his sword and they fell dead together. So that place is called the Field of Flints; it is in Gibeon. |
| 17The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's soldiers. | 17Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David's soldiers. |
| 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles. | 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there--Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.) |
| 19He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him. | 19Asahel chased Abner, without turning to the right or to the left as he followed Abner. |
| 20Abner glanced back and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes it is," Asahel replied. | 20Then Abner turned and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" He replied, "Yes it is!" |
| 21Abner said to him, "Turn to your right or left, seize one of the young soldiers, and take whatever you can get from him." But Asahel would not stop chasing him. | 21Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right or to your left. Capture one of the soldiers and take his equipment for yourself!" But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. |
| 22Once again, Abner warned Asahel, "Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face?" | 22So Abner spoke again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground. How then could I show my face in the presence of Joab your brother?" |
| 23But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped, | 23But Asahel refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner. Everyone who now comes to the place where Asahel fell dead pauses in respect. |
| 24but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. | 24So Joab and Abishai chased Abner. At sunset they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. |
| 25The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill. | 25The Benjaminites formed their ranks behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill. |
| 26Then Abner called out to Joab: "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?" | 26Then Abner called out to Joab, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize that this will turn bitter in the end? When will you tell the people to turn aside from pursuing their brothers?" |
| 27"As God lives," Joab replied, "if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn't have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning." | 27Joab replied, "As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit of their brothers!" |
| 28Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. | 28Then Joab blew the ram's horn and all the people stopped in their tracks. They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting. |
| 29So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim. | 29Abner and his men went through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan River and went through the whole region of Bitron and came to Mahanaim. |
| 30When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David's soldiers were missing, | 30Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David's soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel. |
| 31but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner's men. | 31But David's soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner's men--in all, 360 men had died! |
| 32Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father's tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn. | 32They took Asahel's body and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn. |
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