2 Samuel 2 Parallel Bible Translations

2 Samuel 2 ▼
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1 After this, David asked the LORD, |Should I go to one of the cities of Judah?| |Go,| the LORD answered him. |Where should I go?| David asked. |To Hebron,| the LORD replied. After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The LORD said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered.
2 David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail (who had been Nabal's wife) from Carmel. So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
3 David took his men and their families with him, and they settled in the towns around Hebron. And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.
4 Then the people of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David to be king over the tribe of Judah. They told David, |The people of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.| And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul,
5 So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead. He said to them, |May the LORD bless you because you showed kindness to your master Saul by burying him. David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The LORD bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him.
6 May the LORD always show you kindness. I, too, will be good to you because you did this. Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.
7 Now, be strong and courageous. Because your master Saul is dead, the tribe of Judah has anointed me to be their king.| Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.” Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
8 Ner's son Abner, commander of Saul's army, took Saul's son Ishbosheth and brought him to Mahanaim. But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
9 Abner made him king of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, that is, all Israel. and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
10 Saul's son Ishbosheth was 40 years old when he became king of Israel. He ruled for two years, but the tribe of Judah followed David. Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.
11 In Hebron David was king over the tribe of Judah for seven years and six months. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.
12 Ner's son Abner and the officers of Saul's son Ishbosheth went from Mahanaim to Gibeon. Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.
13 Zeruiah's son Joab and David's officers also left [Hebron]. Both groups met at the pool of Gibeon. They sat down there, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the other side of the pool. And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.
14 Abner said to Joab, |Let's have the young men hold a contest.| Joab agreed. And Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.” “All right, let them do it,” Joab said.
15 The men got up and were counted as they passed by. Twelve were from the tribe of Benjamin (representing Saul's son Ishbosheth), and twelve were from David's officers. Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
16 Each one grabbed his opponent by the head, stuck his sword into his opponent's side, and they fell down together. Therefore, that place in Gibeon is called the Field of Enemies. And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon. Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
17 Fierce fighting broke out that day, and David's men defeated Abner and the men of Israel. And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David. The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated by David’s men.
18 Zeruiah's three sons were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as fast on his feet as a wild gazelle. And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.
19 He chased Abner and refused to leave him alone. And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.
20 When Abner looked back, he asked, |Are you Asahel?| |Yes,| Asahel answered. Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” Abner looked behind him and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” he answered.
21 Abner told him, |Leave me alone! Catch one of the young men, and take his weapon.| But Asahel refused to turn away from him. Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. Then Abner said to him, “Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
22 So Abner spoke again to Asahel. |Stop following me,| he said. |Why should I kill you? How could I look your brother Joab in the face again?| And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” Again Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?”
23 But Asahel refused to turn away. So Abner struck him with the butt of the spear. The spear went into his belly and came out his back. He fell down there and died on the spot. And everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell and died stopped there. But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still. But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
24 But Joab and Abishai chased Abner. When the sun went down, they came to the hill of Ammah, opposite Giah on the road from Gibeon to the desert. But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon.
25 The men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner, banding together and taking their position on top of a hill. And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab, |Should this slaughter go on forever? Don't you know this will end in bitterness? How long will it be before you will call off your troops from chasing their relatives?| Then Abner called to Joab, “Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers?” Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
27 Joab answered, |I solemnly swear, as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would not have stopped chasing their relatives until morning.| And Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning.” Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”
28 So Joab blew a ram's horn, and all the troops stopped. They didn't chase or fight Israel anymore. So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore. So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore.
29 Abner and his men marched through the plains all that night. They crossed the Jordan River and passed through the entire Bithron until they came to Mahanaim. And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim. All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the morning hours and came to Mahanaim.
30 Joab returned from chasing Abner. When he had gathered all the troops, [only] 19 of David's officers and Asahel were missing. Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel. Then Joab stopped pursuing Abner and assembled the whole army. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s men were found missing.
31 However, David's officers had killed 360 of the men of Benjamin under Abner's command. But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner’s men. But David’s men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner.
32 They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak. And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron. They took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.
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