David is Anointed King Over Judah |
2 Samuel 2:1-32 The Book of 2 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks] |
It [happened] after this, David [inquired from] the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said to him, Go up. And David [asked, Where] shall I go up? [The Lord God] said, [All the way] to Hebron. |
So, David, his 2 wives: Ahinoam, [from Jezreel,] & Abigail, Nabal’s wife, [a.k.a. widow, from Carmel,] And David [brought] up all his men, [who] were with him, & every [man's] household, & they [stayed] in the cities of Hebron. |
And the men of Judah came, & there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Jabesh Gilead were [those who] buried Saul. And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, & said to them, Blessed [are] you of the Lord, that you have [displayed] this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, & have buried him. |
And [may] the Lord now [show] kindness & truth to you, & I will also [repay] you this kindness, because you have done this thing. Therefore, be valiant now, & let your hands be strengthened: for your master, Saul, is dead, & also the house of Judah [has] also anointed me king over them. |
But Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s [army,] took Ishbosheth, [Saul’s] son & brought him over to Mahanaim, & made him king over Gilead & over the: Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, & over all of Israel. |
Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was 40 years old when he began to [rule] over Israel, & [ruled] 2 years. But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king over the house of Judah, in Hebron, was 7 years & 6 months. |
Aber, [Ner’s] son, & the servants of Ishbosheth, [Saul’s] son, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, & [David’s] servants, went out, & met together by the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down on [opposite sides] of the pool. |
And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now [rise] [up,] & [compete in front of] us, & Joab said, Let them arise. Then, there [were] 12 [from] Benjamin, [who rose,] & went over, [who represented] Ishbosheth, [Saul’s] son, & 12 of [David’s] servants [also went.] |
They [each] caught [their opponent] by the head, & thrust his sword in his side. So, they fell down together. [That’s why] that place is called Helkath Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon. |
And there was a very [fierce] battle that day; & Abner, & the men of Israel [were beaten in front of] the servants of David. And there were 3 sons of Zeruiah there: Joab, Abishai, & Asahel, [who] was [a fast runner like] a wild [gazelle.] |
And Asahel pursued after Abner, & he [didn’t] turn [away] from following Abner, to the right hand [side,] nor to the left. Then, Abner looked behind him, & said, [Are] you, Asahel? And he answered, I am. |
And Abner said to him,Turn aside to your right hand or your left, & [seize] one of the young men, & take [for yourself] his [armor.] But Asahel wouldn’t [stop] from following him. And Abner [asked] Asahel again, You, turn aside from following me. [Why] should I [strike] you [down] to the ground? Then, how should I hold up my face to Joab, your brother? |
[However, Asahel] refused to turn aside. [For this reason,] Abner [struck Asahel] with the [furthest] end of the spear under the 5th rib, & the spear came out behind him. And [Asahel] fell down there, & died in the same place. And it [happened,] that as many [who] came to the place where Asahel fell down, & died, [just] stood [there] [silently.] |
Joab & also Abishai pursued after Abner: [until sunset,] when they [came] to the Hill of Ammah, that [lies in front of] Giah, by the [road] of the Wilderness of Gibeon. |
And the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Benjamin gathered themselves together & became [united like] one troop, after Abner, & stood on the top of a hill. Then, Abner called to Joab, & said, Shall the sword devour forever? [Don’t] you [know] that it will [lead to] bitterness in the [final] end? |
Then, how long shall it be [before you urge] the people [to stop &] return from following their brethren? And Joab said, As God [Lives,] surely, [if] you [hadn’t] spoken, then the people [would] [have] [continued] following his brother, [until] morning. |
So, Joab blew a trumpet, & all the people stood still, & no [longer] pursued after Israel, & neither [did] they [fight] anymore. And Abner & his men walked all that night through the plain, & [crossed] over [the] Jordan [River,] & went through all [of] Bithron, & they came to Mahanaim. |
And Joab returned from following Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, 19 of David’s servants, & Asahel [weren’t with them, a.k.a. died.] But the servants of David had [struck down & killed] 360 [Benjamites,] & Abner’s men. |
And they took up Asahel, & buried him in the [tomb] of his father, [that] was in Bethlehem. And Joab & his men went all night, & they came to Hebron at [daybreak.] |