David is received and anointed king of Juda. Isboseth the son of Saul
reigneth over the rest of Israel. A battle between Abner and Joab.
2:1. And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I
go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up.
And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into
Hebron.
2:2. So David went up, and his two wives Achinoam the Jezrahelitess,
and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:
2:3. And the men also that were with him, David brought up every man
with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.
2:4. And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king
over the house of Juda. And it was told David that the men of Jabes
Galaad had buried Saul.
2:5. David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and
said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to
your master Saul, and have buried him.
2:6. And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth, and I
also will requite you for this good turn, because you have done this
thing.
2:7. Let your hands be strengthened, and be ye men of valour: for
although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed
me to be their king.
2:8. But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul’s army, took Isboseth
the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp,
2:9. And made him king over Galaad, and over Gessuri, and over
Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
2:10. Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to
reign over Israel, and he reigned two years; and only the house of Juda
followed David.
He reigned two years.... Viz., before he began visibly to decline: but
in all he reigned seven years and six months; for so long David reigned
in Hebron.
2:11. And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron
over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.
2:12. And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Isboseth the son of
Saul, went out from the camp to Gabaon.
2:13. And Joab the son of Sarvia, and the servants of David went out,
and met them by the pool of Gabaon. And when they were come together,
they sat down over against one another: the one on the one side of the
pool, and the other on the other side.
2:14. And Abner said to Joab: Let the young men rise, and play before
us. And Joab answered: Let them rise.
2:15. Then there arose and went over twelve in number of Benjamin, of
the part of Isboseth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of
David.
2:16. And every one catching his fellow by the head, thrust his sword
into the side of his adversary, and they fell down together: and the
name of the place was called: The field of the valiant, in Gabaon.
2:17. And there was a very fierce battle that day: and Abner was put to
flight, with the men of Israel, by the servants of David.
2:18. And there were the three sons of Sarvia there, Joab, and Abisai,
and Asael: now Asael was a most swift runner, like one of the roes that
abide in the woods.
2:19. And Asael pursued after Abner, and turned not to the right hand
nor to the left from following Abner.
2:20. And Abner looked behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? And he
answered: I am.
2:21. And Abner said to him: Go to the right hand or to the left, and
lay hold on one of the young men and take thee his spoils. But Asael
would not leave off following him close.
2:22. And again Abner said to Asael: Go off, and do not follow me, lest
I be obliged to stab thee to the ground, and I shall not be able to
hold up my face to Joab thy brother.
2:23. But he refused to hearken to him, and would not turn aside:
wherefore Abner struck him with his spear with a back stroke in the
groin, and thrust him through, and he died upon the spot: and all that
came to the place where Asael fell down and died stood still.
2:24. Now while Joab and Abisai pursued after Abner, the sun went down:
and they came as far as the hill of the aqueduct, that lieth over
against the valley by the way of the wilderness in Gabaon.
2:25. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together to
Abner: and being joined in one body, they stood on the top of a hill.
2:26. And Abner cried out to Joab, and said: Shall thy sword rage unto
utter destruction? knowest thou not that it is dangerous to drive
people to despair? how long dost thou defer to bid the people cease
from pursuing after their brethren?
2:27. And Joab said: As the Lord liveth, if thou hadst spoke sooner,
even in the morning the people should have retired from pursuing after
their brethren.
2:28. Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and all the army stood still, and
did not pursue after Israel any farther, nor fight any more.
2:29. And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plains:
and they passed the Jordan, and having gone through all Beth-horon,
came to the camp.
2:30. And Joab returning, after he had left Abner, assembled all the
people: and there were wanting of David’s servants nineteen men, beside
Asael.
2:31. But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin, and of the men
that were with Abner, three hundred and sixty, who all died.
2:32. And they took Asael, and buried him in the sepulchre of his
father in Bethlehem and Joab, and the men that were with him, marched
all the night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.