2 Samuel 2 CSB NLT Parallel

◄ 2 Samuel 2 ►

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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.

1After this, David asked the LORD, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?” “Yes,” the LORD replied. Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?” “To Hebron,” the LORD answered.

2So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

2David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives

3In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.

3and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near 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."

4Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah. When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had 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.

5he sent them this message: “May the LORD bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial.

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.

6May the LORD be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done.

7Therefore, be strong and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

7Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king.” Ishbosheth Proclaimed King of Israel

8Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Saul's son Ish-bosheth and moved him to Mahanaim.

8But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth.

9He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin--over all Israel.

9There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of 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.

10Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.

11The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

11David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years. War between Israel and Judah

12Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

12One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops 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.

13About the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David’s troops out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides 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.

14Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight hand to hand here in front of us.” “All right,” Joab agreed.

15So they got up and were counted off--twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David's soldiers.

15So twelve men were chosen to fight from each side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve representing 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.

16Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.

17The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's soldiers.

17A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David. The Death of Asahel

18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles.

18Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among David’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle,

19He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him.

19and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything.

20Abner glanced back and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" "Yes it is," Asahel replied.

20When Abner looked back and saw him coming, he called out, “Is that you, Asahel?” “Yes, it is,” he replied.

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.

21“Go fight someone else!” Abner warned. “Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel kept right on chasing Abner.

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?"

22Again Abner shouted to him, “Get away from here! I don’t want to kill you. How could I ever face your brother Joab again?”

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 back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there.

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.

24When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner. The sun was just going down as they arrived at the hill of Ammah near Giah, along the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.

25The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill.

25Abner’s troops from the tribe of Benjamin regrouped there at the top of the hill to take a stand.

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?"

26Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?”

27"As God lives," Joab replied, "if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn't have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning."

27Then Joab said, “God only knows what would have happened if you hadn’t spoken, for we would have chased you all night if necessary.”

28Then Joab blew the ram's horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.

28So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and his men stopped chasing the troops of Israel.

29So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.

29All that night Abner and his men retreated through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River, traveling all through the morning, and didn’t stop until they arrived at 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,

30Meanwhile, Joab and his men also returned home. When Joab counted his casualties, he discovered that only 19 men were missing in addition to Asahel.

31but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner's men.

31But 360 of Abner’s men had been killed, all from the tribe of Benjamin.

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.

32Joab and his men took Asahel’s body to Bethlehem and buried him there in his father’s tomb. Then they traveled all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.

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