2 Samuel 2

And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.

After a while, David asked God, "Should I move to any city in Judah?" God replied, "Yes, go." David asked, "Where should I go?" God directed, "Go to Hebron."

So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite.

David, filled with determination, ascended with his two beloved wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.

And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

David, with a heart full of courage, led his loyal men and their families to settle in the welcoming cities of Hebron.

And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

The men of Judah arrived, filled with reverence and purpose. They anointed David as their king, their faces glowing with respect. They shared with David, their voices heavy with gratitude, that it was the men of Jabeshgilead who had honored Saul in his death.

And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

David sent his men to the people of Jabeshgilead with a heartfelt message, "May God bless you for your compassionate act towards Saul, your lord, by giving him a dignified burial."

And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

God will shower you with love and honesty for your actions. I too, will repay you with kindness for what you've done.

Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

Find strength in your hands now, be brave, for our leader Saul has passed away. The people of Judah have chosen me as their new king.

But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

Abner, Saul's military leader and son of Ner, took Saul's son, Ishbosheth, and brought him over to Mahanaim.

And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

Abner made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all of Israel.

Ishbosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

Saul's son, Ishbosheth, was just forty when he took the throne of Israel, ruling for a brief two years. Yet, the people of Judah, they chose to follow David.

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

David reigned as king in Hebron, leading the people of Judah, for a heartfelt period of seven and a half years.

And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

Abner, Ner's son, along with Ishbosheth's servants, Saul's son, embarked on a journey from Mahanaim to Gibeon, filled with determination and anticipation.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by 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, Zeruiah's son, along with David's men, gathered by Gibeon's pool. They sat, each group on opposite sides, their tension filling the air.

And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men get up and fight it out before us." Joab agreed, "Yes, let them get up."

Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

Twelve men from Benjamin, loyal to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, and twelve of David's servants, stood up and crossed over together.

And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

In a heated battle, each man seized his opponent, driving his sword into his side. They collapsed together, marking the place with their shared demise. This place, stained with their struggle, became known as Helkathhazzurim in Gibeon.

And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

That day, the battlefield was drenched in pain and defeat. Abner and the men of Israel were beaten, overwhelmed by the might of David's loyal soldiers.

And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

Zeruiah's three sons were there - Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel, swift and nimble, moved like a wild deer.

And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

Asahel chased Abner relentlessly, his focus unwavering, neither veering right nor left.

Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.

Abner glanced over his shoulder, his voice trembling, "Is that you, Asahel?" Asahel responded with a firm, "Yes, it's me."

And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

Abner pleaded, "Choose your path, right or left, seize a young soldier, take his armor." But Asahel, stubbornly, refused to stop pursuing him.

And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

Abner pleaded with Asahel once more, "Stop chasing me! Why force me to hurt you? How could I face your brother Joab after that?"

Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

Despite pleas, he wouldn't step aside. So Abner, in frustration, struck him with the back of his spear, piercing his side. The spear exited through his back, and he collapsed, lifeless. Everyone who came upon the spot where Asahel fell and died froze in shock.

Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

Joab and Abishai chased Abner relentlessly. As the sun set, they found themselves on the hill of Ammah, overlooking Giah, on the edge of the desolate Gibeon wilderness.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

The descendants of Benjamin rallied behind Abner, uniting as a single force. They stood strong and united atop a hill.

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

Abner pleaded with Joab, "Must we always resort to violence? Don't you see the pain it will cause in the end? When will you call off your men from pursuing their own brothers?"

And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

Joab passionately declared, "By God's life, if you hadn't spoken, the men would not have stopped chasing their brothers until morning."

So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

Joab sounded the trumpet, and instantly, all activity ceased. The people stopped chasing Israel and the fighting ended.

And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

Abner and his men journeyed tirelessly through the night, crossing the vast plains and the mighty Jordan. They traversed the entirety of Bithron, until finally, they reached Mahanaim, their hearts filled with relief and anticipation.

And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel.

Joab came back after pursuing Abner. He gathered everyone, only to find that David's team was short of nineteen men and Asahel.

But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

David's men, filled with fury, struck down the men of Benjamin and Abner. In the aftermath, a staggering 360 men lay lifeless.

And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

They carried Asahel, laying him to rest in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. Joab and his men journeyed through the night, arriving in Hebron as dawn broke.