A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
2 Samuel 2
Chapter summary coming soon.
Verse 1. Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” “Go up,” the LORD answered. Then David asked, “Where should I go?” “To Hebron,” replied the LORD.
Verse 2. So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel.
Verse 3. David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
Verse 4. Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
Verse 5. So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead to tell them, “The LORD bless you, because you showed this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
Verse 6. Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.
Verse 7. Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”
Verse 8. Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
Verse 9. and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel.
Verse 10. Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
Verse 11. And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Verse 12. One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
Verse 13. So Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
Verse 14. Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
Verse 15. So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.
Verse 16. Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called Helkath-hazzurim.
Verse 17. The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
Verse 18. The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle,
Verse 19. and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit.
Verse 20. And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied.
Verse 21. So Abner told him, “Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him.
Verse 22. Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I show my face to your brother Joab?”
Verse 23. But Asahel refused to turn away. So Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.
Verse 24. But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
Verse 25. The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill.
Verse 26. Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Do you not realize that this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers?”
Verse 27. “As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.”
Verse 28. So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.
Verse 29. And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim.
Verse 30. When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing,
Verse 31. but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner.
Verse 32. And they took Asahel and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at daybreak.