II Samuel 02 David's victory over Ishbosheth

 II Samuel 02

David's victory over Ishbosheth

12 Then went Abner the son of Ner, with the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met one another by the pool of Gibeon: and these stood on this side of the pool, and the others on that side of the pool.

14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men lift up, and let them play before us. And Joab said, Arise.

15 And they rose up and passed over by account twelve of Benjamin, from Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16 And each one took hold of the other's head, thrust a sword into his side, and they fell together: whence was the name of that place Helkath-hazurim which is by Gibeon.

17 And a bitter battle ensued that day: but Abner and the men of Israel were smitten before the servants of David.

18 And there were the three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel; and Asael was light of foot, like one of the wild goats in the field.

19 And Asael followed after Abner: and he declined from behind Abner, neither to the right nor to the left.

20 And Abner, looking back, said, Art thou Asael? And he said: I am.

21 And Abner said to him, Turn to the right, or to the left, and take hold of one of the young men, and take his spoil. But Asael did not want to deviate from behind him.

22 Then Abner said again to Asael, Turn away from behind me; why should I hurt you and find myself on the ground? and how would I lift up my face before your brother Joab?

23 But if he would not go astray, Abner smote him with the length of the spear through the fifth rib, and the spear went out from behind him, and he fell there, and died in that very place: and it came to pass that all that came to the place where Asael he fell and died, they stopped.

24 But Joab and Abishai followed after Abner; and the sun went down, and they came to the hill of Ama, which is before Giah, by the way of the desert of Gibeon.

25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner, and made a battalion, and stood on the top of the hill.

26 Then Abner cried to Joab, and said, Shall he consume the sword for ever? do you not know that at last there will be bitterness? and how long will you not tell the people to stop following their brethren?

27 And Joab said, As God lives, if he had not spoken from the morning, the people would have ceased every one from following his brother.

28 Then Joab blew the horn, and all the people stood still, and pursued Israel no more: and fought no more.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night on the plain; and passing over Jordan, they walked through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.

30 And Joab turned back from following Abner, and gathered all the people together: and the servants of David lacked nineteen men and Asahel.

31 But David's servants slew from among Benjamin, and from among the men of Abner, three hundred and sixty men, who were slain there.

32 And they raised up Asahel, and buried him in the tomb of his father which was in Bethlehem: and Joab and his men walked all that night, and it dawned upon them in Hebron.

II Samuel 03

1 And there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David was getting stronger, but those of the house of Saul was getting weaker.