David Becomes King of Judah
Study note
After Saul's death, David did not rush to seize power. Instead, he asked God for guidance. The Lord directed him to go to Hebron, an important city in the territory of Judah. There the men of Judah anointed David as their king. David also sent a kind message to the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had bravely recovered Saul's body and given it a proper burial. David was building goodwill and showing respect for Saul even after his death.
1 Later, David prayed to the Lord, "Should I go to one of the towns in Judah?" The Lord told him yes. "Which town?" David asked. "Hebron," the Lord answered. And it came to pass after this, that David inquired 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.
2 David went to Hebron. He brought his two wives. They were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal's widow from Carmel. So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
3 He also brought all the men who followed him, along with their families. They made their homes in the villages near Hebron. And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 The leaders of the tribe of Judah came to Hebron and poured oil on David's head, making him king over Judah. David received word that the people of Jabesh-gilead had given Saul a proper burial. 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 Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.
5 He sent a message to them: "The Lord bless you for showing such loyal love to your master Saul by burying his body." And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, 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.
6 "May the Lord return your kindness with his own faithful love. I will also treat you well because of what you have done." And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
7 "So take courage and be brave. Saul your master has died, and the people of Judah have made me their king." 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.
Ish-bosheth Made King Over Israel
Study note
Abner was the commander of Saul's army and a very powerful man. He took Ish-bosheth, one of Saul's surviving sons, and made him king over the northern tribes of Israel. This created a divided kingdom: David ruled Judah in the south from Hebron, while Ish-bosheth ruled the northern tribes from Mahanaim, east of the Jordan River. David reigned in Hebron for seven and a half years before becoming king over all Israel.
8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, who commanded Saul's army, took Saul's son Ish-bosheth and brought him across to Mahanaim. But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9 There Abner declared Ish-bosheth king over the territories of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and the rest of Israel. And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he started ruling over Israel, and his reign lasted two years. The tribe of Judah, however, followed David. Ish-bosheth 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.
11 David ruled as king over Judah from Hebron for seven and a half years. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
The Battle at the Pool of Gibeon
Study note
The two armies met at the pool of Gibeon, a large water reservoir in the town of Gibeon. Abner suggested that young warriors from each side fight in a contest. Twelve men from each side were chosen, but they all killed each other in the fighting. This led to a full-scale battle in which David's men, led by Joab, defeated Abner and the men of Israel. The place was named Helkath-hazzurim, meaning 'field of sharp edges' or 'field of swords.'
12 One day, Abner and the soldiers loyal to Ish-bosheth marched out from Mahanaim to the town of Gibeon. And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 Joab son of Zeruiah led David's soldiers out to meet them. The two groups sat down facing each other on opposite sides of the pool at Gibeon. 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.
14 Abner suggested to Joab, "Let some of the young fighters stand up and have a contest in front of us." Joab agreed. And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.
15 Twelve men from Benjamin's side and twelve from David's side stepped forward. Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
16 Each fighter seized his opponent by the head and drove his sword into the other man's side. They all collapsed and died together. That spot in Gibeon was later named Helkath-hazzurim, meaning "Field of Swords." 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 Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
17 A fierce battle took place that day. David's soldiers beat Abner and the men of Israel. And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
Asahel Chases Abner
Study note
Joab had two brothers, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was known for being incredibly fast. He chased after Abner with single-minded determination. Abner warned Asahel twice to stop chasing him, because Abner did not want the blood feud that would come from killing Joab's brother. But Asahel refused to stop. Abner finally struck Asahel with the back end of his spear, killing him. This death would fuel a deadly grudge between Joab and Abner for years to come.
18 Zeruiah's three sons were there that day: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was an exceedingly fast runner, as quick as a gazelle in the wild. And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
19 Asahel took off after Abner in a straight line, never veering right or left. And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Abner glanced back and called, "Asahel, is that you?" "It is," Asahel replied. Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.
21 Abner told him, "Go after one of the younger soldiers instead and take his gear for yourself." But Asahel kept right on chasing him. 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.
22 Abner warned him once more, "Back off! I do not want to kill you. If I did, how could I ever look your brother Joab in the eye?" 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?
23 Asahel would not give up the chase. So Abner jabbed the blunt end of his spear backward into Asahel's stomach. It went straight through him, and he collapsed and died on the spot. Everyone who reached the place where Asahel fell stopped in their tracks. 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.
Abner Calls for Peace
Study note
After Asahel's death, Joab and Abishai continued to chase Abner. The men of Benjamin rallied around Abner on a hilltop. Abner called out to Joab, asking him to stop the fighting between their fellow Israelites. Joab agreed and blew a trumpet to end the battle. Abner's men marched all night back to Mahanaim, while Joab's men carried Asahel's body to Bethlehem for burial. The casualties showed David's side lost only twenty men, while Abner's side lost three hundred and sixty.
24 Joab and Abishai, however, continued pursuing Abner. By sunset they arrived at the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the road toward the Gibeon wilderness. 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.
25 Abner's Benjaminite troops rallied behind him, forming a tight group on top of a hill. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.
26 Abner shouted down to Joab, "Are we going to let this killing go on forever? Can you not see this will only lead to bitterness? When will you order your men to stop hunting down their own relatives?" 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?
27 Joab called back, "I swear by the living God, if you had not spoken up, my men would have kept chasing their brothers clear through till morning." 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.
28 Joab blew a trumpet signal, and all his troops halted. The pursuit and the fighting came to an end. So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.
29 Abner and his men traveled through the night across the Jordan Valley. They crossed the river, marched through Bithron, and finally reached Mahanaim. 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.
30 After Joab gave up the chase, he rallied his troops. Nineteen of David's men were missing, not counting Asahel. 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.
31 But David's men had killed 360 of Abner's men from Benjamin. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
32 They brought Asahel's body home to Bethlehem and laid him to rest in his family's burial place. Then Joab and his men walked through the night and reached Hebron by daybreak. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.