1	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.
			2	So David went up# thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
			3	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	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.
			5	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.
			6	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	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. [be ye...: Heb. be ye the sons of valour]
			8	But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took# Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over# to Mahanaim; [Saul's host: Heb. the host which was Saul's] [Ishbosheth: or, Eshbaal]
			9	And made him king# over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
			10	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.
			11	And the time# that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. [time: Heb. number of days]
			12	And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out# from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
			13	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. [together: Heb. them together]
			14	And Abner said# to Joab, Let the young men now arise# , and play# before us. And Joab said# , Let them arise# .
			15	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.
			16	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. [Helkathhazzurim: that is, The field of strong men]
			17	And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten# , and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
			18	And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe. [of foot: Heb. of his feet] [as a wild...: Heb. as one of the roes that is in the field]
			19	And Asahel pursued# after Abner; and in going# he turned# not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. [from...: Heb. from after Abner]
			20	Then Abner looked# behind him, and said# , Art thou Asahel? And he answered# , I am .
			21	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. [armour: or, spoil]
			22	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	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# .
			24	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	And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together# after Abner, and became one troop, and stood# on the top of an hill.
			26	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	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. [in the...: Heb. from the morning] [gone...: or, gone away]
			28	So Joab blew# a trumpet, and all the people stood still# , and pursued# after Israel no more, neither fought# they any more# .
			29	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	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 the servants of David had smitten# of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died# .
			32	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# .