Ish‑Bosheth Made King; Civil War with David Begins
2 Samuel 2:8-3:5
8Abner son of Ner, ruler of the army that belonged to Saul, took Ish-bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.9He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurite, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.10Ish-bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David.11The number of the days that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.12Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.13Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon; they sat, these on one side of the pool and those on the other side of the pool.14Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and compete before us." Joab said, "Let them arise."15They arose and passed over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David.16Each man seized his neighbor by the head, and each one's sword was in his neighbor's side, and they fell together. That place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.17The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated before the servants of David.18The three sons of Zeruiah were present: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as swift of foot as one of the gazelles of the field.19Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn aside to go to the right or to the left from following Abner.20Abner turned after him and said, "Are you Asahel?" He said, "I am."21Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right or to your left; seize one of the young men and take his spoil for yourself." But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him.22Abner spoke again to Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground, and how could I lift my face to Joab your brother?"23He refused to turn aside, so Abner struck him with the spear in the belly, and the spear came out behind him, and he fell there and died on the spot. Everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died stood still.24Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner. The sun had set when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah on the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.25The sons of Benjamin gathered behind Abner and became one band, and they stood on the top of one hill.26Abner called to Joab and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell the people to return from following their brothers?"27Joab said, "As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then the people would have gone up from the morning, each man from following his brother."28Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people stood still; they did not pursue Israel any longer, nor did they continue any longer to fight.29Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night, crossed the Jordan, continued through the entire Bithron, and arrived at Mahanaim.30Joab turned back from following Abner and gathered all the people; from the servants of David nineteen men besides Asahel were counted.31David's servants struck down three hundred and sixty men of Benjamin and of Abner's men; they died.32They took up Asahel and buried him in his father's grave that was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men marched all night, and day broke for them in Hebron.
Chapter 3
1The battle was long between the house of Saul and the house of David. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.2Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.3His second son was Chileab, whose mother was Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. His third son was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur.4His fourth son was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. His fifth son was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.5His sixth son was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David's wife. These sons were born to David in Hebron.