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2 Samuel

2 Samuelchapter 2

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Combat between Soldiers of Ish-bosheth and David — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

A.Anointed at Hebron; a thank-you to Jabesh-gileadvv. 1-7

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. 2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron. 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.” 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. 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. 7 Now then, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me as their king.”

B.Abner crowns Ish-bosheth at Mahanaimvv. 8-11

8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim, 9 and made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel. 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. 11 And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

C.Deadly play at the pool of Gibeonvv. 12-17

12 One day Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 So Joab son of Zeruiah, along with the servants of David, marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. And the two camps took up positions on opposite sides of the pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied. 15 So they got up and were counted off—twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. 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. 17 The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

D.Asahel outruns his own lifevv. 18-23

18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was fleet of foot like a wild gazelle, 19 and he chased Abner, not turning to the right or to the left in his pursuit. 20 And Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” “It is,” Asahel replied. 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. 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?” 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.

E.Shall the sword devour for ever?vv. 24-32

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. 25 The Benjamites rallied to Abner, formed a single unit, and took their stand atop a hill. 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?” 27 “As surely as God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops would have continued pursuing their brothers until morning.” 28 So Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. 29 And all that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, and arrived at Mahanaim. 30 When Joab returned from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants were missing, 31 but they had struck down 360 Benjamites who were with Abner. 32 Later, 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.

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Chapter summary

David inquires of Jehovah before he moves, goes up to Hebron, and is anointed king over the house of Judah.

Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾

David inquires of Jehovah before he moves, goes up to Hebron, and is anointed king over the house of Judah. His first royal act is a thank-you: a blessing on the men of Jabesh-gilead for burying Saul. But Abner takes Ish-bosheth over to Mahanaim and makes him king over the rest, and the land divides. At the pool of Gibeon twelve champions a side kill each other to a man, so the place is called Helkath-hazzurim, and a very sore battle follows. Asahel, light of foot as a wild roe, chases Abner and will not turn aside; Abner kills him with a backward thrust of the spear. At dusk Abner calls across the hill: 'Shall the sword devour for ever?'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Nathan, Gad — 2 Samuel overview

  • A. 1–7 Anointed at Hebron; a thank-you to Jabesh-gilead
  • B. 8–11 Abner crowns Ish-bosheth at Mahanaim
  • C. 12–17 Deadly play at the pool of Gibeon
  • D. 18–23 Asahel outruns his own life
  • E. 24–32 Shall the sword devour for ever?
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
  • 2 Samuel 54 verses
    • 2 Samuel 5:1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.
    • 2 Samuel 5:3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.
    • 2 Samuel 5:4David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
    • 2 Samuel 5:5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
    • Read 2 Samuel 5 →
  • 2 Samuel 24 verses
    • 2 Samuel 2:8Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth, moved him to Mahanaim,
    • 2 Samuel 2:14Then Abner said to Joab, “Let us have the young men get up and compete before us.” “Let them get up,” Joab replied.
    • 2 Samuel 2:17The battle that day was intense, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.
    • 2 Samuel 2:26Then 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?”
    • Read 2 Samuel 2 →
  • 1 Samuel 303 verses
    • 1 Samuel 30:1On the third day David and his men arrived in Ziklag, and the Amalekites had raided the Negev, attacked Ziklag, and burned it down.
    • 1 Samuel 30:5David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, had been taken captive.
    • 1 Samuel 30:31and to those in Hebron and in all the places where David and his men had roamed.
    • Read 1 Samuel 30 →
  • 2 Samuel 32 verses
    • 2 Samuel 3:1Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
    • 2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
    • Read 2 Samuel 3 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
  • 1 Samuel 252 verses
    • 1 Samuel 25:26Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, the LORD has held you back from coming to bloodshed and avenging yourself with your own hand. May your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.
    • 1 Samuel 25:42So Abigail hurried and got on a donkey, and attended by five of her maidens, she followed David’s messengers and became his wife.
    • Read 1 Samuel 25 →
  • 1 Chronicles 122 verses
    • 1 Chronicles 12:1Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the mighty men who helped him in battle;
    • 1 Chronicles 12:8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were mighty men of valor, trained for battle, experts with the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:
    • Read 1 Chronicles 12 →
  • 1 Chronicles 22 verses
  • 2 Samuel 202 verses
    • 2 Samuel 20:10Amasa was not on guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach and spilled out his intestines on the ground. And Joab did not need to strike him again, for Amasa was dead. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri.
    • 2 Samuel 20:23Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
    • Read 2 Samuel 20 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.