And the men that were with him, did David carry up also, every man with his house. And they dwelt in the towns of Hebron.

And the men of Judah came, and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. When it was told David, how the men of Jabesh in Gilead had buried Saul,

he sent messengers unto them and said unto them, "Blessed are ye unto the LORD, that ye have showed such kindness unto your lord Saul, and have buried him.

Wherefore the LORD show you mercy and truth again. And I will do you good also, because ye have done this thing.

But Abner the son of Ner that was captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him to Mahanaim;

And Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel - and reigned two years. But the house of Judah only followed David.

And now let your hands stir them and play ye the men, though your master Saul be dead. And finally, understand that the house of Judah have anointed me king over them."

And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul went out of Mahanaim, to Gibeon.

and made him king over Gilead and over the Asherites, and over Jezreel; and over Ephraim and Benjamin and over all Israel.

And they caught each his fellow that came against him, by the head and thrust his sword in his side, and so fell down all at once. Wherefore the place was called Helkathhazzurim which is in Gibeon.

After this David asked the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Juda? And the LORD said, "Go." And David answered, "Whither shall I go?" He answered, "Unto Hebron."

And the time which David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the Pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one part on the one side the pool and the other on the other side.

Then there arose and went over: twelve of Benjamin by number, which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul; and twelve of the servants of David.

And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and play before us." And Joab answered, "Be it."

And there began an exceeding cruel battle that same day. But Abner and the men of Israel were put to the worse of the servants of David.

And there was three sons of Zeruiah there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel - which Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild roe -

and followed after Abner and turned neither to the righthand nor to the left from Abner.

And Abner said again to Asahel, "Turn from me! Why wilt thou that I smite thee to the ground? For then how should I hold up my face before Joab thy brother?"

Then said Abner, "Turn thee either to the righthand or to the left and catch one of the young men and take thee his spoil." But Asahel would not depart from him.

But Joab and Abishai followed Abner till the sun went down. And when they were come to the hill Ammah that lieth before Giah in the way that goeth through the wilderness of Gibeon,

And Joab answered, "As truly as God liveth, if thou hadst so said, then even in the morning had the people departed, each from following his brother."

And so David went thither with his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.

Howbeit, he would in no wise depart. Then Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the short ribs, that the spear came out behind him: that he fell down in the same place and died there. And as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner on a plump and stood still on the top of a hill.

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, "Shall the sword devour without end? Knowest thou not that bitterness is wont to come in the latter end? How long shall it be, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?"

Then Abner looked behind him and said, "Art thou Asahel?" And he said, "Yea."

And Abner and his men walked all that night by the wild fields, and went over Jordan, and passed through all Bithron and came to Mahanaim.

And therewith Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still and pursued after Israel no more nor fought no more.

And they took up Asahel and buried him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and came in the dawning to Hebron.

And Joab returned from after Abner and gathered all the people together. And there lacked, of David's servants, nineteen persons and Asahel.

But the servants of David had slain, of Benjamin and of Abner's men, three hundred and three score men.