2 Samuel 2:12-32 - War Between Judah And Israel

¹² And Abner, the son of Ner, with the servants of Saul's son Ish-bosheth, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ¹³ And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and came face to face with them by the pool of Gibeon; and they took up their position, facing one another on opposite sides of the pool.

¹⁴ And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men give a test of their strength before us. And Joab said, Let them do so.

¹⁵ So they got up and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth and twelve of the servants of David. ¹⁶ And every one got the other by the head, driving his sword into the other's side, so they all went down together: and that place was named the Field of Sides, and it is in Gibeon.

¹⁷ And there was hard fighting that day; and Abner and the men of Israel gave way before the servants of David. ¹⁸ There were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel: and Asahel was as quick-footed as a roe of the fields. ¹⁹ Asahel went running after Abner, not turning to the right or to the left. ²⁰ Then Abner, looking back, said, Is it you, Asahel? And he said, It is I.

²¹ And Abner said, Then go to the right or to the left and put your hands on one of the fighting-men and take his arms. But Asahel would not be turned away from going after Abner. ²² Then again Abner said to Asahel, Go to one side, do not keep on coming after me: why will you make me put an end to you? for then I will be shamed before your brother Joab.

²³ But still he did not go to one side: so Abner gave him a back blow in the stomach with his spear, so that the spear came out at his back; and he went down on the earth, wounded to death: and all those who came to the place where Asahel went down dead, came to a stop. ²⁴ But Joab and Abishai went after Abner: and the sun went down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is to the east of the road through the waste land of Geba.

²⁵ And the men of Benjamin came together after Abner in one band, and took their places on the top of a hill. ²⁶ Then crying out to Joab, Abner said, Are fighting and destruction to go on for ever? do you not see that the end will only be bitter? how long will it be before you send the people back and make them give up attacking their countrymen?

²⁷ And Joab said, By the living God, if you had not given the word, the people would have gone on attacking their countrymen till the morning. ²⁸ So Joab had a horn sounded, and all the people came to a stop, and gave up going after Israel and fighting them. ²⁹ And all that night Abner and his men went through the Arabah; they went over Jordan and through all Bithron and came to Mahanaim.

³⁰ And Joab came back from fighting Abner: and when he had got all his men together, it was seen that nineteen of David's men, in addition to Asahel, were not with them. ³¹ But David's men had put to death three hundred and sixty of the men of Benjamin and of Abner's men ³² And they took Asahel's body and put it in the last resting-place of his father in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men, travelling all night, came to Hebron at dawn.

⁸ Let the horn be sounded in Gibeah and in Ramah; give a loud cry in Beth-aven, They are after you, O Benjamin. ⁹ Ephraim will become a waste in the day of punishment; I have given knowledge among the tribes of Israel of what is certain. ¹⁰ The rulers of Judah are like those who take away a landmark; I will let loose my wrath on them like flowing water. ¹¹ Ephraim is troubled; he is crushed by his judges, because he took pleasure in walking after deceit. ¹² And so to Ephraim I am like a wasting insect, and a destruction to the children of Judah. ¹³ When Ephraim saw his disease and Judah his wound, then Ephraim went to Assyria and sent to the great king; but he is not able to make you well or give you help for your wound. ¹⁴ For I will be to Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the children of Judah; I, even I, will give him wounds and go away; I will take him away, and there will be no helper. ¹⁵ I will go back to my place till they are made waste; in their trouble they will go after me early and will make search for me.