Thematic Bible: David wages war against and defeats ish-bosheth


Thematic Bible



the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

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. And Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men arise and play before us." And Joab answered, "Be it." 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. read more.
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. 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. Then Abner looked behind him and said, "Art thou Asahel?" And he said, "Yea." 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. 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?" 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. 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, 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?" 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 therewith Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still and pursued after Israel no more nor fought no more. 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 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. 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.