How have the mighty fallen!
20Tell it not in Gath,
Do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon,
Lest the daughters of the Philistine rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
21O hills of Gilboa—
Let there be no dew or rain on you,
d-Or bountiful fields,-d
For there the shield of warriors lay rejected,
The shield of Saul,
Polished with oil no more.
22From the blood of slain,
From the fat of warriors—
The bow of Jonathan
Never turned back;
The sword of Saul
Never withdrew empty.
23Saul and Jonathan,
Beloved and cherished,
Never parted
In life or in death!
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions!
24Daughters of Israel,
Weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in crimson and finery,
Who decked your robes with jewels of gold.
25How have the mighty fallen
In the thick of battle—
Jonathan, slain on your heights!
26I grieve for you,
My brother Jonathan,
You were most dear to me.
Your love was wonderful to me
More than the love of women.
27How have the mighty fallen,
The e-weapons of war-e perished!
2 Sometime afterward, David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” The LORD answered, “Yes.” David further asked, “Which one shall I go up to?” And the LORD replied, “To Hebron.” 2So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 3David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in the towns about Hebron. 4The men of Judah came and there they anointed David king over the House of Judah.
David was told about the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul. 5So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed of the LORD because you performed this act of faithfulness to your lord Saul and buried him. 6May the LORD in turn show you true faithfulness; and I too will reward you generously because you performed this act. 7Now take courage and be brave men; for your lord Saul is dead and the House of Judah have already anointed me king over them.”
8But Abner son of Ner, Saul’s army commander, had taken Ish-boshetha son of Saul and brought him across to Mahanaim 9and made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites,b Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin—over all Israel. 10Ish-boshetha son of Saul was forty years old when he became king of Israel, and he reigned two years. But the House of Judah supported David. 11The length of time that David reigned in Hebron over the House of Judah was seven years and six months.
12Once Abner son of Ner and the soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon, 13and Joab son of Zeruiah and the soldiers of David [also] came out.c They confronted one another at the pool of Gibeon: one group sat on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool. 14Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men come forward and sportd before us.” “Yes, let them,” Joab answered. 15They came forward and were counted off, twelve for Benjamin and Ishbosheth son of Saul, and twelve of David’s soldiers. 16Each one grasped his opponent’s heade [and thrust] his dagger into his opponent’s side; thus they fell together. That place, which is in Gibeon, was called Helkathhazzurim.f
17A fierce battle ensued that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were routed by David’s soldiers. 18The three sons of Zeruiahgwere there— Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was swift of foot, like a gazelle in the open field. 19And Asahel ran after Abner, swerving neither right nor left in his pursuit of Abner. 20Abner looked back and shouted, “Is that you, Asahel?” “Yes, it is,” he called back. 21Abner said to him, “Turn to the right or to the left, and seize one of our boys and strip off his tunic.” But Asahel would not leave off. 22Abner again begged Asahel, “Stop pursuing me, or I’ll have to strike you down. How will I look your brother Joab in the face?” 23When he refused to desist, Abner struck him in the belly with b-a backward thrust-b of his spear and the spear protruded from his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And all who came to the place where Asahel fell and died halted; 24but Joab and Abishai continued to pursue Abner. And the sun was setting as they reached the hill of Ammah, b-which faces Giah on the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.-b
25The Benjaminites rallied behind Abner, forming a single company; and they took up a position on the top of a hill. 26Abner then called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? You know how bitterly it’s going to end! How long will you delay ordering your troops to stop the pursuit of their kinsmen?” 27And Joab replied, “As God lives, h-if you hadn’t spoken up, the troops would have given up the pursuit of their kinsmen only the next morning.”-h 28Joab then sounded the horn, and all the troops halted; they ceased their pursuit of Israel and stopped the fighting. 29Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night and, after crossing the Jordan, they marched b-through all of Bithron-b until they came to Mahanaim. 30After Joab gave up the pursuit of Abner, he assembled all the troops and found nineteen of David’s soldiers missing, besides Asahel. 31David’s soldiers, on the other hand, b-defeated the Benjaminites and the men under Abner and killed three hundred and sixty men.-b 32They bore Asahel away and buried him in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night; day broke upon them in Hebron.
3 The war between the House of Saul and the House of David was long-drawn-out; but David kept growing stronger, while the House of Saul grew weaker.
2aSons were born to David in Hebron: His first-born was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3his second was Chileab, by Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite; the third was Absalom son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; 4the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital; 5and the sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
6During the war between the House of Saul and the House of David, Abner supported the House of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, daughter of Aiah; and [Ish-bosheth] said to Abner, “Why have you lain with my father’s concubine?” 8Abner was very upset by what Ishbosheth said, and he replied, “Am I a dog’s head b-from Judah?-b Here I have been loyally serving the House of your father Saul and his kinsfolk and friends, and I have not betrayed you into the hands of David; yet this day you reproach me over a woman! 9May God do thus and more to Abner if I do not do for David as the LORD swore to him—10to transfer the kingship from the House of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beer-sheba.” 11[Ish-bosheth] could say nothing more in reply to Abner, because he was afraid of him.
12Abner immediatelyb sent messengers to David, saying, b-“To whom shall the land belong?” and to say [further],-b “Make a pact with me, and I will help you and bring all Israel over to your side.” 13He replied, “Good; I will make a pact with you. But I make one demand upon you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come before me.” 14David also sent messengers to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, to say, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bride-pricec of one hundred Philistine foreskins.”d 15So Ish-bosheth sent and had her taken away from [her] husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16Her husband walked with her as far as Bahurim, weeping as he followed her; then Abner ordered him to turn back, and he went back.
17Abner had conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, “You have wanted David to be king over you all along. 18Now act! For the LORD has said concerning David: e-I will deliver-c My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and all its other enemies through My servant David.” 19Abner also talked with the Benjaminites; then Abner went and informed David in Hebron of all the wishes of Israel and of the whole House of Benjamin.
20When Abner came to David in Hebron, accompanied by twenty men, David made a feast for Abner and the men with him. 21Abner said to David, “Now I will go and rally all Israel to Your Majesty. They will make a pact with you, and you can reign over all that your heart desires.” And David dismissed Abner, who went away unharmed.
22Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them; Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, for he had been dismissed and had gone away unharmed. 23When Joab and the whole force with him arrived, Joab was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king, had been dismissed by him, and had gone away unharmed. 24Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Here Abner came to you; why did you let him go? Now he has gotten away! 25Don’t you know that Abner son of Ner came only to deceive you, to learn your comings and goings and to find out all that you are planning?” 26Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David knew nothing about it. 27When
