1And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. 2So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite. 3And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.
5¶ And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. 6And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. 7Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.2.7 be ye…: Heb. be ye the sons of valour
8¶ But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;2.8 Saul’s host: Heb. the host which was Saul’s2.8 Ish-bosheth: or, Esh-baal 9And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 10Ish-bosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.2.11 time: Heb. number of days
12¶ And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.2.13 together: Heb. them together 14And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. 15Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is in Gibeon.2.16 Helkath-hazzurim: that is, The field of strong men 17And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18¶ And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.2.18 of foot: Heb. of his feet2.18 as a wild…: Heb. as one of the roes that is in the field 19And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.2.19 from…: Heb. from after Abner 20Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am. 21And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.2.21 armour: or, spoil 22And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother? 23Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. 24Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
25¶ And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? 27And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.2.27 in the…: Heb. from the morning2.27 gone…: or, gone away 28So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more. 29And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim. 30And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel. 31But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
32¶ And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
Davi é Ungido Rei de Judá
1Passado algum tempo, Davi perguntou ao Senhor: “Devo ir para uma das cidades de Judá?” O Senhor respondeu que sim, e Davi perguntou para qual delas.
“Para Hebrom”, respondeu o Senhor.
2Então Davi foi para Hebrom com suas duas mulheres, Ainoã, de Jezreel, e Abigail, viúva de Nabal, o carmelita. 3Davi também levou os homens que o acompanhavam, cada um com sua família, e estabeleceram-se em Hebrom e nos povoados vizinhos. 4Então os homens de Judá foram a Hebrom e ali ungiram Davi rei da tribo de Judá.
Informado de que os habitantes de Jabes-Gileade tinham sepultado Saul, 5Davienviou-lhes mensageiros que lhes disseram: “O Senhor os abençoe pelo seu ato de lealdade, dando sepultura a Saul, seu rei. 6Seja o Senhor leal e fiel para com vocês. Também eu firmarei minha amizade com vocês, por terem feito essa boa ação. 7Mas, agora, sejam fortes e corajosos, pois Saul, seu senhor, está morto, e já fui ungido rei pela tribo de Judá”.
Is-Bosete Proclamado Rei de Israel
8Enquanto isso, Abner, filho de Ner, comandante do exército de Saul, levou Is-Bosete, filho de Saul, a Maanaim, 9onde o proclamou rei sobre Gileade, Assuri2.9 Ou Aser, Jezreel, Efraim, Benjamim e sobre todo o Israel.
10Is-Bosete, filho de Saul, tinha quarenta anos de idade quando começou a reinar em Israel, e reinou dois anos. Entretanto, a tribo de Judá seguia Davi, 11que a governou em Hebrom por sete anos e seis meses.
A Guerra entre Judá e Israel
12Abner, filho de Ner, e os soldados de Is-Bosete, filho de Saul, partiram de Maanaim e marcharam para Gibeom. 13Joabe, filho de Zeruia, e os soldados de Davi foram ao encontro deles no açude de Gibeom. Um grupo posicionou-se num lado do açude; o outro grupo, no lado oposto.
14Então Abner disse a Joabe: “Vamos fazer alguns soldados lutarem diante de nós”.
Joabe respondeu: “De acordo”.
15Então doze soldados aliados de Benjamim e Is-Bosete, filho de Saul, atravessaram o açude para enfrentar doze soldados aliados de Davi. 16Cada soldado pegou o adversário pela cabeça e fincou-lhe o punhal no lado, e juntos caíram mortos. Por isso aquele lugar, situado em Gibeom, foi chamado Helcate-Hazurim2.16 Helcate-Hazurim significa campo de punhais ou campo de hostilidades..
17Houve uma violenta batalha naquele dia, e Abner e os soldados de Israel foram derrotados pelos soldados de Davi.
18Estavam lá Joabe, Abisai e Asael, os três filhos de Zeruia. E Asael, que corria como uma gazela em terreno plano, 19perseguiu Abner, sem se desviar nem para a direita nem para a esquerda. 20Abner olhou para trás e perguntou: “É você, Asael?”
“Sou eu”, respondeu ele.
21Disse-lhe então Abner: “É melhor você se desviar para a direita ou para a esquerda, capturar um dos soldados e ficar com as armas dele”. Mas Asael não quis parar de persegui-lo.
22Então Abner advertiu Asael mais uma vez: “Pare de me perseguir! Não quero matá-lo. Como eu poderia olhar seu irmão Joabe nos olhos de novo?”
23Como, porém, Asael não desistiu de persegui-lo, Abner cravou no estômago dele a ponta da lança, que saiu pelas costas. E ele caiu, morrendo ali mesmo. E paravam todos os que chegavam ao lugar onde Asael estava caído.
24Então Joabe e Abisai perseguiram Abner. Ao pôr do sol, chegaram à colina de Amá, defronte de Gia, no caminho para o deserto de Gibeom. 25Os soldados de Benjamim, seguindo Abner, reuniram-se formando um só grupo e ocuparam o alto de uma colina.
26Então Abner gritou para Joabe: “O derramamento de sangue vai continuar? Não vê que isso vai trazer amargura? Quando é que você vai mandar o seu exército parar de perseguir os seus irmãos?”
27Respondeu Joabe: “Juro pelo nome de Deus que, se você não tivesse falado, o meu exército perseguiria os seus irmãos até de manhã”.
28Então Joabe tocou a trombeta, e o exército parou de perseguir Israel e de lutar.
29Abner e seus soldados marcharam pela Arabá durante toda a noite. Atravessaram o Jordão, marcharam durante a manhã2.29 Ou por toda a região de Bitrom; ou ainda pelo vale inteira e chegaram a Maanaim.
30Quando Joabe voltou da perseguição a Abner, reuniu todo o exército. E viram que faltavam dezenove soldados, além de Asael. 31Mas os soldados de Davi tinham matado trezentos e sessenta benjamitas que estavam com Abner. 32Levaram Asael e o sepultaram no túmulo de seu pai, em Belém. Depois disso, Joabe e seus soldados marcharam durante toda a noite e chegaram a Hebrom ao amanhecer.
