1 E sucedeu, depois disso, que Davi consultou ao Senhor, dizendo: Subirei a alguma das cidades de Judá? E disse-lhe o Senhor: Sobe. E disse Davi: Para onde subirei? E disse: Para Hebrom. 2 E subiu Davi para lá, e também as suas duas mulheres, Ainoã, a jezreelita, e Abigail, a mulher de Nabal, o carmelita. 3 Fez também Davi subir os homens que estavam com ele, cada um com a sua família; e habitaram nas cidades de Hebrom. 4 Então, vieram os homens de Judá e ungiram ali a Davi rei sobre a casa de Judá. E deram avisos a Davi, dizendo: Os homens de Jabes-Gileade são os que sepultaram Saul. 5 Então, enviou Davi mensageiros aos homens de Jabes-Gileade e disse-lhes: Benditos sejais vós do Senhor, que fizestes tal beneficência a vosso senhor, a Saul, e o sepultastes! 6 Agora, pois, o Senhor use convosco de beneficência e fidelidade; e também eu vos farei esse bem, porquanto fizestes isso. 7 Esforcem-se, pois, agora as vossas mãos, e sede homens valentes, pois Saul, vosso senhor, é morto, mas também os da casa de Judá já me ungiram a mim rei sobre si.

8 Porém Abner, filho de Ner, capitão do exército de Saul, tomou a Isbosete, filho de Saul, e o fez passar a Maanaim. 9 E o constituiu rei sobre Gileade, e sobre os assuritas, e sobre Jezreel, e sobre Efraim, e sobre Benjamim, e sobre todo o Israel. 10 Da idade de quarenta anos era Isbosete, filho de Saul, quando começou a reinar sobre Israel, e reinou dois anos; mas os da casa de Judá seguiam a Davi. 11 E foi o número dos dias que Davi reinou em Hebrom, sobre a casa de Judá, sete anos e seis meses.

12 Então, saiu Abner, filho de Ner, com os servos de Isbosete, filho de Saul, de Maanaim a Gibeão. 13 Saíram também Joabe, filho de Zeruia, e os servos de Davi, e se encontraram uns com os outros perto do tanque de Gibeão, e pararam estes desta banda do tanque e os outros daquela banda do tanque. 14 E disse Abner a Joabe: Deixa levantar os jovens, e joguem diante de nós. E disse Joabe: Levantem-se. 15 Então, se levantaram e passaram, por conta, doze de Benjamim, da parte de Isbosete, filho de Saul, e doze dos servos de Davi. 16 E cada um lançou mão da cabeça do outro, meteu-lhe a espada pelo lado, e caíram juntamente; de onde se chamou àquele lugar Helcate-Hazurim, que está junto a Gibeão. 17 E seguiu-se, naquele dia, uma crua peleja; porém Abner e os homens de Israel foram feridos diante dos servos de Davi.

18 E estavam ali os três filhos de Zeruia, Joabe, Abisai e Asael; e Asael era ligeiro de pés, como uma das cabras monteses que há no campo. 19 E Asael seguiu após Abner e não declinou de detrás de Abner, nem para a direita nem para a esquerda. 20 E Abner, olhando para trás, disse: És tu Asael? E disse ele: Eu sou. 21 Então, lhe disse Abner: Desvia-te para a direita ou para a esquerda, e lança mão de um dos jovens, e toma os seus despojos. Porém Asael não quis desviar-se de detrás dele. 22 Então, Abner tornou a dizer a Asael: Desvia-te de detrás de mim; por que hei de eu ferir-te e dar contigo em terra? E como levantaria eu o meu rosto diante de Joabe, teu irmão? 23 Porém, não se querendo ele desviar, Abner o feriu com o conto da lança pela quinta costela, e a lança lhe saiu por detrás, e caiu ali e morreu naquele mesmo lugar; e sucedeu que todos os que chegavam ao lugar onde Asael caiu e morreu paravam.

24 Porém Joabe e Abisai seguiram após Abner; e pôs-se o sol, chegando eles ao outeiro de Amá, que está diante de Giá, junto ao caminho do deserto de Gibeão. 25 E os filhos de Benjamim se ajuntaram detrás de Abner, e fizeram um batalhão, e puseram-se no cume de um outeiro. 26 Então, Abner gritou a Joabe e disse: Consumirá a espada para sempre? Não sabes tu que por fim haverá amargura? E até quando não hás de dizer ao povo que deixe de seguir a seus irmãos? 27 E disse Joabe: Vive Deus, que, se não tivesses falado já desde pela manhã, o povo teria cessado cada um de seguir a seu irmão. 28 Então, Joabe tocou a buzina, e todo o povo parou, e não perseguiram mais a Israel e tampouco pelejaram mais. 29 E caminharam Abner e os seus homens toda aquela noite pela planície; e, passando o Jordão, caminharam por todo o Bitrom, e vieram a Maanaim. 30 Também Joabe se tornou de seguir a Abner e ajuntou todo o povo, e dos servos de Davi faltaram dezenove homens além de Asael. 31 Porém os servos de Davi feriram dentre os de Benjamim e dentre os homens de Abner a trezentos e sessenta homens, que ali ficaram mortos. 32 E levantaram a Asael e sepultaram-no na sepultura de seu pai, que estava em Belém; e Joabe e seus homens caminharam toda aquela noite, e amanheceu-lhes o dia em Hebrom.

1 And it came to pass after this, that David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into one 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.

2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Achino’am the Yizre’elitess, and Abigayil, Nabal’s wife, the Carmelite.

3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household; and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

4 And then came the men of Judah, and they anointed there David as king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, The men of Yabesh–gil’ad were those that buried Saul.

5 And David thereupon sent messengers unto the men of Yabesh–gil’ad, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the Lord, that ye have done this kindness unto your Lord, unto Saul, and have buried him.

6 And now may the Lord deal with you in kindness and truth: and as for me also, I will requite you this good deed, because ye have done this thing.

7 And now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant men; for your lord Saul is dead; and also me have the house of Judah anointed as king over them.

8 But Abner, the son of Ner, the captain of the army of Saul, took Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Machanayim;

9 And made him king over Gil’ad, and over the Ashurites, and over Yizre’el, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

10 Forty years old was Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, when he became king over Israel, and two years he reigned. But the house of Judah followed David.

11 And the number of days that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 And there went out Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, from Machanayim to Gib’on.

13 And Joab the son of Zeruyah and the servants of David also went out, and they met together by the pool of Gib’on: and they sat down, these on the one side of the pool, and the others on the other side of the pool.

14 And Abner said to Joab, Do let the young men rise up and play before us. And Joab said, They may rise up.

15 Then they rose up and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin, and for Ish–bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

16 And they grasped every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; and they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Chelkath–hazzurim, which is by Gib’on.

17 And the battle was exceedingly fierce on that day; and Abner with the men of Israel was beaten, before the servants of David.

18 And there were at that place three sons of Zeruyah, Joab, and Abishai, and ‘Asahel: and ‘Asahel was as fleet of foot as any roe in the field.

19 And ‘Asahel pursued after Abner; and he turned not in going to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

20 And Abner turned round and said, Art thou ‘Asahel? And he answered, I am.

21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay hold for thyself on one of the young men, and take thyself his armor. But ‘Asahel would not turn aside from following him.

22 And Abner repeated again to say unto ‘Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? and how should I then lift up my face to Joab thy brother?

23 But he refused to turn aside; and Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear under the fifth rib, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died on the spot: and it came to pass, that all who came to the place where ‘Asahel had fallen down and died remained standing still.

24 But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giach on the way to the wilderness of Gib’on.

25 And the children of Benjamin assembled themselves together behind Abner, and formed one solid body, and posted themselves on the top of a certain hill.

26 And Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall for everlasting the sword devour? knowest thou not that it will be bitter in the end? and how long shall it be, ere thou wilt bid the people to return from pursuing their brethren?

27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then already in the morning would the people have gone away every one from pursuing his brother.

28 So Joab blew the cornet, and all the people remained standing still, and pursued no more after Israel, and they continued no more to fight.

29 And Abner and his men walked through the plain all that night, and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Machanayim.

30 And Joab returned from pursuing Abner; and he gathered all the people together; and there were missed of David’s servants nineteen men and ‘Asahel.

31 But the servants of David had smitten many of Benjamin, and of Abner’s men: three hundred and sixty men died.

32 And they took up ‘Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beth–lechem. And Joab and his men went all that night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.