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1. Later David asked the Lord for advice. David said, "Should I take control of any of the cities of Judah?" The Lord said to David, "Yes." David asked, "Where should I go?" The Lord answered, "To Hebron."
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1. And it came to pass H1961 after H310 this H3651 , that David H1732 inquired H7592 of the LORD H3068 , saying H559 , Shall I go up H5927 into any H259 of the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 ? And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto H413 him , Go up H5927 . And David H1732 said H559 , Whither H575 shall I go up H5927 ? And he said H559 , Unto Hebron H2275 .
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2. So David and his two wives moved to Hebron. (His wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, who had been the wife of Nabal from Carmel.)
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2. So David H1732 went up H5927 thither H8033 , and his two H8147 wives H802 also H1571 , Ahinoam H293 the Jezreelitess H3159 , and Abigail H26 Nabal H5037 's wife H802 the Carmelite H3761 .
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3. David also brought his men and their families. All of them made their homes in Hebron and the towns nearby.
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3. And his men H376 that H834 were with H5973 him did David H1732 bring up H5927 , every man H376 with his household H1004 : and they dwelt H3427 in the cities H5892 of Hebron H2275 .
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4. The men of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David to be the king of Judah. Then they told David, "The men of Jabesh Gilead buried Saul."
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4. And the men H376 of Judah H3063 came H935 , and there H8033 they anointed H4886 H853 David H1732 king H4428 over H5921 the house H1004 of Judah H3063 . And they told H5046 David H1732 , saying H559 , That the men H376 of Jabesh H3003 H1568 -gilead were they that H834 buried H6912 H853 Saul H7586 .
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5. David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead. These messengers told the men in Jabesh: "The Lord bless you, because you have shown kindness to your lord Saul by burying him.
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5. And David H1732 sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto H413 the men H376 of Jabesh H3003 H1568 -gilead , and said H559 unto H413 them, Blessed H1288 be ye H859 of the LORD H3068 , that H834 ye have showed H6213 this H2088 kindness H2617 unto H5973 your lord H113 , even unto H5973 Saul H7586 , and have buried H6912 him.
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6. The Lord will be kind and true to you, and so will I.
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6. And now H6258 the LORD H3068 show H6213 kindness H2617 and truth H571 unto H5973 you : and I H595 also H1571 will requite H6213 you this H2063 kindness H2896 , because H834 ye have done H6213 this H2088 thing H1697 .
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7. Now be strong and brave. Your lord, Saul, is dead, but the tribe of Judah has anointed me to be their king."
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7. Therefore now H6258 let your hands H3027 be strengthened H2388 , and be H1961 ye valiant H1121 H2428 : for H3588 your master H113 Saul H7586 is dead H4191 , and also H1571 the house H1004 of Judah H3063 have anointed H4886 me king H4428 over H5921 them.
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8. Abner son of Ner was the captain of Saul's army. Abner took Saul's son Ish Bosheth to Mahanaim
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8. But Abner H74 the son H1121 of Ner H5369 , captain H8269 of Saul H7586 's host H6635 , took H3947 H853 Ish H378 -bosheth the son H1121 of Saul H7586 , and brought him over H5674 to Mahanaim H4266 ;
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9. and made him king of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel.
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9. And made him king H4427 over H413 Gilead H1568 , and over H413 the Ashurites H843 , and over H413 Jezreel H3157 , and over H5921 Ephraim H669 , and over H5921 Benjamin H1144 , and over H5921 all H3605 Israel H3478 .
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10. Saul's son, Ish Bosheth was 40 years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled Israel two years, but the tribe of Judah followed David.
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10. Ish H378 -bosheth Saul H7586 's son H1121 was forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign H4427 over H5921 Israel H3478 , and reigned H4427 two H8147 years H8141 . But H389 the house H1004 of Judah H3063 followed H1961 H310 David H1732 .
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11. David ruled over the tribe of Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months.
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11. And the time H4557 H3117 that H834 David H1732 was H1961 king H4428 in Hebron H2275 over H5921 the house H1004 of Judah H3063 was H1961 seven H7651 years H8141 and six H8337 months H2320 .
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12. Abner son of Ner and the officers of Saul's son Ish Bosheth left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.
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12. And Abner H74 the son H1121 of Ner H5369 , and the servants H5650 of Ish H378 -bosheth the son H1121 of Saul H7586 , went out H3318 from Mahanaim H4480 H4266 to Gibeon H1391 .
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13. Joab, Zeruiah's son, and the officers of David also went to Gibeon. They met Abner and Ish Bosheth's officers at the pool of Gibeon. Abner's group sat on one side of the pool. Joab's group sat on the other side.
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13. And Joab H3097 the son H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 , and the servants H5650 of David H1732 , went out H3318 , and met H6298 together H3162 by H5921 the pool H1295 of Gibeon H1391 : and they sat down H3427 , the one H428 on the one side H4480 H2088 of H5921 the pool H1295 , and the other H428 on the other side H4480 H2088 of H5921 the pool H1295 .
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14. Abner said to Joab, "Let's have the young soldiers get up and have a contest here." Joab said, "Yes, let's have a contest."
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14. And Abner H74 said H559 to H413 Joab H3097 , Let the young men H5288 now H4994 arise H6965 , and play H7832 before H6440 us . And Joab H3097 said H559 , Let them arise H6965 .
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15. So the young soldiers got up. The two groups counted their men for the contest. They chose twelve men from the tribe of Benjamin to fight for Saul's son Ish Bosheth, and they chose twelve men from David's officers.
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15. Then there arose H6965 and went over H5674 by number H4557 twelve H8147 H6240 of Benjamin H1144 , which pertained to Ish H378 -bosheth the son H1121 of Saul H7586 , and twelve H8147 H6240 of the servants H4480 H5650 of David H1732 .
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16. Each of the men grabbed his opponent's head and stabbed him in the side with his sword, and then they fell down together. That is why this place in Gibeon is called "The Field of the Sharp Knives."
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16. And they caught H2388 every one H376 his fellow H7453 by the head H7218 , and thrust his sword H2719 in his fellow H7453 's side H6654 ; so they fell down H5307 together H3162 : wherefore that H1931 place H4725 was called H7121 Helkath H2521 -hazzurim, which H834 is in Gibeon H1391 .
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17. That contest turned into a terrible battle and David's officers defeated Abner and the Israelites that day.
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17. And there was H1961 a very H5704 H3966 sore H7186 battle H4421 that H1931 day H3117 ; and Abner H74 was beaten H5062 , and the men H376 of Israel H3478 , before H6440 the servants H5650 of David H1732 .
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18. Zeruiah had three sons, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, as fast as a wild deer.
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18. And there H8033 were H1961 three H7969 sons H1121 of Zeruiah H6870 there, Joab H3097 , and Abishai H52 , and Asahel H6214 : and Asahel H6214 was as light H7031 of foot H7272 as a H259 wild H834 H7704 roe H6643 .
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19. Asahel ran straight toward Abner and began chasing him.
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19. And Asahel H6214 pursued H7291 after H310 Abner H74 ; and in going H1980 he turned H5186 not H3808 to H5921 the right H3225 hand nor to H5921 the left H8040 from following H4480 H310 Abner H74 .
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20. Abner looked back and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" Asahel said, "Yes, it's me."
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20. Then Abner H74 looked H6437 behind H310 him , and said H559 , Art thou H859 Asahel H6214 ? And he answered H559 , I H595 am .
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21. Abner didn't want to hurt Asahel, so he said to Asahel, "Stop chasing me�go after one of the young soldiers. You could easily take his armor for yourself." But Asahel refused to stop chasing Abner.
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21. And Abner H74 said H559 to him , Turn thee aside H5186 to H5921 thy right H3225 hand or H176 to H5921 thy left H8040 , and lay thee hold H270 on one H259 of the young men H4480 H5288 , and take H3947 thee H853 his armor H2488 . But Asahel H6214 would H14 not H3808 turn aside H5493 from following H4480 H310 of him.
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22. Abner again said to Asahel, "Stop chasing me, or I will have to kill you. Then I will not be able to look your brother Joab in the face again."
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22. And Abner H74 said H559 again H3254 to H413 Asahel H6214 , Turn thee aside H5493 from following H4480 H310 me: wherefore H4100 should I smite H5221 thee to the ground H776 ? how H349 then should I hold up H5375 my face H6440 to H413 Joab H3097 thy brother H251 ?
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23. But Asahel refused to stop chasing Abner. So Abner used the back end of his spear and pushed it into Asahel's stomach. The spear went deep into Asahel's stomach and came out of his back. Asahel died right there. Asahel's body lay on the ground. Everyone who came that way stopped to look at Asahel,
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23. Howbeit he refused H3985 to turn aside H5493 : wherefore Abner H74 with the hinder end of H310 the spear H2595 smote H5221 him under H413 the fifth H2570 rib , that the spear H2595 came out H3318 behind H4480 H310 him ; and he fell down H5307 there H8033 , and died H4191 in the same place H8478 : and it came to pass H1961 , that as many H3605 as came H935 to H413 the place H4725 where H834 Asahel H6214 fell down H5307 and died H4191 stood still H5975 .
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24. but Joab and Abishai continued chasing Abner. The sun was just going down when they came to Ammah Hill. (Ammah Hill is in front of Giah on the way to the Gibeon Desert.)
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24. Joab H3097 also and Abishai H52 pursued H7291 after H310 Abner H74 : and the sun H8121 went down H935 when they H1992 were come H935 to H5704 the hill H1389 of Ammah H522 , that H834 lieth before H5921 H6440 Giah H1520 by the way H1870 of the wilderness H4057 of Gibeon H1391 .
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25. The men from the tribe of Benjamin gathered around Abner at the top of the hill.
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25. And the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 gathered themselves together H6908 after H310 Abner H74 , and became H1961 one H259 troop H92 , and stood H5975 on H5921 the top H7218 of a H259 hill H1389 .
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26. Abner shouted to Joab and said, "Must we fight and kill each other forever? Surely you know that this will only end in sadness. Tell the people to stop chasing their own brothers."
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26. Then Abner H74 called H7121 to H413 Joab H3097 , and said H559 , Shall the sword H2719 devour H398 forever H5331 ? knowest H3045 thou not H3808 that H3588 it will be H1961 bitterness H4751 in the latter end H314 ? how long H5704 shall it be then, ere H3808 thou bid H559 the people H5971 return H7725 from following H4480 H310 their brethren H251 ?
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27. Then Joab said, "As surely as God is alive, if you had not said something, people would still be chasing their brothers in the morning."
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27. And Joab H3097 said H559 , As God H430 liveth H2416 , unless H3588 H3884 thou hadst spoken H1696 , surely H3588 then H227 in the morning H1242 the people H5971 had gone up H5927 every one H376 from following H4480 H310 his brother H251 .
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28. So Joab blew a trumpet, and his people stopped chasing the Israelites. They did not try to fight the Israelites anymore.
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28. So Joab H3097 blew H8628 a trumpet H7782 , and all H3605 the people H5971 stood H5975 still , and pursued H7291 after H310 Israel H3478 no H3808 more H5750 , neither H3808 fought H3898 they any more H3254 .
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29. Abner and his men marched all night through the Jordan Valley. They crossed the Jordan River and then marched all day until they came to Mahanaim.
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29. And Abner H74 and his men H376 walked H1980 all H3605 that H1931 night H3915 through the plain H6160 , and passed over H5674 H853 Jordan H3383 , and went through H1980 all H3605 Bithron H1338 , and they came H935 to Mahanaim H4266 .
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30. Joab stopped chasing Abner and turned back. Joab had gathered his men and learned that 19 of David's officers were missing, including Asahel.
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30. And Joab H3097 returned H7725 from following H4480 H310 Abner H74 : and when he had gathered all the people together H6908 H853 H3605 H5971 , there lacked H6485 of David's servants H4480 H5650 H1732 nineteen H8672 H6240 men H376 and Asahel H6214 .
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31. But David's officers had killed 360 of Abner's men from the tribe of Benjamin.
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31. But the servants H5650 of David H1732 had smitten H5221 of Benjamin H4480 H1144 , and of Abner H74 's men H4480 H376 , so that three H7969 hundred H3967 and threescore H8346 men H376 died H4191 .
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32. David's officers took Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father at Bethlehem. Joab and his men marched all night. The sun came up just as they reached Hebron.
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32. And they took up H5375 H853 Asahel H6214 , and buried H6912 him in the sepulcher H6913 of his father H1 , which H834 was in Bethlehem H1035 . And Joab H3097 and his men H376 went H1980 all H3605 night H3915 , and they came to Hebron H2275 at break of day H215 .
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