2 Samuel 2 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

2 Samuel 2 (WEBP)

[1] After this, David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” He said, “To Hebron.”
[2] So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
[3] David brought up his men who were with him, every man with his household. They lived in the cities of Hebron.
[4] The men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were those who buried Saul.”
[5] David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “Blessed are you by Yahweh, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.
[6] Now may Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.
[7] Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
[8] Now Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
[9] He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
[10] Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
[11] The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
[12] Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
[13] Joab the son of Zeruiah and David’s servants went out, and met them 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.
[14] Abner said to Joab, “Please let the young men arise and compete before us!” Joab said, “Let them arise!”
[15] Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants.
[16] They each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.
[17] The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants.
[18] The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle.
[19] Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.
[20] Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is that you, Asahel?” He answered, “It is.”
[21] Abner said to him, “Turn away to your right hand or to your left, and grab one of the young men, and take his armor.” But Asahel would not turn away from following him.
[22] Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn away from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I look Joab your brother in the face?”
[23] However, he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
[24] But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. The sun went down when they had come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
[25] The children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner and became one band, and stood on the top of a hill.
[26] Then Abner called to Joab, and said, “Shall the sword devour forever? Don’t you know that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How long will it be then, before you ask the people to return from following their brothers?”
[27] Joab said, “As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely then in the morning the people would have gone away, and not each followed his brother.”
[28] So Joab blew the trumpet; and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, and they fought no more.
[29] Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah; and they passed over the Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
[30] Joab returned from following Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, nineteen men of David’s and Asahel were missing.
[31] But David’s servants had struck Benjamin Abner’s men so that three hundred sixty men died.
[32] They took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was in Bethlehem. Joab and his men went all night, and the day broke on them at Hebron.

2 Samuel 2:16 “Helkath Hazzurim” means “field of daggers”.
2 Samuel 2:27 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

2 Samuel 2 (KJVS)

[1] And 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 .
[2] So David went up () thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess , and Abigail 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 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 Jabeshgilead [were they] that buried () Saul .
[5] And David sent () messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead , 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.
[6] And now the LORD shew () kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite () you this kindness , because ye have done () this thing .
[7] Therefore 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.
[8] But Abner the son of Ner , captain of Saul’s host , took () Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and brought him over () to Mahanaim ;
[9] And made him king () over Gilead , and over the Ashurites , and over Jezreel , and over Ephraim , and over Benjamin , and over all Israel .
[10] Ishbosheth 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 .
[11] And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months .
[12] And Abner the son of Ner , and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul , went out () from Mahanaim to Gibeon .
[13] And 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 .
[14] And Abner said () to Joab , Let the young men now arise (), and play () before us. And Joab said (), Let them arise ().
[15] Then there arose () and went over () by number twelve of Benjamin , which [pertained] to Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and twelve of the servants of David .
[16] And 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 () Helkathhazzurim , which [is] in Gibeon .
[17] And 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 .
[19] And Asahel pursued () after Abner ; and in going () he turned () not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner .
[20] Then Abner looked () behind him, 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 thee hold () on one of the young men , and take () thee his armour . But Asahel would () not turn aside () from following of him.
[22] And 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 ?
[23] Howbeit 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 ().
[24] Joab 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 .
[26] Then 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 ?
[27] And 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 .
[28] So Joab blew () a trumpet , and all the people stood still (), and pursued () after Israel no more, neither fought () they any more ().
[29] And 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 .
[30] And Joab returned () from following Abner : and when he had gathered all the people together (), there lacked () of David’s servants nineteen men and Asahel .
[31] But 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] Bethlehem . And Joab and his men went () all night , and they came to Hebron at break of day ().

Young’s Literal Translation

2 Samuel 2 (YLT)

[1] And it cometh to pass afterwards, that David asketh at Jehovah, saying, ‘Do I go up into one of the cities of Judah?’ and Jehovah saith unto him, ‘Go up.’ And David saith, ‘Whither do I go up?’ and He saith, ‘To Hebron.’
[2] And David goeth up thither, and also his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal the Carmelite;
[3] and his men who are with him hath David brought up-a man and his household-and they dwell in the cities of Hebron.
[4] And the men of Judah come, and anoint there David for king over the house of Judah; and they declare to David, saying, ‘The men of Jabesh-Gilead are they who buried Saul.’
[5] And David sendeth messengers unto the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and saith unto them, ‘Blessed are ye of Jehovah, in that ye have done this kindness with your lord, with Saul, that ye bury him.
[6] ‘And, now, Jehovah doth with you kindness and truth, and also, I do with you this good because ye have done this thing;
[7] and now, are your hands strong, and be ye for sons of valour, for your lord Saul. is dead, and also-me have the house of Judah anointed for king over them.’
[8] And Abner, son of Ner, head of the host which Saul hath, hath taken Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, and causeth him to pass over to Mahanaim,
[9] and causeth him to reign over Gilead, and over the Ashurite, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over Israel-all of it.
[10] A son of forty years, is Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, in his reigning over Israel, and two years he hath reigned, only the house of Judah have been after David.
[11] And the number of the days that David hath been king in Hebron, over the house of Judah, is seven years and six months.
[12] And Abner son of Ner goeth out, and servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
[13] And Joab son of Zeruiah, and servants of David, have gone out, and they meet by the pool of Gibeon together, and sit down, these by the pool on this side, and these by the pool on that.
[14] And Abner saith unto Joab, ‘Let the youths rise, I pray thee, and they play before us;’ and Joab saith, ‘Let them rise.’
[15] And they rise and pass over, in number twelve of Benjamin, even of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.
[16] And they lay hold, each on the head of his companion, and his sword is in the side of his companion, and they fall together, and one calleth that place Helkath-Hazzurim, which is in Gibeon,
[17] and the battle is very hard on that day, and Abner is smitten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
[18] And there are there three sons of Zeruiah, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel, and Asahel is light on his feet, as one of the roes which are in the field,
[19] And Asahel pursueth after Abner, and hath not turned aside to go to the right or to the left, from after Abner.
[20] And Abner looketh behind him, and saith, ‘Art thou he-Asahel?’ and he saith, ‘I am.’
[21] And Abner saith to him, ‘Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and seize for thee one of the youths, and take to thee his armour;’ and Asahel hath not been willing to turn aside from after him.
[22] And Abner addeth again, saying unto Asahel, ‘Turn thee aside from after me, why do I smite thee to the earth? and how do I lift up my face unto Joab thy brother?’
[23] And he refuseth to turn aside, and Abner smiteth him with the hinder part of the spear unto the fifth rib, and the spear cometh out from behind him, and he falleth there, and dieth under it; and it cometh to pass, every one who hath come unto the place where Asahel hath fallen and dieth-they stand still.
[24] And Joab and Abishai pursue after Abner, and the sun hath gone in, and they have come in unto the height of Ammah, which is on the front of Giah, the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
[25] And the sons of Benjamin gather themselves together after Abner, and become one troop, and stand on the top of a certain height,
[26] and Abner calleth unto Joab, and saith, ‘For ever doth the sword consume? hast thou not known that it is bitterness in the latter end? and till when dost thou not say to the people to turn back from after their brethren?’
[27] And Joab saith, ‘God liveth! for unless thou hadst spoken, surely then from the morning had the people gone up each from after his brother.’
[28] And Joab bloweth with a trumpet, and all the people stand still, and pursue no more after Israel, nor have they added any more to fight.
[29] And Abner and his men have gone through the plain all that night, and pass over the Jordan, and go on through all Bithron, and come in to Mahanaim.
[30] And Joab hath turned back from after Abner, and gathereth all the people, and there are lacking of the servants of David nineteen men, and Asahel;
[31] and the servants of David have smitten of Benjamin, even among the men of Abner, three hundred and sixty men-they died.
[32] And they lift up Asahel, and bury him in the burying-place of his father, which is in Beth-Lehem, and they go all the night-Joab and his men-and it is light to them in Hebron.