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 and 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 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.
[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 Ish-bosheth 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] Ish-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.
[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 Ish-bosheth 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 Ish-bosheth 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 Helkath-hazzurim, 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 Beth-lehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.

2 Samuel 2:7 Heb. be ye the sons of valor
2 Samuel 2:11 Heb. number of days
2 Samuel 2:13 Heb. them together
2 Samuel 2:16 That is, The field of strong men
2 Samuel 2:18a Heb. of his feet
2 Samuel 2:18b Heb. as one of the Roes that is in the field
2 Samuel 2:19 Heb. from after Abner
2 Samuel 2:21 Or, spoil
2 Samuel 2:27a Heb. from the morning
2 Samuel 2:27b Or, gone away

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

2 Samuel 2 (BYZ)

[1] Καὶ () ἐγένετο () μετὰ () ταῦτα () καὶ () ἐπηρώτησεν () Δαυιδ () ἐν () κυρίῳ () λέγων () Εἰ () ἀναβῶ () εἰς () μίαν () τῶν () πόλεων () Ιουδα; Καὶ () εἶπεν () κύριος () πρὸς () αὐτόν () Ἀνάβηθι. () Καὶ () εἶπεν () Δαυιδ () Ποῦ () ἀναβῶ; () Καὶ () εἶπεν () Εἰς () Χεβρων.
[2] Καὶ () ἀνέβη () ἐκεῖ () Δαυιδ () εἰς () Χεβρων καὶ () ἀμφότεραι () αἱ () γυναῖκες () αὐτοῦ, () Αχινοομ ἡ () Ιεζραηλῖτις καὶ () Αβιγαια ἡ () γυνὴ () Ναβαλ τοῦ () Καρμηλίου,
[3] καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () οἱ () μετ’ () αὐτοῦ, () ἕκαστος () καὶ () ὁ () οἶκος () αὐτοῦ, () καὶ () κατῴκουν () ἐν () ταῖς () πόλεσιν () Χεβρων.
[4] Καὶ () ἔρχονται () ἄνδρες () τῆς () Ιουδαίας () καὶ () χρίουσιν () τὸν () Δαυιδ () ἐκεῖ () τοῦ () βασιλεύειν () ἐπὶ () τὸν () οἶκον () Ιουδα. Καὶ () ἀπήγγειλαν () τῷ () Δαυιδ () λέγοντες () ὅτι () Οἱ () ἄνδρες () Ιαβις τῆς () Γαλααδίτιδος ἔθαψαν () τὸν () Σαουλ. ()
[5] Καὶ () ἀπέστειλεν () Δαυιδ () ἀγγέλους () πρὸς () τοὺς () ἡγουμένους () Ιαβις τῆς () Γαλααδίτιδος καὶ () εἶπεν () πρὸς () αὐτούς () Εὐλογημένοι () ὑμεῖς () τῷ () κυρίῳ, () ὅτι () πεποιήκατε () τὸ () ἔλεος () τοῦτο () ἐπὶ () τὸν () κύριον () ὑμῶν () ἐπὶ () Σαουλ () τὸν () χριστὸν () κυρίου () καὶ () ἐθάψατε () αὐτὸν () καὶ () Ιωναθαν τὸν () υἱὸν () αὐτοῦ· ()
[6] καὶ () νῦν () ποιήσαι () κύριος () μεθ’ () ὑμῶν () ἔλεος () καὶ () ἀλήθειαν, () καί () γε () ἐγὼ () ποιήσω () μεθ’ () ὑμῶν () τὰ () ἀγαθὰ () ταῦτα, () ὅτι () ἐποιήσατε () τὸ () ῥῆμα () τοῦτο· ()
[7] καὶ () νῦν () κραταιούσθωσαν () αἱ () χεῖρες () ὑμῶν () καὶ () γίνεσθε () εἰς () υἱοὺς () δυνατούς, () ὅτι () τέθνηκεν () ὁ () κύριος () ὑμῶν () Σαουλ, () καί () γε () ἐμὲ () κέχρικεν () ὁ () οἶκος () Ιουδα ἐφ’ () ἑαυτοὺς () εἰς () βασιλέα. ()
[8] Καὶ () Αβεννηρ υἱὸς () Νηρ ἀρχιστράτηγος τοῦ () Σαουλ () ἔλαβεν () τὸν () Ιεβοσθε υἱὸν () Σαουλ () καὶ () ἀνεβίβασεν () αὐτὸν () ἐκ () τῆς () παρεμβολῆς () εἰς () Μαναεμ
[9] καὶ () ἐβασίλευσεν () αὐτὸν () ἐπὶ () τὴν () Γαλααδῖτιν καὶ () ἐπὶ () τὸν () Θασιρι καὶ () ἐπὶ () τὸν () Ιεζραελ καὶ () ἐπὶ () τὸν () Εφραιμ () καὶ () ἐπὶ () τὸν () Βενιαμιν () καὶ () ἐπὶ () πάντα () Ισραηλ. ()
[10] Τεσσαράκοντα () ἐτῶν () Ιεβοσθε υἱὸς () Σαουλ, () ὅτε () ἐβασίλευσεν () ἐπὶ () τὸν () Ισραηλ, () καὶ () δύο () ἔτη () ἐβασίλευσεν () πλὴν () τοῦ () οἴκου () Ιουδα, οἳ () ἦσαν () ὀπίσω () Δαυιδ· ()
[11] καὶ () ἐγένοντο () αἱ () ἡμέραι, () ἃς () Δαυιδ () ἐβασίλευσεν () ἐν () Χεβρων ἐπὶ () τὸν () οἶκον () Ιουδα, ἑπτὰ () ἔτη () καὶ () ἓξ () μῆνας. ()
[12] Καὶ () ἐξῆλθεν () Αβεννηρ υἱὸς () Νηρ καὶ () οἱ () παῖδες () Ιεβοσθε υἱοῦ () Σαουλ () ἐκ () Μαναεμ εἰς () Γαβαων·
[13] καὶ () Ιωαβ υἱὸς () Σαρουιας καὶ () οἱ () παῖδες () Δαυιδ () ἐξήλθοσαν () ἐκ () Χεβρων καὶ () συναντῶσιν () αὐτοῖς () ἐπὶ () τὴν () κρήνην τὴν () Γαβαων ἐπὶ () τὸ () αὐτό, () καὶ () ἐκάθισαν () οὗτοι () ἐπὶ () τὴν () κρήνην τὴν () Γαβαων ἐντεῦθεν () καὶ () οὗτοι () ἐπὶ () τὴν () κρήνην ἐντεῦθεν. ()
[14] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Αβεννερ πρὸς () Ιωαβ Ἀναστήτωσαν () δὴ () τὰ () παιδάρια () καὶ () παιξάτωσαν () ἐνώπιον () ἡμῶν· () καὶ () εἶπεν () Ιωαβ Ἀναστήτωσαν. ()
[15] Καὶ () ἀνέστησαν () καὶ () παρῆλθον () ἐν () ἀριθμῷ () τῶν () παίδων () Βενιαμιν () δώδεκα () τῶν () Ιεβοσθε υἱοῦ () Σαουλ () καὶ () δώδεκα () ἐκ () τῶν () παίδων () Δαυιδ. ()
[16] Καὶ () ἐκράτησαν () ἕκαστος () τῇ () χειρὶ () τὴν () κεφαλὴν () τοῦ () πλησίον () αὐτοῦ, () καὶ () μάχαιρα () αὐτοῦ () εἰς () πλευρὰν () τοῦ () πλησίον () αὐτοῦ, () καὶ () πίπτουσιν () κατὰ () τὸ () αὐτό· () καὶ () ἐκλήθη () τὸ () ὄνομα () τοῦ () τόπου () ἐκείνου () Μερὶς () τῶν () ἐπιβούλων, ἥ () ἐστιν () ἐν () Γαβαων.
[17] Καὶ () ἐγένετο () ὁ () πόλεμος () σκληρὸς () ὥστε () λίαν () ἐν () τῇ () ἡμέρᾳ () ἐκείνῃ, () καὶ () ἔπταισεν () Αβεννηρ καὶ () ἄνδρες () Ισραηλ () ἐνώπιον () παίδων () Δαυιδ. ()—
[18] καὶ () ἐγένοντο () ἐκεῖ () τρεῖς () υἱοὶ () Σαρουιας, Ιωαβ καὶ () Αβεσσα καὶ () Ασαηλ, καὶ () Ασαηλ κοῦφος τοῖς () ποσὶν () αὐτοῦ () ὡσεὶ () μία () δορκὰς ἐν () ἀγρῷ. ()
[19] Καὶ () κατεδίωξεν () Ασαηλ ὀπίσω () Αβεννηρ καὶ () οὐκ () ἐξέκλινεν () τοῦ () πορεύεσθαι () εἰς () δεξιὰ () οὐδὲ () εἰς () ἀριστερὰ () κατόπισθεν Αβεννηρ.
[20] Καὶ () ἐπέβλεψεν () Αβεννηρ εἰς () τὰ () ὀπίσω () αὐτοῦ () καὶ () εἶπεν () Εἰ () σὺ () εἶ () αὐτὸς () Ασαηλ; Καὶ () εἶπεν () Ἐγώ () εἰμι. ()
[21] Καὶ () εἶπεν () αὐτῷ () Αβεννηρ Ἔκκλινον () σὺ () εἰς () τὰ () δεξιὰ () ἢ () εἰς () τὰ () ἀριστερὰ () καὶ () κάτασχε () σαυτῷ () ἓν () τῶν () παιδαρίων () καὶ () λαβὲ () σεαυτῷ () τὴν () πανοπλίαν () αὐτοῦ· () καὶ () οὐκ () ἠθέλησεν () Ασαηλ ἐκκλῖναι () ἐκ () τῶν () ὄπισθεν () αὐτοῦ. ()
[22] Καὶ () προσέθετο () ἔτι () Αβεννηρ λέγων () τῷ () Ασαηλ Ἀπόστηθι () ἀπ’ () ἐμοῦ, () ἵνα () μὴ () πατάξω () σε () εἰς () τὴν () γῆν· () καὶ () πῶς () ἀρῶ () τὸ () πρόσωπόν () μου () πρὸς () Ιωαβ; Καὶ () ποῦ () ἐστιν () ταῦτα; () Ἐπίστρεφε () πρὸς () Ιωαβ τὸν () ἀδελφόν () σου. ()
[23] Καὶ () οὐκ () ἐβούλετο () τοῦ () ἀποστῆναι. () Καὶ () τύπτει () αὐτὸν () Αβεννηρ ἐν () τῷ () ὀπίσω () τοῦ () δόρατος ἐπὶ () τὴν () ψόαν, καὶ () διεξῆλθεν τὸ () δόρυ ἐκ () τῶν () ὀπίσω () αὐτοῦ, () καὶ () πίπτει () ἐκεῖ () καὶ () ἀποθνῄσκει () ὑποκάτω () αὐτοῦ. () Καὶ () ἐγένετο () πᾶς () ὁ () ἐρχόμενος () ἕως () τοῦ () τόπου, () οὗ () ἔπεσεν () ἐκεῖ () Ασαηλ καὶ () ἀπέθανεν, () καὶ () ὑφίστατο.—
[24] καὶ () κατεδίωξεν () Ιωαβ καὶ () Αβεσσα ὀπίσω () Αβεννηρ· καὶ () ὁ () ἥλιος () ἔδυνεν, () καὶ () αὐτοὶ () εἰσῆλθον () ἕως () τοῦ () βουνοῦ () Αμμαν, ὅ () ἐστιν () ἐπὶ () προσώπου () Γαι ὁδὸν () ἔρημον () Γαβαων.
[25] Καὶ () συναθροίζονται () υἱοὶ () Βενιαμιν () οἱ () ὀπίσω () Αβεννηρ καὶ () ἐγενήθησαν () εἰς () συνάντησιν () μίαν () καὶ () ἔστησαν () ἐπὶ () κεφαλὴν () βουνοῦ () ἑνός. ()
[26] Καὶ () ἐκάλεσεν () Αβεννηρ Ιωαβ καὶ () εἶπεν () Μὴ () εἰς () νῖκος () καταφάγεται () ἡ () ῥομφαία; () Ἦ () οὐκ () οἶδας () ὅτι () πικρὰ () ἔσται () εἰς () τὰ () ἔσχατα; () Καὶ () ἕως () πότε () οὐ () μὴ () εἴπῃς () τῷ () λαῷ () ἀναστρέφειν () ἀπὸ () ὄπισθεν () τῶν () ἀδελφῶν () ἡμῶν; ()
[27] Καὶ () εἶπεν () Ιωαβ Ζῇ () κύριος () ὅτι () εἰ () μὴ () ἐλάλησας, () διότι () τότε () ἐκ () πρωίθεν ἀνέβη () ὁ () λαὸς () ἕκαστος () κατόπισθεν τοῦ () ἀδελφοῦ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[28] Καὶ () ἐσάλπισεν () Ιωαβ τῇ () σάλπιγγι, () καὶ () ἀπέστησαν () πᾶς () ὁ () λαὸς () καὶ () οὐ () κατεδίωξαν () ὀπίσω () τοῦ () Ισραηλ () καὶ () οὐ () προσέθεντο () ἔτι () τοῦ () πολεμεῖν. ()
[29] Καὶ () Αβεννηρ καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () αὐτοῦ () ἀπῆλθον () εἰς () δυσμὰς () ὅλην () τὴν () νύκτα () ἐκείνην () καὶ () διέβαιναν () τὸν () Ιορδάνην () καὶ () ἐπορεύθησαν () ὅλην () τὴν () παρατείνουσαν () καὶ () ἔρχονται () εἰς () τὴν () παρεμβολήν. ()
[30] Καὶ () Ιωαβ ἀνέστρεψεν () ὄπισθεν () ἀπὸ () τοῦ () Αβεννηρ καὶ () συνήθροισεν () πάντα () τὸν () λαόν, () καὶ () ἐπεσκέπησαν () τῶν () παίδων () Δαυιδ () ἐννεακαίδεκα ἄνδρες () καὶ () Ασαηλ.
[31] Καὶ () οἱ () παῖδες () Δαυιδ () ἐπάταξαν () τῶν () υἱῶν () Βενιαμιν () τῶν () ἀνδρῶν () Αβεννηρ τριακοσίους () ἑξήκοντα () ἄνδρας () παρ’ () αὐτοῦ. ()
[32] Καὶ () αἴρουσιν () τὸν () Ασαηλ καὶ () θάπτουσιν () αὐτὸν () ἐν () τῷ () τάφῳ () τοῦ () πατρὸς () αὐτοῦ () ἐν () Βαιθλεεμ. Καὶ () ἐπορεύθη () Ιωαβ καὶ () οἱ () ἄνδρες () οἱ () μετ’ () αὐτοῦ () ὅλην () τὴν () νύκτα, () καὶ () διέφαυσεν αὐτοῖς () ἐν () Χεβρων.

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, LLC, Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.