Study Desk

So they got up and were counted off-twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David.

Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent's side, and they all fell together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is called the Field of Swords.

So Abner told him, "Turn to your right or to your left, seize one of the young men, and take his equipment for yourself." But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

But Asahel refused to turn away; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into his stomach, and it came out his back, and he fell dead on the spot. And every man paused when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight.

Meanwhile, Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?"

May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David as the LORD has sworn to him,

So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.

Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, "Go back." So he returned home.

Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires." So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.

So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!

When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab's brother Asahel.

Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell." And all the people wept over him even more.

Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, "May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!"

So on that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

So David commanded his young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in Abner's tomb in Hebron.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

So David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built it up all the way around, from the supporting terraces inward.

So David inquired of the LORD, "Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?" "Go," replied the LORD, "for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand."

So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, "Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me." So he called that place Baal-perazim.