AND it came to pass after this, that David inquired of Yahuah, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Yahudah? And Yahuah said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Chevron.
So David went up thither, and his two women also, Achiyno'am the Yizre'e'liyth, and Aviygayil Naval's woman the Karmeliy.
And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Chevron.
And the men of Yahudah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Yahudah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Yaveysh Gil'ad were they that buried Sha'ul.
And David sent messengers unto the men of Yaveysh Gil'ad, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of Yahuah, that ye have showed this kindness unto your adoniy, even unto Sha'ul, and have buried him.
And now Yahuah show kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your adoniy Sha'ul is dead, and also the house of Yahudah have anointed me king over them.
But Avner the son of Ner, captain of Sha'ul's host, took Iysh-Bosheth the son of Sha'ul, and brought him over to Machanayim;
And made him king over Gil'ad, and over the Ashshuriym, and over Yizre'el, and over Ephrayim, and over Binyamiyn, and over all Yashar'el.
Iysh-Bosheth Sha'ul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Yashar'el, and reigned two years. But the house of Yahudah followed David.
And the time that David was king in Chevron over the house of Yahudah was seven years and six months.
And Avner the son of Ner, and the servants of Iysh-Bosheth the son of Sha'ul, went out from Machanayim to Giv'on.
And Yo'av the son of Tseruyah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Giv'on: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.
And Avner said to Yo'av, Let the young men now arise, and play before us. And Yo'av said, Let them arise.
Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Binyamiyn, which pertained to Iysh-Bosheth the son of Sha'ul, and twelve of the servants of David.
And they caught everyone his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Chelqath Hats-Tsuriym, which is in Giv'on.
And there was a very sore battle that day; and Avner was beaten, and the men of Yashar'el, before the servants of David.
And there were three sons of Tseruyah there, Yo'av, and Aviyshai, and Asah'el: and Asah'el was as light of foot as a wild roe.
And Asah'el pursued after Avner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Avner.
Then Avner looked behind him, and said, Are you Asah'el? And he answered, I am.
And Avner said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men, and take his armor. But Asah'el would not turn aside from following of him.
And Avner said again to Asah'el, Turn aside from following me: wherefore should I smite you to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Yo'av your brother?
Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Avner 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 Asah'el fell down and died stood still.
Yo'av also and Aviyshai pursued after Avner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lies before Giyach by the way of the wilderness of Giv'on.
And the children of Binyamiyn gathered themselves together after Avner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of a hill.
Then Avner called to Yo'av, and said, Shall the sword devour forever? know you not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere you bid the people return from following their brethren?
And Yo'av said, As Elohiym lives, unless you had spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up everyone from following his brother.
So Yo'av blew a shofar, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Yashar'el no more, neither fought they anymore.
And Avner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over the Yardan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Machanayim.
And Yo'av returned from following Avner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asah'el.
But the servants of David had smitten of Binyamiyn, and of Avner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.
And they took up Asah'el, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Beyt Lechem. And Yo'av and his men went all night, and they came to Chevron at break of day.