8 But Abner H74 the son H1121 of Ner, H5369 captain H8269 of Saul's H7586 host, H6635 took H3947 Ishbosheth H378 the son H1121 of Saul, H7586 and brought him over H5674 to Mahanaim; H4266
9 And made him king H4427 over Gilead, H1568 and over the Ashurites, H805 and over Jezreel, H3157 and over Ephraim, H669 and over Benjamin, H1144 and over all Israel. H3478
10 Ishbosheth H378 Saul's H7586 son H1121 was forty H705 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign H4427 over Israel, H3478 and reigned H4427 two H8147 years. H8141 But the house H1004 of Judah H3063 followed H310 David. H1732
11 And the time H4557 H3117 that David H1732 was king H4428 in Hebron H2275 over the house H1004 of Judah H3063 was seven H7651 years H8141 and six H8337 months. H2320
12 And Abner H74 the son H1121 of Ner, H5369 and the servants H5650 of Ishbosheth H378 the son H1121 of Saul, H7586 went out H3318 from Mahanaim H4266 to Gibeon. H1391
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 the pool H1295 of Gibeon: H1391 and they sat down, H3427 the one on the one side of the pool, H1295 and the other on the other side of the pool. H1295
14 And Abner H74 said H559 to Joab, H3097 Let the young men H5288 now arise, H6965 and play H7832 before H6440 us. And Joab H3097 said, H559 Let them arise. H6965
15 Then there arose H6965 and went over H5674 by number H4557 twelve H8147 H6240 of Benjamin, H1144 which pertained to Ishbosheth H378 the son H1121 of Saul, H7586 and twelve H8147 H6240 of the servants H5650 of David. H1732
16 And they caught H2388 every one H376 his fellow H7453 by the head, H7218 and thrust his sword H2719 in his fellow's H7453 side; H6654 so they fell down H5307 together: H3162 wherefore that place H4725 was called H7121 Helkathhazzurim, H2521 which is in Gibeon. H1391
17 And there was a very H3966 sore H7186 battle H4421 that day; H3117 and Abner H74 was beaten, H5062 and the men H582 of Israel, H3478 before H6440 the servants H5650 of David. H1732
18 And there were 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 H7704 roe. H6643
19 And Asahel H6214 pursued H7291 after H310 Abner; H74 and in going H3212 he turned H5186 not to the right hand H3225 nor to the left H8040 from following H310 Abner. H74
20 Then Abner H74 looked H6437 behind H310 him, and said, H559 Art thou Asahel? H6214 And he answered, H559 I am.
21 And Abner H74 said H559 to him, Turn thee aside H5186 to thy right hand H3225 or to thy left, H8040 and lay thee hold H270 on one H259 of the young men, H5288 and take H3947 thee his armour. H2488 But Asahel H6214 would H14 not turn aside H5493 from following H310 of him.
22 And Abner H74 said H559 again H3254 to Asahel, H6214 Turn thee aside H5493 from following H310 me: wherefore should I smite H5221 thee to the ground? H776 how then should I hold up H5375 my face H6440 to Joab H3097 thy brother? H251
23 Howbeit he refused H3985 to turn aside: H5493 wherefore Abner H74 with the hinder end H310 of the spear H2595 smote H5221 him under H413 the fifth H2570 rib, that the spear H2595 came out H3318 behind H310 him; and he fell down H5307 there, and died H4191 in the same place: H8478 and it came to pass, that as many as came H935 to the place H4725 where Asahel H6214 fell down H5307 and died H4191 stood still. H5975
24 Joab H3097 also and Abishai H52 pursued H7291 after H310 Abner: H74 and the sun H8121 went down H935 when they were come H935 to the hill H1389 of Ammah, H522 that lieth before H6440 Giah H1520 by the way H1870 of the wilderness H4057 of Gibeon. H1391
25 And the children H1121 of Benjamin H1144 gathered themselves together H6908 after H310 Abner, H74 and became one H259 troop, H92 and stood H5975 on the top H7218 of an hill. H1389
26 Then Abner H74 called H7121 to Joab, H3097 and said, H559 Shall the sword H2719 devour H398 for ever? H5331 knowest H3045 thou not that it will be bitterness H4751 in the latter end? H314 how long shall it be then, ere thou bid H559 the people H5971 return H7725 from following H310 their brethren? H251
27 And Joab H3097 said, H559 As God H430 liveth, H2416 unless H3884 thou hadst spoken, H1696 surely then in the morning H1242 the people H5971 had gone up H5927 every one H376 from following H310 his brother. H251
28 So Joab H3097 blew H8628 a trumpet, H7782 and all the people H5971 stood still, H5975 and pursued H7291 after H310 Israel H3478 no more, neither fought H3898 they any more. H3254
29 And Abner H74 and his men H582 walked H1980 all that night H3915 through the plain, H6160 and passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and went through H3212 all Bithron, H1338 and they came H935 to Mahanaim. H4266
30 And Joab H3097 returned H7725 from following H310 Abner: H74 and when he had gathered H6908 all the people H5971 together, H6908 there lacked H6485 of David's H1732 servants H5650 nineteen H8672 H6240 men H376 and Asahel. H6214
31 But the servants H5650 of David H1732 had smitten H5221 of Benjamin, H1144 and of Abner's H74 men, H582 so that three H7969 hundred H3967 and threescore H8346 men H376 died. H4191
32 And they took up H5375 Asahel, H6214 and buried H6912 him in the sepulchre H6913 of his father, H1 which was in Bethlehem. H1035 And Joab H3097 and his men H582 went H3212 all night, H3915 and they came to Hebron H2275 at break of day. H215
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 2
Commentary on 2 Samuel 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
David had paid due respect to the memory of Saul his prince and Jonathan his friend, and what he did was as much his praise as theirs; he is now considering what is to be done next. Saul is dead, now therefore David arise.
2Sa 2:1-7
When Saul and Jonathan were dead, though David knew himself anointed to be king, and now saw his way very clear, yet he did not immediately send messengers through all the coasts of Israel to summon all people to come in and swear allegiance to him, upon pain of death, but proceeded leisurely; for he that believeth doth not make haste, but waits God's time for the accomplishment of God's promises. Many had come in to his assistance from several tribes while he continued at Ziklag, as we find (1 Chr. 12:1-22), and with such a force he might have come in by conquest. But he that will rule with meekness will not rise with violence. Observe here,
2Sa 2:8-17
Here is,
2Sa 2:18-24
We have here the contest between Abner and Asahel. Asahel, the brother of Joab and cousin-german to David, was one of the principal commanders of David's forces, and was famous for swiftness in running: he was as light of foot as a wild roe (v. 18); this he got the name of by swift pursuing, not swift flying. Yet, we may suppose, he was not comparable to Abner as a skilful experienced soldier; we must therefore observe,
2Sa 2:25-32
Here,