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2 Samuel 2

BLIVRE · Chapter 2/24

1Depois disto aconteceu que Davi consultou ao SENHOR, dizendo: Subirei a alguma das cidades de Judá? E o SENHOR lhe respondeu: Sobe. E Davi voltou a dizer: Para onde subirei? E ele lhe disse: A Hebrom.

2E Davi subiu ali, e com ele suas duas mulheres, Ainoã jezreelita e Abigail, a que foi mulher de Nabal do Carmelo.

3E levou também Davi consigo os homens que com ele haviam estado, cada um com sua família; os quais moraram nas cidades de Hebrom.

4E vieram os homens de Judá, e ungiram ali a Davi por rei sobre a casa de Judá. E deram aviso a Davi, dizendo: Os de Jabes de Gileade são os que sepultaram a Saul.

5E Davi enviou mensageiros aos de Jabes de Gileade, dizendo-lhes: Benditos sejais vós do SENHOR, que fizestes esta misericórdia com vosso senhor Saul em haver-lhe dado sepultura.

6Agora, pois, o SENHOR faça convosco misericórdia e verdade; e eu também vos farei bem por isto que fizestes.

7Esforcem-se, pois agora vossas mãos, e sede valentes; pois que morto Saul vosso senhor, os da casa de Judá me ungiram por rei sobre eles.

8Mas Abner filho de Ner, general de exército de Saul, tomou a Is-Bosete filho de Saul, e o fez passar ao acampamento:

9E o constituiu rei sobre Gileade, Assuri, Jezreel, Efraim, Benjamim, e sobre todo Israel.

10De quarenta anos era Is-Bosete filho de Saul, quando começou a reinar sobre Israel; e reinou dois anos. Só a casa de Judá seguia a Davi.

11E foi o número dos dias que Davi reinou em Hebrom sobre a casa de Judá, sete anos e seis meses.

12E Abner filho de Ner saiu de Maanaim a Gibeão com os servos de Is-Bosete filho de Saul.

13E Joabe filho de Zeruia, e os servos de Davi, saíram e encontraram-nos junto ao tanque de Gibeão: e quando se juntaram, pararam-se os uns da uma parte do tanque, e os outros da outra.

14E disse Abner a Joabe: Levantem-se agora os rapazes, e lutem diante de nós. E Joabe respondeu: Levante-se.

15Então se levantaram, e em número de doze, passaram de Benjamim da parte de Is-Bosete filho de Saul; e doze dos servos de Davi.

16E cada um lançou mão da cabeça de seu companheiro, e meteu-lhe sua espada pelo lado, caindo assim de uma vez; pelo que foi chamado aquele lugar, Helcate-Hazurim, o qual está em Gibeão.

17E houve aquele dia uma batalha muito dura, e Abner e os homens de Israel foram vencidos pelos servos de Davi.

18E estavam ali os três filhos de Zeruia: Joabe, e Abisai, e Asael. Este Asael era veloz de pés como um corço do campo.

19O qual Asael seguiu a Abner, indo atrás dele sem desviar-se à direita nem à esquerda.

20E Abner olhou atrás, e disse: Não és tu Asael? E ele respondeu: Sim.

21Então Abner lhe disse: Aparta-te à direita ou à esquerda, e agarra-te algum dos rapazes, e toma para ti seus despojos. Porém Asael não quis desviar-se de detrás dele.

22E Abner voltou a dizer a Asael: Aparta-te de detrás de mim, porque te ferirei derrubando-te em terra, e depois como levantarei meu rosto a teu irmão Joabe?

23E não querendo ele ir-se, feriu-o Abner com a ponta da lança pela quinta costela, e saiu-lhe a lança pelas costas, e caiu ali, e morreu naquele mesmo lugar. E todos os que vinham por aquele lugar, de onde Asael havia caído e estava morto, paravam.

24Mas Joabe e Abisai seguiram a Abner; e o sol se pôs quando chegaram ao morro de Amá, que está diante de Gia, junto ao caminho do deserto de Gibeão.

25E juntaram-se os filhos de Benjamim em um esquadrão com Abner, e pararam-se no cume do morro.

26E Abner deu vozes a Joabe, dizendo: Consumirá a espada perpetuamente? Não sabes tu que ao fim se segue amargura? Até quando não dirás ao povo que deixem de perseguir a seus irmãos?

27E Joabe respondeu: Vive Deus que se não houvesses falado, já desde esta manhã o povo haveria deixado de perseguir a seus irmãos.

28Então Joabe tocou o chifre, e todo aquele povo se deteve, e não seguiu mais aos de Israel, nem lutou mais.

29E Abner e os seus caminharam pela campina toda aquela noite, e passando o Jordão cruzaram por todo Bitrom, e chegaram a Maanaim.

30Joabe também deixou de perseguir a Abner, e juntando todo aquele povo, faltaram dos servos de Davi dezenove homens, e Asael.

31Mas os servos de Davi feriram dos de Benjamim e dos de Abner, trezentos e sessenta homens, que morreram. Tomaram logo a Asael, e sepultaram-no no sepulcro de seu pai em Belém.

32E caminharam toda aquela noite Joabe e os seus, e amanheceu-lhes em Hebrom.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

David is anointed king over Judah in Hebron, while Abner, Saul's general, makes Ish-bosheth (Saul's son) king over the rest of Israel. The armies of the two houses clash at Gibeon, and young Asahel, Joab's brother, is killed by Abner.

Explanation

Here begins a period of civil war between the house of Saul and the house of David that lasts for years. Politically, Israel is divided: Judah follows David, while the other tribes follow Saul's son. This conflict shows how rarely a transition of power is simple, even when there is a divine promise behind it. Asahel's death also plants the seed of a future act of revenge by Joab against Abner. Today's lesson is that God fulfills His promises in His own time, even amid human conflicts and power struggles.

Fun facts

  • Hebron, where David is anointed, was already a city deeply connected to the patriarchs — it was home to the cave of Machpelah, where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were buried.
  • The name of the battle site, Helkath-hazzurim, means 'field of sharp sides' or 'field of knives,' referring to the deadly combat between the twelve young men from each side.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Samuel 2:1David inquires of the LORD before acting: he asks whether he should go up to any city of Judah, and God tells him to go up to Hebron, where he begins to reign.
  2. 2 Samuel 2:2David goes up to Hebron, bringing along his two wives as well, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.
  3. 2 Samuel 2:3David also brings the men who were with him, each with his own household, and they all settle in the towns around Hebron.
  4. 2 Samuel 2:4The men of Judah come to Hebron and anoint David king over the house of Judah; they tell him it was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.
  5. 2 Samuel 2:5David sends messengers to Jabesh-gilead, thanking and blessing the men for giving Saul a proper burial.
  6. 2 Samuel 2:6David promises to repay their kindness, asking that the LORD also deal faithfully with them for this act of honor toward Saul.
  7. 2 Samuel 2:7David encourages the men of Jabesh-gilead to be strong and courageous, since Saul has died, but the house of Judah has already anointed him as the new king.
  8. 2 Samuel 2:8The name Ish-bosheth (something like “man of shame”) is almost certainly a later alteration of Saul’s son’s original name, probably Esh-baal (“man of Baal”)—copyists swapped the word baal for bosheth (“shame”) to avoid repeating the name of a Canaanite god, even inside personal names from before that word became taboo.
  9. 2 Samuel 2:9Abner establishes Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel—a kingdom rivaling David’s.
  10. 2 Samuel 2:10Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years, but the house of Judah followed David, showing the kingdom split into two.
  11. 2 Samuel 2:11David reigned in Hebron over the house of Judah for seven years and six months, the period before he unified all Israel under his rule.
  12. 2 Samuel 2:12Abner marches out from Mahanaim toward Gibeon with Ish-bosheth’s men—the start of the direct clash between the two rival royal houses.
  13. 2 Samuel 2:13Joab and David’s men also march out and meet Abner’s men near the pool of Gibeon, each group standing on one side of the water.
  14. 2 Samuel 2:14Abner proposes that some young men rise up and fight before the two groups, a kind of deciding contest before the larger battle.
  15. 2 Samuel 2:15Twelve men of Benjamin, on Ish-bosheth’s side, rise up against twelve of David’s servants for the duel arranged by Abner and Joab.
  16. 2 Samuel 2:16The arranged duel between twelve young men on each side, in which all of them die at once, each driving his sword into the other, gives the place its name: Helkath-hazzurim, meaning something like “field of sharp edges”—it seems to have been a ritual contest meant to settle the war without a full battle, but it ended only in a bloody draw.
  17. 2 Samuel 2:17The battle that follows the duel is fierce, and the men of Israel led by Abner end up defeated by David’s servants.
  18. 2 Samuel 2:18The three sons of Zeruiah—Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—were there; Asahel was known for being as swift as a wild roe.
  19. 2 Samuel 2:19Asahel chases Abner without turning to the right or to the left, determined to catch him as he flees.
  20. 2 Samuel 2:20Abner looks back and asks whether it is Asahel chasing him so closely; he confirms that it is.
  21. 2 Samuel 2:21Abner tries to spare Asahel’s life, suggesting he take the weapons of another young soldier instead of continuing to chase him, but Asahel will not give up.
  22. 2 Samuel 2:22Abner insists again, warning that he does not want to kill him, because that would complicate things with Joab, Asahel’s older brother.
  23. 2 Samuel 2:23Abner kills Asahel with the blunt end (the butt) of his spear, driving it through his belly—a detail that shows the force of the blow: it was not even the sharp side of the weapon, and it was still fatal.
  24. 2 Samuel 2:24Joab and Abishai keep chasing Abner until sunset, coming near the wilderness of Gibeon.
  25. 2 Samuel 2:25The men of Benjamin regroup behind Abner on top of a hill, forming a defensive position against the pursuit.
  26. 2 Samuel 2:26Abner calls out to Joab, asking whether the sword will go on devouring forever, and pleading with him to stop chasing his own Israelite brothers.
  27. 2 Samuel 2:27Joab answers that if Abner had not spoken up, the people would have stopped chasing their brothers back in the morning.
  28. 2 Samuel 2:28Joab blows the trumpet, and all the people stop pursuing and fighting against Israel, ending that day’s combat.
  29. 2 Samuel 2:29Abner and his men march all night through the plain, cross the Jordan, and return to Mahanaim.
  30. 2 Samuel 2:30Joab gathers his men and finds that, besides Asahel, nineteen of David’s servants are missing.
  31. 2 Samuel 2:31David’s servants had killed three hundred sixty men among Benjamin and Abner’s forces in that clash.
  32. 2 Samuel 2:32They bury Asahel in his father’s tomb in Bethlehem, and Joab and his men march all night until they reach Hebron at dawn.

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