Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 150
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
2S
| 2:2-19
“Yes,” the Lord replied.
Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?”
“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of
Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives and his men and their families
all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron. Then
the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people
of Judah.
When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, he
sent them this message: “May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to
your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. May the Lord be loyal
to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will
reward you for what you have done. Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be
my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed
me as their new king.”
But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had already gone
to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth. There he proclaimed Ishbosheth
king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites,
and all the rest of Israel.
Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he
ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David. David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as
king of Judah for seven and a half years.
One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops from Mahanaim to Gibeon. About
the same time, Joab son of Zeruiah led David’s troops out and met them
at the pool of Gibeon. The two groups sat down there, facing each other
from opposite sides of the pool.
Then Abner suggested to Joab, “Let’s have a few of our warriors fight
hand to hand here in front of us.”
“All right,” Joab agreed. So twelve men were chosen to fight from each
side—twelve men of Benjamin representing Ishbosheth son of Saul, and
twelve representing David. Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and
thrust his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. So this place
at Gibeon has been known ever since as the Field of Swords.
A fierce battle followed that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were
defeated by the forces of David.
Joab, Abishai, and Asahel—the three sons of Zeruiah—were among
Dav id’s forces that day. Asahel could run like a gazelle, and he began
chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything.