Chapter 2

1And it was after this, that David enquired of the Lord saying, "Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?" And the Lord said to him, "Go up." Said David, "Where shall I go up?" And He said, "To Hebron."   אוַיְהִ֣י אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן וַיִּשְׁאַל֩ דָּוִ֨ד בַּֽיהֹוָ֚ה | לֵאמֹר֙ הַאֶעֱלֶ֗ה בְּאַחַת֙ עָרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו עֲלֵ֑ה וַיֹּ֧אמֶר דָּוִ֛ד אָ֥נָה אֶעֱלֶ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר חֶבְרֹֽנָה:
2And David went up there, and also his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.   בוַיַּ֚עַל שָׁם֙ דָּוִ֔ד וְגַ֖ם שְׁתֵּ֣י נָשָׁ֑יו אֲחִינֹ֙עַם֙ הַיִּזְרְעֵלִ֔ית וַאֲבִיגַ֕יִל אֵ֖שֶׁת נָבָ֥ל הַֽכַּרְמְלִֽי:
3And his men who were with him David brought up, each man and his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.   גוַאֲנָשָׁ֧יו אֲשֶׁר־עִמּ֛וֹ הֶעֱלָ֥ה דָוִ֖ד אִ֣ישׁ וּבֵית֑וֹ וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ בְּעָרֵ֥י חֶבְרֽוֹן:
4And the men of Judah came and there anointed David as king over the house of Judah, and they told David saying, that the men of Jabesh-Gilead buried Saul.   דוַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אַנְשֵׁ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה וַיִּמְשְׁחוּ־שָׁ֧ם אֶת־דָּוִ֛ד לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיַּגִּ֚דוּ לְדָוִד֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר אַנְשֵׁי֙ יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֔ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָבְר֖וּ אֶת־שָׁאֽוּל:
5And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead and said to them, "Blessed be you to the Lord that you have performed this kindness with your lord with Saul, that you buried him.   הוַיִּשְׁלַ֚ח דָּוִד֙ מַלְאָכִ֔ים אֶל־אַנְשֵׁ֖י יָבֵ֣ישׁ גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֵיהֶ֗ם בְּרֻכִ֚ים אַתֶּם֙ לַֽיהֹוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֜ם הַחֶ֣סֶד הַזֶּ֗ה עִם־אֲדֹֽנֵיכֶם֙ עִם־שָׁא֔וּל וַֽתִּקְבְּר֖וּ אֹתֽוֹ:
6"And now, may the Lord do with you kindness and truth, and also I shall requite you this kindness, that you have done this thing.   ווְעַתָּ֕ה יַֽעַשׂ־יְהֹוָ֥ה עִמָּכֶ֖ם חֶ֣סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֑ת וְגַ֣ם אָנֹכִ֗י אֶעֱשֶֹ֚ה אִתְּכֶם֙ הַטּוֹבָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּֽה:
7"And now, let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me as king over them."   זוְעַתָּ֣ה | תֶּחֱזַ֣קְנָה יְדֵיכֶ֗ם וִֽהְיוּ֙ לִבְנֵי־חַ֔יִל כִּי־מֵ֖ת אֲדֹנֵיכֶ֣ם שָׁא֑וּל וְגַם־אֹתִ֗י מָשְׁח֧וּ בֵית־יְהוּדָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עֲלֵיהֶֽם:
8And Abner the son of Ner, the general of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, and brought him over to Mahanaim.   חוְאַבְנֵ֣ר בֶּן־נֵ֔ר שַׂר־צָבָ֖א אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְשָׁא֑וּל לָקַ֗ח אֶת־אִ֥ישׁ בּ֙שֶׁת֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל וַיַּעֲבִרֵ֖הוּ מַחֲנָֽיִם:
and brought him over to Mahanaim: He expounded a scriptural passage that two kings were destined to arise from Benjamin, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Jacob, “And kings will come out of your loins” (Gen. 35: 11), and all his sons had been born except Benjamin.   לקח את איש בושת: מקרא היה דורש שעתידין שני מלכים לעמוד מבנימן, שאמר לו הקב"ה ליעקב (בראשית לה יב) ומלכים מחלציך יצאו, וכבר נולדו כל בניו חוץ מבנימן:
9And he made him king over Gilead and over the Ashurites and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.   טוַיַּמְלִכֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶל־הַגִּלְעָ֔ד וְאֶל־הָאֲשׁוּרִ֖י וְאֶֽל־יִזְרְעֶ֑אל וְעַל־אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ וְעַל־בִּנְיָמִ֔ן וְעַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל כֻּלֹּֽה:
10Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years, but the house of Judah were after David.   יבֶּן־אַרְבָּעִ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה אִֽישׁ־בּ֣שֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁא֗וּל בְּמָלְכוֹ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּשְׁתַּ֥יִם שָׁנִ֖ים מָלָ֑ךְ אַ֚ךְ בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה הָי֖וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י דָוִֽד:
11And the length of time which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months.   יאוַֽיְהִי֙ מִסְפַּ֣ר הַיָּמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר֩ הָיָ֨ה דָוִ֥ד מֶ֛לֶךְ בְּחֶבְר֖וֹן עַל־בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֥ה חֳדָשִֽׁים:
12And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul went out of Mahanaim to Gibeon.   יבוַיֵּצֵא֙ אַבְנֵ֣ר בֶּן־נֵ֔ר וְעַבְדֵ֖י אִֽישׁ־בּ֣שֶׁת בֶּן־שָׁא֑וּל מִֽמַּחֲנַ֖יִם גִּבְעֽוֹנָה:
13And Joab the son of Zeruiah and David's servants went out and met together by the pool of Gibeon, and they sat down, these on one side of the pool and these on the other side of the pool.   יגוְיוֹאָ֨ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֜ה וְעַבְדֵ֚י דָוִד֙ יָֽצְא֔וּ וַֽיִּפְגְּשׁ֛וּם עַל־בְּרֵכַ֥ת גִּבְע֖וֹן יַחְדָּ֑ו וַיֵּ֨שְׁב֜וּ אֵ֚לֶּה עַל־הַבְּרֵכָה֙ מִזֶּ֔ה וְאֵ֥לֶּה עַל־הַבְּרֵכָ֖ה מִזֶּֽה:
14And Abner said to Joab, "Let the boys get up now and play before us," and Joab said, "Let them get up."   ידוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אַבְנֵר֙ אֶל־יוֹאָ֔ב יָק֚וּמוּ נָא֙ הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וִֽישַׂחֲק֖וּ לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יוֹאָ֖ב יָקֻֽמוּ:
15And they got up and passed in number, twelve of Benjamin and of Ish-bosheth, and twelve of David's servants.   טווַיָּקֻ֖מוּ וַיַּעַבְר֣וּ בְמִסְפָּ֑ר שְׁנֵ֧ים עָשָֹ֣ר לְבִנְיָמִ֗ן וּלְאִ֥ישׁ בּ֙שֶׁת֙ בֶּן־שָׁא֔וּל וּשְׁנֵ֥ים עָשָֹ֖ר מֵעַבְדֵ֥י דָוִֽד:
16And each one took hold of his fellow's head and his sword was thrust in his fellow's side, and they fell together. And he called that place 'the territory of those slain by the sharp swords' which is in Gibeon.   טזוַֽיַּחֲזִ֜קוּ אִ֣ישׁ | בְּרֹ֣אשׁ רֵעֵ֗הוּ וְחַרְבּוֹ֙ בְּצַ֣ד רֵעֵ֔הוּ וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ יַחְדָּ֑ו וַיִּקְרָא֙ לַמָּק֣וֹם הַה֔וּא חֶלְקַ֥ת הַצֻּרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּגִבְעֽוֹן:
‘the territory of those slain by the sharp swords’: ‘the territory of the slain,’ named צורים for the swords, as it is stated: “also you turned back the blade (צור) of his sword” (Ps. 80:44).   חלקת הצורים: (תרגום:) אחסנת קטיליא, על שם החרבות, כמה דאת אמר (תהלים פט מד): אף תשיב צור חרבו:
17And the battle was very sore on that day and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before David's servants.   יזוַתְּהִ֧י הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה קָשָׁ֥ה עַד־מְאֹ֖ד בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַיִּנָּ֚גֶף אַבְנֵר֙ וְאַנְשֵׁ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֥י דָוִֽד:
18And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel. And Asahel was as light of foot as one of the deer which are in the field.   יחוַיִּֽהְיוּ־שָׁ֗ם שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ בְּנֵ֣י צְרוּיָ֔ה יוֹאָ֥ב וַאֲבִישַׁ֖י וַעֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל וַעֲשָׂהאֵל֙ קַ֣ל בְּרַגְלָ֔יו כְּאַחַ֥ד הַצְּבָיִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּׂדֶֽה:
19And Asahel pursued Abner and did not turn to go to the right or to the left from after Abner.   יטוַיִּרְדֹּ֥ף עֲשָׂהאֵ֖ל אַחֲרֵ֣י אַבְנֵ֑ר וְלֹֽא־נָטָ֣ה לָלֶ֗כֶת עַל־הַיָּמִין֙ וְעַֽל־הַשְּׁמֹ֔אול מֵאַחֲרֵ֖י אַבְנֵֽר:
20And Abner turned around and said, "Is that you, Asahel?" and he said, "It is I".   כוַיִּ֚פֶן אַבְנֵר֙ אַֽחֲרָ֔יו וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַאַתָּ֥ה זֶ֖ה עֲשָׂהאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אָנֹֽכִי:
21And Abner said to him, "Turn you aside to your right or to your left, and take you hold of one of the boys and take to yourself his clothing." But Asahel did not want to turn aside from following him.   כאוַיֹּ֧אמֶר ל֣וֹ אַבְנֵ֗ר נְטֵ֚ה לְךָ֙ עַל־יְמִֽינְךָ֙ א֣וֹ עַל־שְׁמֹאלֶ֔ךָ וֶאֱחֹ֣ז לְךָ֗ אֶחָד֙ מֵֽהַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְקַח־לְךָ֖ אֶת־חֲלִצָת֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־אָבָ֣ה עֲשָׂהאֵ֔ל לָס֖וּר מֵאַחֲרָֽיו:
22And Abner continued further to say to Asahel, "Turn you aside from following me. Why shall I strike you to the ground? And how will I hold up my face to Joab your brother?"   כבוַיֹּ֧סֶף ע֣וֹד אַבְנֵ֗ר לֵאמֹר֙ אֶל־עֲשָׂהאֵ֔ל ס֥וּר לְךָ֖ מֵאַֽחֲרָ֑י לָ֚מָּה אַכֶּ֙כָּה֙ אַ֔רְצָה וְאֵיךְ֙ אֶשָּׂ֣א פָנַ֔י אֶל־יוֹאָ֖ב אָחִֽיךָ:
23And he refused to turn aside and Abner struck him with the back end of the spear under the fifth [rib], and the spear came out from behind him and he fell there and died in his place, and it was that everyone who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.   כגוַיְמָאֵ֣ן לָס֗וּר וַיַּכֵּ֣הוּ אַבְנֵר֩ בְּאַחֲרֵ֨י הַחֲנִ֜ית אֶל־הַחֹ֗מֶשׁ וַתֵּצֵ֚א הַֽחֲנִית֙ מֵאַחֲרָ֔יו וַיִּפָּל־שָׁ֖ם וַיָּ֣מָת תַּחְתָּ֑יו (כתיב תַּחְתָּ֑ו) וַיְהִ֡י כָּל־הַבָּ֣א אֶֽל־הַמָּקוֹם֩ אֲשֶׁר־נָ֨פַל שָׁ֧ם עֲשָׂהאֵ֛ל וַיָּמֹ֖ת וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽדוּ:
under the fifth (rib): (Heb. אל החמש) like the fifth rib; the place where the liver and gall bladder are suspended (San. 49a). Jonathan renders: לסטר ירכה - to the side of his hip.   אל החומש: כמו דופן חמישית, מקום שמרה וכבד תלויין שם (סנהדרין מט א) ויונתן תרגם: אל החומש, בסטר ירכיה:
and he died in his place: i.e., he died immediately.   וימת תחתיו: (תרגום:) ומית באתריה:
24And Joab and Abishai pursued Abner; and the sun set when they came to the hill of Ammah which is before Giah by the way of the desert of Gibeon.   כדוַֽיִּרְדְּפ֛וּ יוֹאָ֥ב וַאֲבִישַׁ֖י אַחֲרֵ֣י אַבְנֵ֑ר וְהַשֶּׁ֣מֶשׁ בָּ֔אָה וְהֵ֗מָּה בָּ֚אוּ עַד־גִּבְעַ֣ת אַמָּ֔ה אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵי־גִ֔יחַ דֶּ֖רֶךְ מִדְבַּ֥ר גִּבְעֽוֹן:
25And the sons of Benjamin gathered after Abner and became one band, and they stood on top of one hill.   כהוַיִּֽתְקַבְּצ֚וּ בְנֵֽי־בִנְיָמִן֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י אַבְנֵ֔ר וַיִּהְי֖וּ לַאֲגֻדָּ֣ה אֶחָ֑ת וַיַּ֣עַמְד֔וּ עַ֥ל רֹאשׁ־גִּבְעָ֖ה אֶחָֽת:
26And Abner called Joab and said, "Will the sword forever consume? Did you not know that it would be bitter in the end? Until when will you not say to the people to return from after their brothers?"   כווַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְנֵ֜ר אֶל־יוֹאָ֗ב וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הֲלָנֶ֙צַח֙ תֹּ֣אכַל חֶ֔רֶב הֲל֣וֹא יָדַ֔עְתָּה כִּֽי־מָרָ֥ה תִהְיֶ֖ה בָּאַחֲרוֹנָ֑ה וְעַד־מָתַי֙ לֹֽא־תֹאמַ֣ר לָעָ֔ם לָשׁ֖וּב מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י אֲחֵיהֶֽם:
27And Joab said, "As God lives, for had you not spoken, then from the morning the people would have gone away, each one from after his brother.   כזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יוֹאָ֔ב חַ֚י הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים כִּ֥י לוּלֵ֖א דִּבַּ֑רְתָּ כִּ֣י אָ֚ז מֵֽהַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ נַעֲלָ֣ה הָעָ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י אָחִֽיו:
had you not spoken: if you had spoken so. לולא is like לו. It may also be interpreted according to its usual meaning. Had you not spoken what you said, Let the boys get up now and play.   לולא דברת: אם דברת כן, 'לולא' כמו 'לו' ועוד יש לפותרו כמשמעו, לולא דברת מה שאמרת (לעיל פסוק יד): יקומו נא הנערים וישחקו:
28And Joab blew the horn, and all the people stood still and pursued Israel no more, and they did not continue to fight.   כחוַיִּתְקַ֚ע יוֹאָב֙ בַּשּׁוֹפָ֔ר וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־יִרְדְּפ֥וּ ע֖וֹד אַחֲרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹֽא־יָסְפ֥וּ ע֖וֹד לְהִלָּחֵֽם:
29And Abner and his men went through the plain all that night, and they crossed the Jordan and went through all the Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.   כטוְאַבְנֵ֣ר וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֗יו הָֽלְכוּ֙ בָּֽעֲרָבָ֔ה כֹּ֖ל הַלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיַּעַבְר֣וּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ כָּל־הַבִּתְר֔וֹן וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ מַחֲנָֽיִם:
the Bithron: the name of a section.   הבתרון: שם מחוז:
30And Joab returned from after Abner and gathered all the people; and there were missing of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.   לוְיוֹאָ֗ב שָׁ֚ב מֵאַחֲרֵ֣י אַבְנֵ֔ר וַיִּקְבֹּ֖ץ אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֑ם וַיִּפָּ֨קְד֜וּ מֵעַבְדֵ֥י דָוִ֛ד תִּשְׁעָֽה־עָשָֹ֥ר אִ֖ישׁ וַעֲשָׂהאֵֽל:
nineteen men and Asahel: Now, was not Asahel included among David’s servants? Why then, was he counted separately? Because he was equal to all of them. Similarly, “go and see the land and Jericho” (Josh. 2:1), and similarly: “and King Solomon loved many foreign wives and Pharaoh’s daughter” (I Kings 11:1).   תשעה עשר איש ועשהאל: והלא עשהאל בכלל עבדי דוד, ולמה יצא, שהיה שקול כנגד כולם, וכן (יהושע ב א): לכו ראו את הארץ ואת יריחו ; וכן (מלכים-א יא א): והמלך שלמה אהב נשים נכריות רבות ואת בת פרעה:
31And David's servants had slain of Benjamin and of Abner's men; 360 men died.   לאוְעַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֗ד הִכּוּ֙ מִבִּנְיָמִ֔ן וּבְאַנְשֵׁ֖י אַבְנֵ֑ר שְׁלשׁ־מֵא֧וֹת וְשִׁשִּׁ֛ים אִ֖ישׁ מֵֽתוּ:
32And they carried Asahel and buried him in his father's grave which is in Bethlehem, and they went all night, Joab and his men, and the light broke upon them in Hebron.   לבוַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־עֲשָׂהאֵ֔ל וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֙הוּ֙ בְּקֶ֣בֶר אָבִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֖ר בֵּ֣ית לָ֑חֶם וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ כָל־הַלַּ֗יְלָה יוֹאָב֙ וַֽאֲנָשָׁ֔יו וַיֵּאֹ֥ר לָהֶ֖ם בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן: