Dauid.

1   Therefore after these thinges Dauid consulted our Lord, saying: Shal I goe vp into one of the cities of Iuda? And our Lord said to him: Goe vp. And Dauid said: Whither shal I goe vp? And he answered him: Into Hebron.

2   Dauid therefore went vp, and his two wiues, Achinoam the Iezrahelite, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:

3   yea and the men also that were with him, Dauid brought euery one with his houshould: and they abode in the townes of Hebron.

4   And the men of Iuda came, and ^note annoynted Dauid there, to reigne ouer the house of Iuda. And it was told Dauid, that the men of Iabes Galaad had buried Saul.

5   Dauid therefore sent messengers vnto the men of Iabes Galaad, and sayd vnto them: Blessed be you to our Lord, which haue done this mercie with your lord Saul, and haue buried him.

6   And now our Lord certes wil render you mercie and truth: but I also wil require you the good turne, for that you haue done this thing.

7   Let your handes be strengthned, and be yee stout men: for although your lord Saul be dead, yet the house of Iuda hath annointed me to be their king.

8   But Abner the sonne of Ner prince of Sauls armie, tooke Isboseth the sonne of Saul, & led him about through the campe,

9   and ordained him king ouer Galaad, and ouer Gessuri, and ouer Iezrahel, & ouer Ephraim, and ouer Beniamin, and ouer al Israel.

10   Fourtie yeares old was Isboseth the sonne of Saul when he began to reigne ouer Israel, and he reigned ^note two yeares: and only the house of Iuda folowed Dauid.

11   And the number of the daies, that Dauid abode, reigning in Hebron ouer the house of Iuda, was seuen yeares and six monethes.

12   And Abner the sonne of Ner went forth, and the seruantes of Isboseth the sonne of Saul, out of the campe into Gabaon.

13   Moreouer Ioab the sonne of Saruia, and the seruants of Dauid went forth, and mette them beside the poole of Gabaon, and when they were come together into one place, they sate one ouer against an other: these on the one side of the poole, and they on the other.

14   And Abner said to Ioab: Let the yong men rise, and ^note play before vs. And Ioab answered: Let them rise.

15   There rose therefore and passed twelue in number, of Beniamin, of Isboseths part the sonne of Saul, and twelue of the seruantes of Dauid.

16   And euery one taking the head of his mate, sticked his sword into the side of his aduersarie, and they fel together:

Dauid. & the name of the place was called: The field of the valiantes, in Gabaon.

17   And there rose a very sore battel in that day: and Abner was put to flight, & the men of Israel, by the seruantes of Dauid.

18   And there were there the three sonnes of Saruia, Ioab, and Abisai, and Asael: moreouer Asael was a most swift runner, as it were one of the roes, that abide in the wooddes.

19   And Asael pursued Abner, and declined not to the right hand nor to the left omitting to pursue Abner.

20   Abner therefore looked backe behind him, and said: Art thou Asael? Who answered: I am.

21   And Abner said to him: Goe to the right hand, or to the left, and apprehend one of the youug men, and take to thee his spoyles. But Asael would not leaue but vrged him.

22   And againe Abner said to Asael: Retyre, and do not folowe me, left I be compelled to sticke thee to the ground, and I shal not be able to lift vp my face to Ioab thy brother.

23   Who contemned to heare, and would not goe aside: Abner therefore stroke him, with his speare turned backe in the priuy partes, and thrust him through, and he dyed in the same place: and al that passed by that place, wherein Asael fel and dyed, did stay.

24   But whiles Ioab and Abisai pursued Abner fleeing, the sunne went downe: and they came as farre as the hil of the water conduit, that is ouer against the valley the way of the desert in Gabaon.

25   And the children of Beniamin were assembled together to Abner: and being gathered in a plumpe into one troupe, they stoode in the toppe of one hil.

26   And Abner cried out to Ioab, and said: Shal thy sword rage vnto vtter destruction? knowest thou not that desperation is dangerous? how long differest thou to say to the people, that they leaue to pursue their brethren?

27   And Ioab said: Our Lord liueth, if thou hadest spoken, in the morning had the people retyred, from pursuing their brethren.

28   Ioab therefore sounded the trumpette, and al the armie stood, neither did they pursue Israel any further, nor enter into fight.

29   And Abner and his men went through the champaine country, al that night: and they passed Iordan, and hauing viewed al Beth horon, came to the campe.

30   Moreouer Ioab returning, after he had leift Abner, assembled al the people: and there wanted of Dauids seruantes nintene men, beside Asael.

31   But the seruantes of Dauid stroke of Beniamin, and of the men, that were with Abner three hundred three score, who also died.

32   And they tooke Asael, & buried

Dauid. him in the sepulchre of his father in Bethlehem: and Ioab, and the men that were with him, walked al the night, and in the very twilight they came into Hebron.

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