II. Samvuen TI. 26.

10 Ish-bosheth Saul’s son was forty years old when he began_to_reign over Israél, and reigned two years. But the_house_of Judah followed David.
11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the_house_of Judah was seven years and six months.
122 And Abner the_son_of Ner, and the_servants_of Ish-bosheth the_son_of Saul, went_out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13 And jJoab the_son_of «Zeruiah, and the_servants_of David, went_out,
and met togettier by the_pool_of Gi-|,
beon: and they sat_down, the_one on the_one_side_of the pool, and the_other on the_other_side_of the pool.
14 And Abner said to Joab, “'Let the young_men now arise, and ™ play be- fore us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”
15 Then there arose and went_over by number twelve of Benjamin, which pertained to Ish-bosheth the_son_of Saul, and twelve of the_servants_of David.
16 And they caught every_one his fel- low by the_head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell_.down perare wherefore xthat xplace was_ called } Helkath-hazzurim, which 7s in Gibeon.
17 And there was a very sore xbattle xthat xday: and Abner was_beaten, and the_@men_of Israél, before the_ser- vants_of David.
18 And there were three sons_of Ze- ruiah there, Joab, and «Abishai, and asAsahél: and Asahél was as light of foot as a wild roe.
19 And Asahél pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right_hand nor to the left from follow- ing Abner. 5
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, “Art thom Asahél?” And he answered, “£ am.”
21 And Abner said to him, “-Turn thee aside to thy right_hand or to thy left, and -lay thee hold on one of the young_men, and stake thee his «ar- mour.” But Asahél would not turn_ aside from following_of him.
22 And Abner said again to Asahél, “-Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should_I_smite thee to the ground? how then should_I_hold_up my face to Joab thy brother?”
23 Howbeit he refused to turn_aside: wherefore Abner with the_hinder_end_ of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came_out behind him ; and he fell_down there, and died in_the_same_place: and it came_to_ pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahél fell_.down and died stood_ still.
24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went_down when thep were.come to the_hill_of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the_ Mayon the_wilderness_of Gibeon.
% And the_schildren_of Benjamin gathered_themselves_together after Ab- ner, and became one troop, and stood on the_top_of oa hill.
26Then Abner called to Joab, and
245
B.C. about 1055.
IsH- BOSHETH'S REIGN OVER ISRAEL. 1055. DAVID's REIGN IN HEBRON,
FIELD OF STRONG MEN.
about 1053.
. Joab, Jehovah is his father. z. Zeruiah, Fragrant.
m. or make. sport.
h. Helkath- hazzurim, Field_of the strong- men.
ABNER KILLS ASAHEL. a. Abishai, Father_of gift. as. Asahél, Consti- tuted_of God.
PURSUIT
THE BATTLE RE- STRAINED.
$. SONS. o. one.