And it came to passafterthis, thatDavidenquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORDsaidunto him, Go up. And Davidsaid, Whithershall I go up? And he said, UntoHebron.
And the men of Judahcame, and theretheyanointedDavidkingover the house of Judah. And theytoldDavid, saying, That the men of JabeshgileadweretheythatburiedSaul.
And Davidsentmessengersunto the men of Jabeshgilead, and saiduntothem, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye haveshewedthiskindnessuntoyourlord, evenuntoSaul, and haveburied him.
And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the otherside of the pool.
And theycaughtevery one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow’sside; so theyfelldowntogether: whereforethatplace was calledHelkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.
And Abnersaid to him, Turntheeaside to thy righthand or to thy left, and lay theehold on one of the young men, and takethee his armour. But Asahelwould not turnasidefromfollowing of him.
And Abnersaidagain to Asahel, Turntheeasidefromfollowing me: whereforeshould I smitethee to the ground? how thenshould I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
Howbeit he refused to turnaside: whereforeAbnerwith the hinder end of the spearsmote him under the fifth rib, that the spearcame out behind him; and he felldownthere, and died in the sameplace: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the placewhereAsahelfelldown and diedstoodstill.
Joabalso and AbishaipursuedafterAbner: and the sun wentdownwhentheywerecome to the hill of Ammah, thatliethbeforeGiah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
ThenAbnercalled to Joab, and said, Shall the sworddevour for ever? knowestthou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how longshall it be then, ere thou bid the peoplereturnfromfollowingtheirbrethren?
And theytook up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and theycame to Hebron at break of day.