2 Samuel 2:1-14 ▼

1 Now it happened afterwards that David asked of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”

2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

3 And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

5 And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed of Yahweh because you have shown this lovingkindness with your lord, with Saul, and have buried him.

6 So now, may Yahweh show lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing.

7 So now, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

8 Now Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

9 And he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel.

10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 Now Abner the son of Ner, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon with the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul.

13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool.

14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Now let the young men arise and hold a contest before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.”