6. And now may the Lord be kind and faithful to you. I too will treat you well because of what you have done.
7. Be strong and brave! Saul your king is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me as their king.”
8. The commander of Saul's army, Abner son of Ner, had fled with Saul's son Ishbosheth across the Jordan to Mahanaim.
9. There Abner made Ishbosheth king of the territories of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, and indeed over all Israel.
10. He was forty years old when he was made king of Israel, and he ruled for two years.But the tribe of Judah was loyal to David,
11. and he ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years.
12. Abner and the officials of Ishbosheth went from Mahanaim to the city of Gibeon.
13. Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, and David's other officials met them at the pool, where they all sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the opposite side.