5. David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The Lord bless you, because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him.
6. Now, may the Lord show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed.
7. Therefore, be strong and courageous, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
8. Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth and moved him to Mahanaim.
9. He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin — over all Israel.
10. Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was 40 years old when he began his reign over Israel; he ruled for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.
11. The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12. Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
13. So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14. Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.”“Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15. So they got up and were counted off — 12 for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and 12 from David’s soldiers.
16. Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades.
17. The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers.