3. David also brought his men and their families. They all made their homes in the cities of Hebron.
4. Then the men of Judah came to Hebron. They appointed David king over Judah.They told David that the men of Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul.
5. So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead. They told David’s message to the men in Jabesh: “The Lord bless you. You have shown kindness to your master Saul by burying him.
6. May the Lord now be kind and true to you. I will also be kind to you because you have done this.
7. Now be strong and brave. Saul your master is dead. The people of Judah have appointed me their king.”
8. Now Abner son of Ner was the commander of Saul’s army. Abner took Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth to Mahanaim.
9. There Abner made him king of Gilead, Ashuri, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
10. Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth was 40 years old when he became king over Israel. He ruled two years. But the people of Judah followed David.
11. David was king in Hebron for seven years and six months.
12. Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul left Mahanaim. They went to Gibeon.
13. Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s men also went there. They met Abner and Ish-Bosheth’s men at the pool of Gibeon. Abner’s group sat on one side of the pool. Joab’s group sat on the other side.
14. Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and have a contest here.”Joab said, “Yes, let them have a contest.”
15. Then the young men got up. The two groups counted their men for the contest. Twelve men were chosen from the people of Benjamin for Ish-Bosheth son of Saul. Twelve men were chosen from David’s men.
16. Each man grabbed his enemy’s head. Then he stabbed his enemy’s side with a knife. And the men fell down together. So that place in Gibeon is called The Field of the Sharp Knives.
17. That day the contest became a terrible battle. And David’s men defeated Abner and the Israelites.