1. It happened after this that David inquired of Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” And Yahweh said to him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.”
2. So David went up there along with his two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
3. Also, David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns of Hebron.
4. Then the men of Judah came, and they anointed David there as king over the house of Judah, and they told David, “The men of Jabesh-Gilead buried Saul.”
5. So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-Gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by Yahweh because you did this loyal love with your lord, with Saul, and you buried him.
6. Now may Yahweh show loyal love and faithfulness with you. I will also show the good with you that you have done in this matter.
7. So then, let your hands be strong and be valiant, for your lord Saul is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”
8. But Abner the son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
9. He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over Israel, all of it.
10. Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel and he reigned two years; however, the house of Judah followed David.