1. After this, David consulted the Lord, asking, “Shall I go to one of the cities of Judah?”The Lord responded to him, “Go up.”David asked, “Where should I go?”And He said, “Hebron.”
2. So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.
3. And David brought the men who were with him, each man with his household, and they lived in the cities of Hebron.
4. Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David as king over the house of Judah, and they informed David that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul.
5. So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead saying, “May you be blessed by the Lord, you who have shown this loyalty to your lord Saul by burying him.
6. Now may the Lord show you loyalty and faithfulness, even as I deal kindly with you who have done this thing.
7. Now may your hands be strong and may you be courageous, since your lord Saul is dead and the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them.”
8. However, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Saul, had taken Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
9. He installed him as king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin, over Israel in its entirety.
10. Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he ruled for two years. However, the house of Judah followed David.
11. The length of time during which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12. Abner the son of Ner, with the servants of Ish-Bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim toward Gibeon.
13. And Joab the son of Zeruiah, with the servants of David, went out in order to meet together at the pool of Gibeon. They sat down, one group on one side of the pool and the other group on the side of the pool opposite them.
14. Abner suggested to Joab, “Let the young men come forward and compete before us.”And Joab replied, “Let them come.”
15. So they stepped forward and were counted, twelve from Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth and twelve from the servants of David.