²² Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.^[a]

3 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.^(A) David grew stronger and stronger,^(B) while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.^(C)

¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown^(A) to the ground^(B) in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord^[a] have for his servant?”

² When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is the camp of God!”^(A) So he named that place Mahanaim.^[a](B)

² So David went up there with his two wives,^(A) Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail,^(B) the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ³ David also took the men who were with him,^(C) each with his family, and they settled in Hebron^(D) and its towns. ⁴ Then the men of Judah came to Hebron,^(E) and there they anointed^(F) David king over the tribe of Judah.

When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead^(G) who had buried Saul,