³¹ and Hebron;^(A) and to those in all the other places where he and his men had roamed.

David Anointed King Over Judah

2 In the course of time, David inquired^(A) of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.

The Lord said, “Go up.”

David asked, “Where shall I go?”

“To Hebron,”^(B) the Lord answered.

¹⁰ Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets,^(A) then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’”

Ish-Bosheth Murdered

4 When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner^(A) had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.

⁴ Then the men of Judah came to Hebron,^(A) and there they anointed^(B) David king over the tribe of Judah.

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

¹³ Then Joshua blessed^(A) Caleb son of Jephunneh^(B) and gave him Hebron^(C) as his inheritance.^{(D) 14} So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.^{(E) 15} (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba^(F) after Arba,^(G) who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)

Then the land had rest^(H) from war.