2 Samuel 2:1-17

New International Version

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.

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

When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead^(I) who had buried Saul, ⁵ he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless^(J) you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. ⁶ May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness,^(K) and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. ⁷ Now then, be strong^(L) and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”

War Between the Houses of David and Saul^(M)

⁸ Meanwhile, Abner^(N) son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth^(O) son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.^{(P) 9} He made him king over Gilead,^(Q) Ashuri^(R) and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.^(S)

¹⁰ Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. ¹¹ The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.^(T)

¹² Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon.^{(U) 13} Joab^(V) son of Zeruiah and David’s men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

¹⁴ Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us.”

“All right, let them do it,” Joab said.

¹⁵ So they stood up and were counted off—twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. ¹⁶ Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger^(W) into his opponent’s side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.^[a]

¹⁷ The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the Israelites were defeated^(X) by David’s men.^(Y)