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Chapter 2

David Is Anointed King. After this, David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord replied to him: Go up. Then David asked, “Where shall I go?” He replied: To Hebron.

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David Anointed King Over Judah

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.

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Then the men of Judah came there and anointed David king over the house of Judah.

A report reached David that the people of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul.(A) So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead and said to them: “May you be blessed by the Lord for having done this kindness to your lord Saul in burying him. And now may the Lord show you kindness and fidelity. For my part, I will show generosity to you for having done this. So take courage and prove yourselves valiant, for though your lord Saul is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

IV. The Reign of David

Ishbaal King of Israel. Abner, son of Ner, captain of Saul’s army, took Ishbaal,[a] son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim,(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 2:8 Ishbaal: here and elsewhere in the Hebrew text, his name appears as “Ishbosheth”; the second part of Ishbaal, -baal, refers to the Canaanite god Baal, and is therefore suppressed, replaced by bosheth, “shame.”

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, he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless(D) you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness,(E) and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. Now then, be strong(F) 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(G)

Meanwhile, Abner(H) son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth(I) son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.(J)

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