Then David said to him, “From where do you come?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”

And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the people of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

“Your beauty, Israel, is slaughtered on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!

Daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet, with jewelry, Who put gold jewelry on your apparel.

Ish-bosheth Made King over Israel

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.

And he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel.

Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he was king for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David.

That day the battle was very severe, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David.

So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the people halted and no longer pursued Israel, nor did they continue to fight anymore.

to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba!”

Then Abner sent messengers to David at his place, saying, “Whose is the land? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”

Now Abner had a consultation with the elders of Israel, saying, “In times past you were seeking for David to be king over you.

Now then, do it! For the Lord has spoken regarding David, saying, ‘By the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hands of all their enemies.’”

Abner also spoke to Benjamin; and in addition Abner went to speak to David in Hebron everything that seemed good to Israel and to the entire house of Benjamin.

Abner said to David, “Let me set out and go and gather all Israel to my lord the king, so that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may be king over all that your soul desires.” So David let Abner go, and he went in peace.

So all the people and all Israel understood on that day that it had not been the desire of the king to put Abner the son of Ner to death.

Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a leader and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?

Ish-bosheth Murdered

Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was horrified.

David King over All Israel

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a leader over Israel.’”

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the Lord in Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel.

At Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

And David realized that the Lord had appointed him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

War with the Philistines

Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard about it, he went down to the stronghold.

Peril in Moving the Ark

Now David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.