2 Samuel 2:1-14 ▼

1 AND it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, To Hebron.

2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite.

3 And David and his men who were with him went up together, every man with his household; and they dwelt in Hebron.

4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.

5 And David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, Blessed be you of the LORD, that you have shown this kindness to your lord, even to Saul, and have buried him.

6 And now may the LORD show kindness and truth to you; and I also will requite you this kindness, because you have done this thing.

7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ashbashul, the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;

9 And made him king over Gilead and over Geshur and over Jezreel and over Ephraim and over Benjamin and over all Israel.

10 Ashbashul Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.

11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

12 And Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ashbashul the son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

13 And Joab the son of Zoriah and the men of David went out and met the young men together in Gibeon; and they sat down, these young men on the one side and the other young men on the other.

14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and play before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.