2 Samuel 2:1-10

1After some time, David asked the Lord, ‘Should I go up to one of Judah's towns?’ The Lord said to him, ‘Go up.’ David asked, ‘Where should I go?’ The Lord replied, ‘Go to Hebron.’

2So David went up to Hebron. He took his two wives with him. They were Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, Nabal's widow, from Carmel.

3David also took the men who had been with him. Each man took his family. They lived in Hebron and in the towns near there.

4Then the men of Judah's tribe came to Hebron. They anointed David as king over Judah's people. David heard that the people from Jabesh Gilead had buried Saul's body.

5So David sent men to them with a message. He said, ‘You were kind to Saul, your master, when you buried his body. So I pray that the Lord will bless you.

6I pray that the Lord will keep you safe with his faithful love. I too will do good things for you, because of what you have done.

7Saul, your master, is dead, so you must continue to be strong and brave. The people of Judah have now chosen me to rule them as king.’

8Ner's son Abner was the leader of Saul's army. He took Saul's son Ish-Bosheth to Mahanaim.

9Abner gave Ish-Bosheth authority to rule as king over Gilead, Asher and Jezreel, as well as the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin. So Ish-Bosheth became king of all Israel.

10Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth, was 40 years old when he became king over Israel. He ruled Israel for two years. But Judah's people were faithful to David as their king.