2 Samuel 2:1-10

1Then it came about afterwards that 1David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “2To Hebron.” 2So David went up there, and 3his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the 4widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3And 5David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron. 4Then the men of Judah came and there 6anointed David king over the house of Judah.

And they told David, saying, “It was 7the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.” 5David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “8May you be blessed of the Lord because you have 9shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him. 6Now 10may the Lord 11show lovingkindness and truth to you; and I also will 12show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. 7Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be 13valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

8But 14Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken 15Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to 16Mahanaim. 9He made him king over 17Gilead, over the 18Ashurites, over 19Jezreel, over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, even over all Israel. 10Ish-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.