2 Samuel 2:1–11

And after these things David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I go up into one of the cities of Juda? And the Lord said to him: Go up. And David said: Whither shall I go up? And he answered him: Into Hebron.

²So David went up, and his two wives Achinoam the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal of Carmel:

³And the men also that were with him, David brought up every man with his household: and they abode in the towns of Hebron.

⁴And the men of Juda came, and anointed David there, to be king over the house of Juda. And it was told David that the men of Jabes Galaad had buried Saul.

⁵David therefore sent messengers to the men of Jabes Galaad, and said to them: Blessed be you to the Lord, who have shewn this mercy to your master Saul, and have buried him.

⁶And now the Lord surely will render you mercy and truth, and I also will requite you for this good turn, because you have done this thing.

⁷Let your hands be strengthened, and be ye men of valour: for although your master Saul be dead, yet the house of Juda hath anointed me to be their king.

⁸But Abner the son of Ner, general of Saul’s army, took Isboseth the son of Saul, and led him about through the camp,

⁹And made him king over Galaad, and over Gessuri, and over Jezrahel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

¹⁰Isboseth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years; and only the house of Juda followed David.

¹¹And the number of the days that David abode, reigning in Hebron over the house of Juda, was seven years and six months.