2 Samuel 2:4-14

4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When they told David, "It was the men of Ja'besh-gil'ead who buried Saul,"

5 David sent messengers to the men of Ja'besh-gil'ead, and said to them, "May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord, and buried him!

6 Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you! And I will do good to you because you have done this thing.

7 Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

8 Now Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-bo'sheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahana'im;

9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ash'urites and Jezreel and E'phraim and Benjamin and all Israel.

10 Ish-bo'sheth, 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 Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bo'sheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahana'im to Gibeon.

13 And Jo'ab the son of Zeru'iah, and the servants of David, went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon; and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

14 And Abner said to Jo'ab, "Let the young men arise and play before us." And Jo'ab said, "Let them arise."

2 Samuel 2:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 2

This chapter relates that David, upon inquiring of the Lord, was directed to go up to Hebron, and did, where he was anointed king of Judah, 2Sa 2:1-4. And that being told of the kindness of the men of Jabeshgilead in burying Saul, he sent them thanks, and promised to remember it, and took the opportunity to let them know he was anointed king over Judah, 2Sa 2:5-7. It also relates that Abner set up Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, to be king over Israel, 2Sa 2:8-11; and that there was an encounter between twelve of Abner's men and twelve of David's, which brought on a sore battle between them, in which Abner was beaten, 2Sa 2:12-17; and Asahel, who was of David's party, was slain in the pursuit by Abner, 2Sa 2:18-25; when a retreat was sounded by Joab, at the influence of Abner, who, with his wen, betook themselves to Mahanaim, where he had left Ishbosheth, 2Sa 2:26-29. And the chapter closes with an account of the slain on both sides, the burial of Asahel, and the return of Joab with David's men to Hebron, 2Sa 2:30-32.