David Made King of Judah
2 Kingdoms 2, verse 1. It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 2. So David went up to Hebron. He went with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite woman and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 3. The men went up with him, every man with his household, and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 4. Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead buried Saul.” 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 5. So David sent messengers to the rulers of Jabesh Gilead and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this mercy to your lord, upon Saul, the Lord's anointed, and you have buried him and his son Jonathan. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 6. And now may the Lord work with you in mercy and truth. Indeed, I will repay you for this kindness since you made this happen. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 7. Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead. In addition, the house of Judah anointed me king over them.”
Ishbosheth Made King of Israel
2 Kingdoms 2, verse 8. But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him from the camp to Mahanaim. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 9. He made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 10. Ishbosheth the son of Saul was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. But he did not reign over the house of Judah, who followed David. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 11. The days David reigned in Hebron as king over the house of Judah were seven years and six months.
War between Israel and Judah
2 Kingdoms 2, verse 12. Now Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon; 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 13. and Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out from Hebron to meet them at the well of Gibeon. The two groups sat down, one on one side of the well and the other on the other side of the well. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 14. Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men stand up and duel before us.” Joab said, “Arise.” 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 15. Twelve young men of Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David arose to duel. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 16. By the hand, each of them grasped the head of his opponent, and by the hand, his sword went into the side of his opponent. They fell at the same moment. Thereafter, they called the name of that place the Well of Treachery, which is in Gibeon. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 17. The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 18. The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 19. Asahel pursued Abner, and not to deviate from his purpose, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 20. Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?” He answered, “I am.” 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 21. And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 22. So Abner said again to Asahel, “Stay away from me lest I strike you to the ground. How then could I lift up my face to Joab? Return to where you came. Return to Joab your brother.” 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 23. However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner smote him in the loins with the end of his spear, and the shaft of the spear came out of his back. There he fell and there he died. And it happened that everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood in silence. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 24. Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. The sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is east of Giah, on the road through the desert of Gibeon. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 25. Here the sons of Benjamin gathered behind Abner and joined to meet in battle. They took their position on top of a hill. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 26. Abner called to Joab and said, “Shall the sword devour until the victory is won? Do you truly not know that in the end it will be bitter? How long until you tell the people to turn back from pursuing their brethren?” 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 27. And Joab said, “As the Lord lives, if you did not talk in the morning, perhaps then each person should not be pursuing his brother afterward.” 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 28. So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood back and did not pursue Israel, nor did they fight any more. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 29. Then Abner and his men went away toward the west all that night, crossed the Jordan, and went all morning and came to the camp. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 30. And Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he gathered all the people, nineteen servants of David and Asahel were missing. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 31. But the servants of David smote three hundred sixty of the sons of Benjamin, the men of Abner. 2 Kingdoms 2, verse 32. Then they took up Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men traveled with him throughout the night and came to Hebron at daybreak.