David is anointed king over Judah at Hebron, while Abner, Saul's general, makes Saul's son Ishbosheth king over the rest. A battle between the two sides ends with Abner killing Asahel, Joab's brother.
1 And it came to pass after this , that David enquired of the LORD , saying , Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah ? And the LORD said unto him, Go up . And David said , Whither shall I go up ? And he said , Unto Hebron .
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess , and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite .
3 And his men that were with him did David bring up , every man with his household : and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron .
4 And the men of Judah came , and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah . And they told David , saying , That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul .
5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead , and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD , that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord , even unto Saul , and have buried him.
6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness , because ye have done this thing .
7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened , and be ye valiant : for your master Saul is dead , and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.
8 But Abner the son of Ner , captain of Saul's host , took Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and brought him over to Mahanaim ;
9 And made him king over Gilead , and over the Ashurites , and over Jezreel , and over Ephraim , and over Benjamin , and over all Israel .
10 Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel , and 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 And Abner the son of Ner , and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul , went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon .
13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah , and the servants of David , went out , and met together by 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 Joab , Let the young men now arise , and play before us. And Joab said , Let them arise .
15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin , which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul , and twelve of the servants of David .
16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head , and thrust his sword in his fellow's side ; so they fell down together : wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim , which is in Gibeon .
17 And there was a very sore battle that day ; and Abner was beaten , and the men of Israel , before the servants of David .
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab , and Abishai , and Asahel : and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe .
19 And Asahel pursued after Abner ; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner .
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said , Art thou Asahel ? And he answered , I am.
21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left , and lay thee hold on one of the young men , and take thee his armour . But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
22 And Abner said again to Asahel , Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground ? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother ?
23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside : wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place : and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still .
24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner : and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah , that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon .
25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner , and became one troop , and stood on the top of an hill .
26 Then Abner called to Joab , and said , Shall the sword devour for ever ? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end ? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren ?
27 And Joab said , As God liveth , unless thou hadst spoken , surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother .
28 So Joab blew a trumpet , and all the people stood still , and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more .
29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain , and passed over Jordan , and went through all Bithron , and they came to Mahanaim .
30 And Joab returned from following Abner : and when he had gathered all the people together , there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel .
31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin , and of Abner's men , so that three hundred and threescore men died .
32 And they took up Asahel , and buried him in the sepulchre of his father , which was in Bethlehem . And Joab and his men went all night , and they came to Hebron at break of day .