DAVID ANOINTED KING OVER JUDAH
Key verse: 4
NIV
David Anointed King Over Judah
2 In the course of time, David inquired(A) of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked.
The Lord said, “Go up.”
David asked, “Where shall I go?”
“To Hebron,”(B) the Lord answered.
2 So David went up there with his two wives,(C) Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail,(D) the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him,(E) each with his family, and they settled in Hebron(F) and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron,(G) and there they anointed(H) David king over the tribe of Judah.
When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead(I) who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless(J) you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6 May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness,(K) and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong(L) and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
War Between the Houses of David and Saul(M)
8 Meanwhile, Abner(N) son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ish-Bosheth(O) son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.(P) 9 He made him king over Gilead,(Q) Ashuri(R) and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.(S)
10 Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David. 11 The length of time David was king in Hebron over Judah was seven years and six months.(T)
Cross references
- 2 Samuel 2:1 : S 1Sa 23:2, 11-12
- 2 Samuel 2:1 : S Ge 13:18; S 23:19
- 2 Samuel 2:2 : S 1Sa 25:43
- 2 Samuel 2:2 : S 1Sa 25:42
- 2 Samuel 2:3 : S 1Sa 27:2; 1Ch 12:22
- 2 Samuel 2:3 : S Ge 13:18; 23:2; 37:14
- 2 Samuel 2:4 : S 1Sa 30:31
- 2 Samuel 2:4 : S 1Sa 2:35; 2Sa 5:3-5; 1Ch 12:23-40
- 2 Samuel 2:4 : S Jdg 21:8; S 1Sa 11:1
- 2 Samuel 2:5 : S Jdg 17:2; S 1Sa 23:21; 2Ti 1:16
- 2 Samuel 2:6 : Ex 34:6
- 2 Samuel 2:7 : S Jos 1:6; S Jdg 5:21
- 2 Samuel 2:8 : 3:2-5pp — 1Ch 3:1-4
- 2 Samuel 2:8 : S 1Sa 14:50; S 2Sa 3:27
- 2 Samuel 2:8 : 2Sa 4:5; 1Ch 8:33; 9:39
- 2 Samuel 2:8 : S Ge 32:2
- 2 Samuel 2:9 : S Nu 32:26
- 2 Samuel 2:9 : S Jos 19:24-31
- 2 Samuel 2:9 : 1Ch 12:29
- 2 Samuel 2:11 : 2Sa 5:5
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
David Anointed King of Judah
2 After this David (A)inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To (B)Hebron.” 2 So David went up there, and (C)his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 And David brought up (D)his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David (E)king over the house of Judah.
When they told David, (F)“It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” 5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, (G)“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 (H)the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
Ish-bosheth Made King of Israel
8 But (I)Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to (J)Mahanaim, 9 and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, 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 (K)And the time that David was king in Hebron over (L)the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Read full chapterCross references
- 2 Samuel 2:1 : See 1 Sam. 22:10
- 2 Samuel 2:1 : See Josh. 14:13
- 2 Samuel 2:2 : See 1 Sam. 25:42, 43
- 2 Samuel 2:3 : 1 Sam. 27:2, 3; 30:1; See 1 Chr. 12:1-22
- 2 Samuel 2:4 : ch. 5:5
- 2 Samuel 2:4 : 1 Sam. 31:11-13
- 2 Samuel 2:5 : See Ruth 2:20
- 2 Samuel 2:7 : [See ver. 4 above]; ch. 5:5
- 2 Samuel 2:8 : 1 Sam. 14:50
- 2 Samuel 2:8 : See Josh. 13:26
- 2 Samuel 2:11 : ch. 5:5; 1 Kgs. 2:11
- 2 Samuel 2:11 : [See ver. 4 above]; ch. 5:5
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Sometime after the death of King Saul, David inquired of the Lord as to whether he should go up to one of the towns of Judah. David knew he would be king. But he didn’t act on his own. He waited for God and inquired of him. The Lord told him to go up to Hebron. So, he took his family and settled in Hebron. There, the men of Judah anointed David King over all of Judah. David patiently waited on the Lord, and he humbled himself to follow the Lord’s leading step by step to become King of Israel.
The people of Jabesh Gilead recovered King Saul’s body and gave him a proper burial. David praised the men of that town for their kindness to their master Saul. At the same time, Saul’s cousin, Abner, as the head of Saul’s army, tried to put one of Saul’s sons, Ish-Bosheth, on the throne of Israel. Ish-Bosheth was a weak king and only lasted two years. But David again patiently waited on the Lord to act on his behalf.
Prayer: Father, David patiently waited for you to make him king, trusting in your sovereignty. Help me to humble myself and wait on you in my life.
One Word: Wait for the Lord’s work.
