5 David sent messengers to tell them:The Lord bless you! You were kind enough to bury Saul your ruler,
6 and I pray that the Lord will be kind and faithful to you. I will be your friend because of what you have done.
7 Saul is dead, but the tribe of Judah has made me their king. So be strong and have courage.
8 Abner the son of Ner had been the general of Saul's army. He took Saul's son Ishbosheth across the Jordan River to Mahanaim
9 and made him king of Israel, including the areas of Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, and Benjamin.
10 Ishbosheth was 40 years old at the time, and he ruled for two years. But the tribe of Judah made David their king,
11 and he ruled from Hebron for seven and a half years.