5. Therefore, David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and he said to them: "Blessed are you to the Lord, who has accomplished this mercy with your lord Saul, so that you would bury him.
6. And now, certainly, the Lord will repay to you mercy and truth. But I also will act with favor, because you have accomplished this word.
7. Let your hands be strengthened, and be sons of fortitude. For even though your lord Saul has died, still the house of Judah has anointed me as king over them."
8. Then Abner, the son of Ner, the leader of the army of Saul, took Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and he led him around, throughout the camp.
9. And he appointed him as king over Gilead, and over Geshuri, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all of Israel.
10. Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, was forty years old when he had begun to rule over Israel. And he reigned for two years. For only the house of Judah followed David.
11. And the number of the days, during which David was staying and ruling in Hebron over the house of Judah, was seven years and six months.
12. And Abner, the son of Ner, and the youths of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from the camp to Gibeon.
13. Therefore, Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and the youths of David, went out and met them beside the pool of Gibeon. And when they had convened together, they sat down opposite one another: these on one side of the pool, and those on the other side.
14. And Abner said to Joab, "Let the youths rise up and play before us." And Joab answered, "Let them rise up."
15. Therefore, they rose up and crossed over, twelve in number of Benjamin, from the side of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve of the youths of David.