4. And the men of Yehuḏah came, and anointed Dawiḏ sovereign over the house of Yehuḏah there. They also reported to Dawiḏ, saying, “The men of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ are they who buried Sha’ul.”
5. Dawiḏ then sent messengers to the men of Yaḇĕsh Gil‛aḏ, and said to them, “You are blessed of יהוה, for you have shown this kindness to your master, to Sha’ul, that you buried him.
6. “And now, יהוה show kindness and truth to you, and I am also going to do you good, because you have done this deed.
7. “And now, let your hands be strengthened and be brave, for your master Sha’ul is dead, and also the house of Yehuḏah has anointed me sovereign over them.”
8. But Aḇnĕr son of Nĕr, commander of the army of Sha’ul, took Ishbosheth the son of Sha’ul, and brought him over to Maḥanayim,
9. and set him up to reign over Gil‛aḏ, and over the Ashĕrites, and over Yizre‛ĕl, and over Ephrayim, and over Binyamin, and over all Yisra’ĕl.
10. Ishbosheth, son of Sha’ul, was forty years old when he began to reign over Yisra’ĕl, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Yehuḏah followed Dawiḏ.