Chapter 2: The battle between the servants of Dovid and the household of Shaul

1.     Dovid, his family and his people move to Judea:

• After the above events [of Shaul’s death] Dovid consulted with G-d asking him if he should move to one of the cities of Judea. G-d answered him that he should move. Dovid asked G-d as to where he should move, and G-d answered that he should move to the city of Chevron.
• So, Dovid and his two wives, Achinoam the Yizralite and Avigail, the former wife of Naval the Carmelite, as well as all of his men and their families that were with him, moved and settled in the cities of Chevron.

2.     Dovid is coronated as King over his tribe of Judah:

• The people of Judah came and anointed Dovid there as King over the house of Judah.

3.     Dovid conscripts the men of Yaveish Galaad to his army:

• Dovid was informed that the men of Yaveish Galaad had buried Shaul. So, Dovid sent messengers to the men of Yaveish Galaad. He told them as follows, “Blessed are you to G-d as you have done this kindness with your master Shaul and that you buried him. Now, may G-d do with you kindness and truth, and I too will do for you this kindness being that you have done this. Now strengthen your arms and become soldiers [in my army] as your master Shaul has died and I’ve been anointed by the house of Yehuda as king over them.”

4.     Ish Boshes is crowned as King over Israel:

• Avner Ben Ner, the general of Shaul took Ish Boshes who was the son of Shaul and brought him to [the city of] Machanaim [to crown him king, as he had expounded from the verse that there would be two kings who would reign from the tribe of Benjamin[1]]. He crowned him there as king over Gilad, and over Ashury, and over Yizrael, and over a Efraim, and over Benjamin and over the entire Jewish people.
• Ish Boshes the son of Shaul was 40 years old at the time when he reigned over the Jewish people. He reigned for a total of two years. However, the house of Judah followed Dovid.
• The number of days that Dovid was king in Chevron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

5.     The two generals of Dovid and Ish Boshes meet and arrange a wrestling match between the sides:

• Avner Ben Ner and the servants of Ish Boshes the son of Shaul had left Machanaim and traveled to Givona.
• Yoav the son of Tzruyah, and the servants of Dovid also left and met the group that was loyal to Ish Boshes by the pool in Givon, each group sitting by one side of the pool.
• Avner said to Yoav: “Let the lads stand up and amuse us [i.e. let the young soldiers of each side wrestle with each other and have a sword fight to see who is stronger[2]].” So Yoav instructed them to stand up [and fight]. So, they got up and a number of them crossed [to the other side, past the pool of water]. 12 men from the tribe of Benjamin who were loyal to Ish Boshes the son of Shaul [crossed over] and 12 men from the servants of Dovid [crossed over].

[1] Rashi 2:8

[2] Metzudos Dovid 2:14