2 Samuel 3:1

There was long war. There was not open warfare but a state of hostility between the houses of Saul and David. This situation must have continued about five years, for Ish-bosheth reigned two years at Mahanaim before war began (ch. 2:10) and David reigned seven years and six months at Hebron before he became king over “all Israel” (ch. 5:5). During this time David was content largely to allow matters to take their own course. Instead of taking the offensive against Israel, David awaited the outcome of events, confident of the early fulfillment of God’s promises to him concerning the kingdom.

David waxed stronger. Time was on David’s side. Ish-bosheth was a weakling, and a few years of incompetent rule, followed by a few more without a king, made Israel long for the type of aggressive leadership that David provided for Judah. David was a man of character and prowess, and his daring and courage had endeared him to the hearts of the people. As the years went by it became increasingly evident that he was the man whom the Lord had ordained for the kingdom. Even on the occasion of Saul’s last battle there had been a significant defection to David from the tribe of Manasseh, with men continuing to come to his side “day by day” (1 Chron. 12:19–22).