2 Samuel 5

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.

Then [the leaders of] all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said to him, “Listen, we have the same ancestors [IDM] that you do.

2 Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”

In the past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led our Israeli soldiers [in our battles]. You are the one to whom Yahweh promised, ‘You will be the leader [MET] of my people; you will be their king.’”

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

So while Yahweh was listening, all those leaders of the people of Israel declared there at Hebron [that David would be their king]. And David made a sacred agreement with them. They anointed him [with olive oil to set him apart] to be the king of the Israeli people.

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

David was 30 years old when he became their king. He ruled them for 40 years.

5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

In Hebron he ruled over the tribe of Judah for seven and a half years, and in Jerusalem he ruled over all the people of Judah and Israel for 33 years.

6 Now the king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you.” For they thought, “David cannot get in here.”

[One day] King David and his soldiers went to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebus people-group who lived there. The people there thought that David’s army would not be able to capture the city, so they sent a message to David, saying “Your army will never be able to get inside our city! Even the blind and crippled people will be able to chase you away!”

7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David).

But David’s army captured the fortress on Zion [Hill], [and later it was known as] David’s City.

8 On that day he said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must use the water shaft to reach the lame and blind who are despised by David.” That is why it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the palace.”

On that day, David said [to his soldiers], “Those who want to get rid of the Jebus people-group should go through the water tunnel [to enter the city]. Then they can attack those people whom I [SYN] detest—[and we will find out if any] blind and crippled people [will be able to stop them]!” That is why people say, “Blind and crippled people cannot enter Yahweh’s temple.”

9 So David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built it up all the way around, from the supporting terraces inward.

[After] David [and his soldiers captured] the city with its strong walls around it, he lived there, and they named it ‘David’s City’. David [and his soldiers] built the city around the fortress, starting where the [land was (filled in/terraces) on the east side of the hill].

10 And David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of Hosts was with him.

David continued to become more and more powerful/influential, because the Almighty Commander of the armies of angels was with/helping him.

11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.

[One day] Hiram, the king of Tyre [city], sent ambassadors/messengers to David [to talk about making agreements between their countries]. Hiram agreed to provide cedar trees [to make lumber], and also that he would send carpenters and masons, to build a palace for David.

12 And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

His doing that caused David to realize that Yahweh truly had appointed him to be the king of Israel, and that Yahweh was going to cause his kingdom to prosper, because Yahweh loved the Israeli people, whom [he had chosen to] belong to him.

13 After he had arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.

After David moved from Hebron to Jerusalem, he took more slave women to be his second-class wives, and he also married other women. [All of those women] gave birth to more sons and daughters.

14 These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

The names of the sons who were born in Jerusalem were Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold.

When the Philistia people heard that David had been appointed to be the king of Israel, their army went up [toward Jerusalem] to try to capture David. But David heard that they were coming, so he went down to another fortified place.

18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

The [army of] Philistia arrived at Rephaim Valley [southwest of Jerusalem] and spread all over the valley.

19 So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.”

David asked Yahweh, “Should [my men and] I attack the Philistia army? Will you enable us to defeat them [IDM]?” Yahweh replied, “Yes, attack them, because I will certainly enable your army to defeat them. [IDM]”

20 So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me.” So he called that place Baal-perazim.

So David [and his army] went to [where the Philistia army was], and there they defeated them. Then David said, “Yahweh has burst through my enemies like a flood.” [SIM] So that place is called ‘Lord of Bursting-through’.

21 There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away.

The Philistia men left their idols there; so David and his soldiers took them away.

22 Once again the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

Then the Philistia [army] returned to Rephaim Valley and spread all over the valley.

23 So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.

So again David asked Yahweh [if his army should attack them]. But Yahweh replied, “Do not attack them [from here]. Tell your men to go around them and attack them from the other side, near the balsam trees.

24 As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”

When you hear something in the tops of the balsam trees that sounds like [an army] marching, attack them, because I will have gone ahead of you [to enable your army] to defeat their army.”

25 So David did as the LORD had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

So David did what Yahweh told him to do, and his [army] defeated the Philistia army from Geba [city] all the way [west] to Gezer [city].