2 Samuel 5

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said, Truly, we are your bone and your flesh.

Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold us, thy bone and thy flesh are we;

2 In the past when Saul was king over us, it was you who went at the head of Israel when they went out or came in: and the Lord said to you, You are to be the keeper of my people Israel and their ruler.

Already yesterday, and even before, when Saul was king over us, thou wast the one that led out and brought in Israel: And the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt indeed feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a chief over Israel.

3 So all the responsible men of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they put the holy oil on David and made him king over Israel.

Thus came all the elders of Israel to the king unto Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David as king over Israel.

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

Thirty years was David old when he became king, [and] forty years he reigned.

5 Ruling over Judah in Hebron for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem, over all Israel and Judah, for thirty-three years.

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

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the people of the land: and they said to David, You will not come in here, but the blind and the feeble-footed will keep you out; for they said, David will not be able to come in here.

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; who said unto David, as followeth, Thou shalt not come in hither, except thou [first] remove away the blind and the lame: meaning, David cannot come in hither.

7 But David took the strong place of Zion, which is the town of David.

Nevertheless David captured the strong-hold of Zion; the same is the city of David.

8 And that day David said, Whoever makes an attack on the Jebusites, let him go up by the water-pipe, and put to death all the blind and feeble-footed who are hated by David. And this is why they say, The blind and feeble-footed may not come into the house.

And David said on that day, Whosoever will smite the Jebusites, and reach the aqueduct and the lame and the blind, that are hateful to David's soul, —Wherefore people usually say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

9 So David took the strong tower for his living-place, naming it the town of David. And David took in hand the building of the town all round, starting from the Millo.

And David dwelt in the fort, and he called it “The City of David.” And David built [it] round about from the Millo and inward.

10 And David became greater and greater; for the Lord, the God of armies, was with him.

And David went on, and became greater and greater, and the Lord the God of hosts was with him.

11 And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent men to David, with cedar-trees and woodworkers and stoneworkers: and they made David a house.

And Hiram the king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and stone-masons: and they built a house for David.

12 And David saw that the Lord had made his position safe as king over Israel, and that he had made his kingdom great because of his people Israel.

And David felt conscious that the Lord has established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 And David took more women and wives in Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron: and he had more sons and daughters.

And David took yet more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were born to David yet [more] sons and daughters.

14 These are the names of those whose birth took place in Jerusalem: Shammua and Shobab and Nathan and Solomon

And these are the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shammua', and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

15 And Ibhar and Elishua and Nepheg and Japhia

And Yibchar, and Elishua', and Nepheg, and Yaphia',

16 And Elishama and Eliada and Eliphelet.

And Elishama', and Elyada', and Eliphelet.

17 And when the Philistines had news that David had been made king over Israel, they all went up in search of David; and David, hearing of it, went down to the strong place.

But when the Philistines heard that the people had anointed David as king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David: and David heard of it, and went down to the strong-hold.

18 And when the Philistines came, they went in every direction in the valley of Rephaim.

The Philistines also came and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.

19 And David, desiring directions from the Lord, said, Am I to go up against the Philistines? will you give them up into my hands? And the Lord said, Go up, for I will certainly give up the Philistines into your hands.

And David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand.

20 And David went to Baal-perazim, and overcame them there; and he said, The Lord has let the forces fighting against me be broken before me as a wall is broken by rushing waters. So that place was named Baal-perazim.

And David came to Ba'al-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken down my enemies before me, as a breach [is made by] water. Wherefore he called the name of that place Ba'al-perazim.

21 And the Philistines, when they went in flight, did not take their images with them, and David and his men took them away.

And they left behind there their idols, and David and his men burnt them.

22 And the Philistines came up again, and went in every direction in the valley of Rephaim.

And the Philistines came up once again, and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.

23 And when David went for directions to the Lord, he said, You are not to go up against them in front; but make a circle round them from the back and come on them opposite the spice-trees.

And when David asked counsel of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but turn about and fall in the rear of them, and come upon them opposite to the mulberry-trees.

24 Then at the sound of footsteps in the tops of the trees, go forward quickly, for the Lord has gone out before you to overcome the army of the Philistines.

And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of walking on the top of the mulberry-trees, that thou shalt then bestir thyself; for then will the Lord go out before thee, to smite in the camp of the Philistines.

25 And David did as the Lord had said; and he overcame the Philistines, attacking them from Gibeon to near Gezer.

And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and he smote the Philistines from Geba' until thou comest to Gezer.