2 Samuel 5

1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your flesh and blood.

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

2 Previously when Saul was our king, you were the one who led the Israelite army into battle. The Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be 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 All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made an agreement with them in the Lord's presence. Then they anointed him king of 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 when he became king, and he reigned for forty years.

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

5 He reigned over Judah seven years and six months from Hebron, and he reigned over all of Israel and Judah for thirty-three years from Jerusalem.

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 David the king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who were living there. The Jebusites told David: “You'll never enter here. Even the blind and lame could stop you.” They were convinced that David could not get in.

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 did capture the fortress of Zion, now known as the City of David.

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

8 At that time he said, “If we are to successfully conquer the Jebusites we'll have to go up the water shaft to attack these ‘lame and blind’ —these people who hate David. This is why it's said, ‘The blind and the lame will never enter 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 David went and lived in the fortress, and named it the City of David. He extended it in all directions, starting from the outer supporting terraces and moving inwards.

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 David became increasingly powerful, for the Lord God Almighty was with him.

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

11 King Hiram of Tyre sent representatives to David, together with cedar timber, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.

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 David realized that the Lord had installed him as king of Israel, and had made his kingdom great for the sake 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 After he moved from Hebron, David added more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, 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 his children born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

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

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

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

16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

And Elishama', and Elyada', and Eliphelet.

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, the whole Philistine army came out to capture him, but David found out and went inside the stronghold.

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 The Philistines came and spread out across the Valley of Rephaim.

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

19 David asked the Lord “Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” “Yes, go,” the Lord replied, “for I will definitely hand them over to you.”

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 David went to Baal-perazim and he defeated the Philistines there. “Like a flood that bursts out, so the Lord has burst out against my enemies right before me,” David declared. So he named that place 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 The Philistines left their idols behind, and David and his men removed them.

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

22 A while later the Philistines came again and spread out across the Valley of Rephaim.

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

23 David asked the Lord what to do. The Lord replied, “Don't attack them directly, but go round behind them and attack them in front of the balsam 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 Immediately you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees be ready, because this means the Lord has marched out before you to attack the Philistine camp.”

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 David followed the Lord's orders, and he slaughtered the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.

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