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 spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

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.’”

In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince 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.

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

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

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

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 mouths: 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: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.

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

Nevertheless David took 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 smiteth the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and [smite] the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul. Wherefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he cannot 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 strong hold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.

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

And David waxed greater and greater; for 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 king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.

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 perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

13 After he moved from Hebron, David added more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and he had more sons and daughters.

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

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

And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

and Ibhar, and Elishua; and Nepheg, and Japhia;

16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

and Elishama, and Eliada, 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.

And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.

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

Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves 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 inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thine 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 Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and he said, The LORD hath broken mine enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

21 The Philistines left their idols behind, and David and his men removed them.

And they left their images there, and David and his men took them away.

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

And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves 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 inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against 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 marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then is the LORD gone out before thee to smite the host 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 commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.