2 Samuel 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

16 And Elishama', and Elyada', and Eliphelet.

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

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

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

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