2 Samuel 5

1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, saying, "Look, we are your bone and your flesh.

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 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. YHWH said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be ruler over Israel.'"

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 to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before YHWH; and they anointed David 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 began to reign, 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 Then the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not get in here." For the blind and the lame incited them, saying, "David can't 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 stronghold 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 David said on that day, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, those who hate the soul of David." Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame can't come into 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 David lived in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And he built a city all around from the Millo and 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 David grew greater and greater; for YHWH 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 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and craftsmen of wood, and craftsmen of a wall; and they built David a palace.

[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 knew that YHWH had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.

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 David took more secondary wives and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were born to David more sons and daughters.

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 those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,

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

15 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Eliphelet, and Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia,

Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

16 and Elishama, and Baaliada, and Eliphelet.

Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, 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 came 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 YHWH, asking, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" Then YHWH answered David, "Go up, for I will certainly deliver them 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 came to Baal Perazim, and he defeated them there, and he said, "YHWH has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of waters." Therefore he called the name of 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 And they abandoned their idols there; and David and his men took them away.

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

22 The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the Valley of Rephaim.

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

23 And David inquired of YHWH, and YHWH said to him, "You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them opposite the poplar 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 And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, that then you are to act decisively; for then YHWH has gone out before you to strike the army 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 And David did as YHWH commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Gibeon all the way 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].