2 Samuel 5

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

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

2 In the recent past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led the Israelite army. Yahweh said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become ruler over Israel.'”

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.

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before Yahweh. They anointed David king over Israel.

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.

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

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

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

6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. They said to David, “You will not come here except to be turned away by the blind and the lame. David cannot come here.”

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.

7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which now is the city of David.

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

8 At that time David said, “Those who attack the Jebusites will have to go through the water shaft to reach the 'lame and the blind' who are David's enemies.” That is why people say, “The 'blind and the lame' must not enter the palace.”

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.

9 So David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. He fortified around it, from the terrace toward the inside.

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.

10 David became very powerful because Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.

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

11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, carpenters, and masons. They built a house for David.

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

12 David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

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.

13 After David left Hebron and came to Jerusalem, he took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.

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

14 These were the names of the children who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

These are the names of those whose birth took place 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 Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king over Israel, they all went out looking for him. But David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.

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.

18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

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

19 Then David asked for help from Yahweh. He said, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you give victory over them?” Yahweh said to David, “Attack, for I will certainly give you victory over the Philistines.”

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.

20 So David attacked at Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He commented, “Yahweh has burst through my enemies before me like a bursting flood of water.” So the name of that place became Baal Perazim.

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.

21 The Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

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

22 Then the Philistines came up again and spread out once more in the Valley of Rephaim.

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

23 So David sought help from Yahweh again, and Yahweh said to him, “You must not attack their front, but rather circle around behind them and come on them through the balsam woods.

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.

24 When you hear the sound of marching in the wind blowing through the balsam treetops, then attack with force. Do this because Yahweh will have gone out before you to attack the army of the Philistines.”

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.

25 So David did as Yahweh had commanded him. He killed Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.

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