2 Samuel 5

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

And all the tribes of Israel come to David, to Hebron, and speak, saying, “Behold, 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.'”

also thus far, in Saul’s being king over us, you have been he who is bringing out and bringing in Israel, and YHWH says to you, You feed My people Israel, and you are for leader over Israel.”

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.

And all [the] elderly of Israel come to the king, to Hebron, and King David makes a covenant with them in Hebron before YHWH, and they anoint David for king over Israel.

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

A son of thirty years [is] David in his being king; he has reigned [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.

he reigned over Judah in Hebron [for] seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned [for] thirty-three years, over all Israel and Judah.

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 goes, and his men, to Jerusalem, to the Jebusite, the inhabitant of the land, and they speak to David, saying, “You do not come in here, except [that] you turn aside the blind and the lame,” saying, “David does not come in here.”

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

And David captures the fortress of Zion, it [is] the City 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 on that day David says, “Anyone striking the Jebusite, let him go up by the watercourse (and the lame and the blind—the hated of David’s soul).” Therefore they say, “The blind and lame—he does 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.

And David dwells in the fortress, and calls it the City of David, and David builds all around, from Millo and inward,

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

and David goes, going on and becoming great, and YHWH, God of Hosts, [is] 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 sends messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and craftsmen of wood, and craftsmen of stone, for walls, and they build a house for David,

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 knows that YHWH has established him for king over Israel, and that He has lifted up his kingdom, 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 again David takes concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after his coming from Hebron, and again there are born to David sons and daughters.

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

And these [are] the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammuah, 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 Eliphalet.

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 the Philistines hear that they have anointed David for king over Israel, and all the Philistines come up to seek David, and David hears, and goes down to the fortress,

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

and the Philistines have come, and are spread out 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 asks of YHWH, saying, “Do I go up to the Philistines? Do You give them into my hand?” And YHWH says to David, “Go up, for I certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”

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 comes to Ba‘al-Perazim, and David strikes them there, and says, “YHWH has broken forth [on] my enemies before me, as the breaking forth of waters”; therefore he has called the name of that place Ba‘al-Perazim.

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

And they forsake their idols there, and David and his men lift them up.

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

And the Philistines add again to come up, and are spread out 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 David asks of YHWH, and He says, “You do not go up, turn around to their rear, and you have come to them from the front [[or in front]] of the mulberries,

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.”

and it comes to pass, in your hearing the sound of a stepping in the tops of the mulberries, then you move sharply, for then YHWH has gone out before you to strike in the camp of the Philistines.”

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

And David does so, as YHWH commanded him, and strikes the Philistines from Geba to your coming to Gazer.