2 Samuel 5

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

² Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one leading Israel out and bringing them in; and Jehovah said to you, You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.

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

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

⁶ And the king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you, thinking, David cannot come in here.

⁷ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. It is the City of David.

⁸ And David said on that day, Whoever climbs up by way of the water conduit let him strike down the Jebusites, the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul. Therefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

⁹ So David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the fortifications and inward.

¹⁰ And David went on and became great, and Jehovah the God of Hosts was with him.

¹¹ And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and craftsmen and masons. And they built David a house.

¹² Thus David recognized that Jehovah had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for His people Israel.

¹³ And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron. Also more sons and daughters were born to David.

¹⁴ And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

¹⁷ Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.

¹⁸ The Philistines also went and spread themselves out in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁹ And David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said to David, Go up, for I will deliver up to give the Philistines into your hand.

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, Jehovah has broken through my enemies before me, like water bursting forth. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.

²¹ And they abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

²² Then the Philistines went up again and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.

²³ And David inquired of Jehovah, and He said, You shall not go up; circle around behind them, and come upon them in front of the balsam trees.

²⁴ And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, that you shall be decisive. For then Jehovah shall have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.

²⁵ And David did so, as Jehovah had commanded him; and he struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.