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 came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy 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 times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince 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.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in 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.

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.

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 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 inhabitants of the land, who spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither.

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

Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same 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 David said on that day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and [smite] the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul. Wherefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he cannot 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 dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.

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

And David waxed greater and greater; for Jehovah, the God of hosts, 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 messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built 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 perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.

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 him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

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 that were born unto him 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 heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold.

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

Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves 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 inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Jehovah said unto David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy 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 came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there; and he said, Jehovah hath broken mine enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

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

And they left their images there; 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 yet again, and spread themselves 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 inquired of Jehovah, he said, Thou shalt not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry-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.”

And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is Jehovah gone out before thee to smite the host 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 so, as Jehovah commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gezer.