David Becomes King Over Israel^(A)

5 All the tribes of Israel^(B) came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.^{(C) 2} In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.^(D) And the Lord said^(E) to you, ‘You will shepherd^(F) my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.^(G)’”

³ When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant^(H) with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed^(I) David king over Israel.

⁴ David was thirty years old^(J) when he became king, and he reigned^(K) forty^(L) years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months,^(M) and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

David Conquers Jerusalem^(N)(O)

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem^(P) to attack the Jebusites,^(Q) who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion^(R)—which is the City of David.^(S)

⁸ On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft^(T) to reach those ‘lame and blind’^(U) who are David’s enemies.^[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

⁹ David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces^[b](V) inward. ¹⁰ And he became more and more powerful,^(W) because the Lord God Almighty^(X) was with him.^(Y)

¹¹ Now Hiram^(Z) king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. ¹² Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom^(AA) for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives^(AB) in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴ These are the names of the children born to him there:^(AC) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan,^(AD) Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines^(AE)

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{(AF) 18} Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;^{(AG) 19} so David inquired^(AH) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.^{[c](AI) 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.^(AJ)

²² Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ²³ so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴ As soon as you hear the sound^(AK) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front^(AL) of you to strike the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines^(AM) all the way from Gibeon^[d](AN) to Gezer.^(AO)

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(AP)(AQ)

6 David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. ² He and all his men went to Baalah^[e](AR) in Judah to bring up from there the ark^(AS) of God, which is called by the Name,^[f](AT) the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned^(AU) between the cherubim^(AV) on the ark. ³ They set the ark of God on a new cart^(AW) and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill.^(AX) Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart ⁴ with the ark of God on it,^[g] and Ahio was walking in front of it. ⁵ David and all Israel were celebrating^(AY) with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,^[h] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.^(AZ)

⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of^(BA) the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. ⁷ The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act;^(BB) therefore God struck him down,^(BC) and he died there beside the ark of God.

⁸ Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath^(BD) had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[i](BE)

⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How^(BF) can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” ¹⁰ He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom^(BG) the Gittite. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.^(BH)

¹² Now King David^(BI) was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³ When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed^(BJ) a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ Wearing a linen ephod,^(BK) David was dancing^(BL) before the Lord with all his might, ¹⁵ while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts^(BM) and the sound of trumpets.^(BN)

¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David,^(BO) Michal^(BP) daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it,^(BQ) and David sacrificed burnt offerings^(BR) and fellowship offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ After he had finished sacrificing^(BS) the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed^(BT) the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁹ Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins^(BU) to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women.^(BV) And all the people went to their homes.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked^(BW) in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

²¹ David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed^(BX) me ruler^(BY) over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. ²² I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

²³ And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

David Becomes King Over Israel^(A)

11 All Israel^(B) came together to David at Hebron^(C) and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns.^(D) And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd^(E) my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.^(F)’”

³ When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed^(G) David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem^(H)

⁴ David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites^(I) who lived there ⁵ said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

⁶ David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab^(J) son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.

⁷ David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. ⁸ He built up the city around it, from the terraces^[a](K) to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. ⁹ And David became more and more powerful,^(L) because the Lord Almighty was with him.

Others Join David at Hebron

²³ These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron^(A) to turn^(B) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:^(C)

³⁸ All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.^(H) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. ³⁹ The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,^(I) for their families had supplied provisions for them. ⁴⁰ Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies^(J) of flour, fig cakes, raisin^(K) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy^(L) in Israel.

Bringing Back the Ark^(M)

13 David conferred with each of his officers, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ² He then said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send word far and wide to the rest of our people throughout the territories of Israel, and also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their towns and pasturelands, to come and join us. ³ Let us bring the ark of our God back to us,^(N) for we did not inquire^(O) of^[a] it^[b] during the reign of Saul.” ⁴ The whole assembly agreed to do this, because it seemed right to all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel,^(P) from the Shihor River^(Q) in Egypt to Lebo Hamath,^(R) to bring the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim.^{(S) 6} David and all Israel went to Baalah^(T) of Judah (Kiriath Jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who is enthroned between the cherubim^(U)—the ark that is called by the Name.

⁷ They moved the ark of God from Abinadab’s^(V) house on a new cart, with Uzzah and Ahio guiding it. ⁸ David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets.^(W)

⁹ When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. ¹⁰ The Lord’s anger^(X) burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down^(Y) because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

¹¹ Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[c](Z)

¹² David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” ¹³ He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom^(AA) the Gittite. ¹⁴ The ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house for three months, and the Lord blessed his household^(AB) and everything he had.

David’s House and Family^(AC)

14 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs,^(AD) stonemasons and carpenters to build a palace for him. ² And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted^(AE) for the sake of his people Israel.

³ In Jerusalem David took more wives and became the father of more sons^(AF) and daughters. ⁴ These are the names of the children born to him there:^(AG) Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada^[d] and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines^(AH)

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel,^(AI) they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went out to meet them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley^(AJ) of Rephaim; ¹⁰ so David inquired of God: “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, I will deliver them into your hands.”

¹¹ So David and his men went up to Baal Perazim,^(AK) and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, God has broken out against my enemies by my hand.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.^{[e] 12} The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, and David gave orders to burn^(AL) them in the fire.^(AM)

¹³ Once more the Philistines raided the valley;^{(AN) 14} so David inquired of God again, and God answered him, “Do not go directly after them, but circle around them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ¹⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move out to battle, because that will mean God has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” ¹⁶ So David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army, all the way from Gibeon^(AO) to Gezer.^(AP)

¹⁷ So David’s fame^(AQ) spread throughout every land, and the Lord made all the nations fear^(AR) him.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(AS)

15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared^(AT) a place for the ark of God and pitched^(AU) a tent for it. ² Then David said, “No one but the Levites^(AV) may carry^(AW) the ark of God, because the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to minister^(AX) before him forever.”

³ David assembled all Israel^(AY) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. ⁴ He called together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites:^(AZ)

¹¹ Then David summoned Zadok^(BD) and Abiathar^(BE) the priests, and Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel and Amminadab the Levites. ¹² He said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families; you and your fellow Levites are to consecrate^(BF) yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. ¹³ It was because you, the Levites,^(BG) did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us.^(BH) We did not inquire of him about how to do it in the prescribed way.^(BI)” ¹⁴ So the priests and Levites consecrated themselves in order to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded^(BJ) in accordance with the word of the Lord.^(BK)

¹⁶ David^(BL) told the leaders of the Levites^(BM) to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians^(BN) to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.^(BO)

¹⁷ So the Levites appointed Heman^(BP) son of Joel; from his relatives, Asaph^(BQ) son of Berekiah; and from their relatives the Merarites,^(BR) Ethan son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸ and with them their relatives next in rank: Zechariah,^[g] Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom^(BS) and Jeiel,^[h] the gatekeepers.

¹⁹ The musicians Heman,^(BT) Asaph and Ethan were to sound the bronze cymbals; ²⁰ Zechariah, Jaaziel,^[i] Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah and Benaiah were to play the lyres according to alamoth,^{[j] 21} and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel and Azaziah were to play the harps, directing according to sheminith.^{[k] 22} Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

²³ Berekiah and Elkanah were to be doorkeepers for the ark. ²⁴ Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah and Eliezer the priests were to blow trumpets^(BU) before the ark of God. Obed-Edom and Jehiah were also to be doorkeepers for the ark.

²⁵ So David and the elders of Israel and the commanders of units of a thousand went to bring up the ark^(BV) of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-Edom, with rejoicing. ²⁶ Because God had helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, seven bulls and seven rams^(BW) were sacrificed. ²⁷ Now David was clothed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and as were the musicians, and Kenaniah, who was in charge of the singing of the choirs. David also wore a linen ephod.^{(BX) 28} So all Israel^(BY) brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts,^(BZ) with the sounding of rams’ horns^(CA) and trumpets, and of cymbals, and the playing of lyres and harps.

²⁹ As the ark of the covenant of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.