David Anointed King of All Israel

11 Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your bone and flesh.^(A)

³⁰ because we are members of his body.^[a](A)

David’s Army at Hebron

²³ These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord.^{(A) 24} The people of Judah bearing shield and spear numbered six thousand eight hundred armed troops. ²⁵ Of the Simeonites, mighty warriors, seven thousand one hundred. ²⁶ Of the Levites four thousand six hundred. ²⁷ Jehoiada, leader of the house of^[a] Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred. ²⁸ Zadok, a young warrior, and twenty-two commanders from his own ancestral house.^{(B) 29} Of the Benjaminites, the kindred of Saul, three thousand, of whom the majority had continued to keep their allegiance to the house of Saul.^{(C) 30} Of the Ephraimites, twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty warriors, notables in their ancestral houses. ³¹ Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand, who were expressly named to come and make David king. ³² Of Issachar, those who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, two hundred chiefs, and all their kindred under their command.^{(D) 33} Of Zebulun, fifty thousand seasoned troops equipped for battle with all the weapons of war to help David^[b] with singleness of purpose.^{(E) 34} Of Naphtali, a thousand commanders, with whom there were thirty-seven thousand armed with shield and spear. ³⁵ Of the Danites, twenty-eight thousand six hundred equipped for battle. ³⁶ Of Asher, forty thousand seasoned troops ready for battle. ³⁷ Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, one hundred twenty thousand armed with all the weapons of war.

³⁸ All these, warriors arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with full intent to make David king over all Israel; likewise all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king.^{(F) 39} They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kindred had provided for them. ⁴⁰ And also their neighbors from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant provisions of meal, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.^(G)

¹¹ The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.^(A)

¹² You are my kin; you are my bone and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’^{(A) 13} And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? So may God do to me and more, if you are not the commander of my army from now on, in place of Joab.’ ”^(B)

¹⁰ But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then shout: Absalom has become king at Hebron!”

David Anointed King of All Israel

5 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your bone and flesh.^{(A) 2} For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The Lord said to you, ‘It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ ”^{(B) 3} So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.^{(C) 4} David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.^{(D) 5} At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.^(E)

Jerusalem Made Capital of the United Kingdom

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here; even the blind and the lame will turn you back,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.”^{(F) 7} Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. ⁸ David had said on that day, “Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates.”^[a] Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”^{(G) 9} David occupied the stronghold and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward.^{(H) 10} And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts^[b] was with him.^(I)

¹¹ King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees and carpenters and masons who built David a house.^{(J) 12} David then perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ In Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives, and more sons and daughters were born to David.^{(K) 14} These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,^{(L) 15} Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

² “Say in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”^(A)

¹⁵ you may indeed set over you a king whom the Lord your God will choose. One of your own community you may set as king over you; you are not permitted to put a foreigner over you, who is not of your own community.^(A)