Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to 2 Samuel 5
Close NASB

2 Samuel 5
New American Standard Bible

David King over All Israel

5 (A)Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and [a]said, “Behold, we are (B)your bone and your flesh. 2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, (C)you were the one who led Israel [b]out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘(D)You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be (E)a leader over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David (F)made a covenant with them before the Lord in Hebron; then (G)they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was (H)thirty years old when he became king, and (I)he reigned for forty years. 5 At Hebron (J)he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

6 (K)Now the king and his men went to (L)Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they said to [c]David, “You shall not come in here, but even those who are blind and those who limp will turn you away,” [d]thinking, “David cannot enter here.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is, (M)the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites is to reach those who limp and those who are blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” For that reason they say, “People who are blind and people who limp shall not come into the house.” 9 So David lived in the stronghold, and called it (N)the city of David. And David built all around from the [e](O)Millo and inward. 10 (P)David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of armies was with him.

11 (Q)Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, carpenters, and [f]stonemasons; and (R)they built a house for David. 12 And David realized that the Lord had appointed him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

13 Meanwhile (S)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now (T)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.

War with the Philistines

17 Now when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, (U)all the Philistines went up to seek out David; and when David heard about it, he went down to the (V)stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines came and overran (W)the Valley of Rephaim. 19 So (X)David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?” And (Y)the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.” 20 Then David came to (Z)Baal-perazim and [g]defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of waters.” Therefore he named that place [h]Baal-perazim. 21 And the Philistines abandoned their idols there, so (AA)David and his men carried them away.

22 Now (AB)the Philistines came up once again and overran the Valley of Rephaim. 23 So (AC)David inquired of the Lord, but He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs. 24 And it shall be, when (AD)you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baka-shrubs, then you shall [i]act promptly, for then (AE)the Lord will have gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.” 25 Then David did so, just as the Lord had commanded him; he struck and killed the Philistines from [j](AF)Geba [k]as far as (AG)Gezer.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:1 Lit said, saying
  2. 2 Samuel 5:2 I.e., to battle and in (returning) from battle
  3. 2 Samuel 5:6 Lit David, saying
  4. 2 Samuel 5:6 Lit saying
  5. 2 Samuel 5:9 I.e., terraced structure
  6. 2 Samuel 5:11 Lit stone wall craftsmen
  7. 2 Samuel 5:20 Lit David struck
  8. 2 Samuel 5:20 I.e., the master of breakthroughs
  9. 2 Samuel 5:24 Or pay attention
  10. 2 Samuel 5:25 In 1 Chr 14:16, Gibeon
  11. 2 Samuel 5:25 Lit until you come to
Close NET

2 Samuel 5
New English Translation

David Is Anointed King Over Israel

5 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood![a] 2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel.[b] The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”

3 When all the leaders[c] of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them[d] in Hebron before the Lord. They designated[e] David as king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

David Occupies Jerusalem

6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites[f] said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”

7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). 8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies[g] by going through the water tunnel.”[h] For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.”[i]

9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards. 10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God[j] of Heaven’s Armies[k] was with him.[l]

11 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace[m] for David. 12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Conflict with the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated[n] king over Israel, they all[o] went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress. 18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed[p] hand the Philistines over to you.”

20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.[q] 21 The Philistines[r] abandoned their idols[s] there, and David and his men picked them up.

22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 23 So David asked the Lord what he should do.[t] This time[u] the Lord[v] said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees.[w] 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army[x] of the Philistines.” 25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.[y]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:1 tn Heb “look we are your bone and your flesh.”
  2. 2 Samuel 5:2 tn Heb “you were the one leading out and the one leading in Israel.”
  3. 2 Samuel 5:3 tn Heb “elders.”
  4. 2 Samuel 5:3 tn Heb “and the king, David, cut for them a covenant.”
  5. 2 Samuel 5:3 tn Heb “anointed.”
  6. 2 Samuel 5:6 tn The Hebrew text has “he” rather than “the Jebusites.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. In the Syriac Peshitta and some mss of the Targum the verb is plural rather than singular.
  7. 2 Samuel 5:8 tc There is some confusion among the witnesses concerning this word. The Kethib is the Qal perfect third common plural שָׂנְאוּ (saneʾu, “they hated”), referring to the Jebusites’ attitude toward David. The Qere is the Qal passive participle construct plural שְׂנֻאֵי (senuʾe, “hated”), referring to David’s attitude toward the Jebusites. 4QSama has the Qal perfect third person feminine singular שָׂנְאָה (saneʾah, “hated”), the subject of which would be “the soul of David.” The difference is minor and the translation adopted above works for either the Kethib or the Qere.
  8. 2 Samuel 5:8 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term has been debated. For a survey of various views, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 139-40. sn If a water tunnel is in view here, it is probably the so-called Warren’s Shaft that extends up from Hezekiah’s tunnel. It would have provided a means for surprise attack against the occupants of the City of David. The LXX seems not to understand the reference here, translating “by the water shaft” as “with a small knife.”
  9. 2 Samuel 5:8 tn Heb “the house.” TEV takes this as a reference to the temple (“the Lord’s house”).
  10. 2 Samuel 5:10 tc 4QSama and the LXX lack the word “God,” probably due to harmonization with the more common biblical phrase “the Lord of hosts.”
  11. 2 Samuel 5:10 tn Traditionally, “the Lord God of hosts” (KJV, NASB); NIV, NLT “the Lord God Almighty”; CEV “the Lord (+ God NCV) All-Powerful.”
  12. 2 Samuel 5:10 tn The translation assumes that the disjunctive clause is circumstantial-causal, giving the reason for David’s success.
  13. 2 Samuel 5:11 tn Heb “a house.”
  14. 2 Samuel 5:17 tn Heb “anointed.”
  15. 2 Samuel 5:17 tn Heb “all the Philistines.”
  16. 2 Samuel 5:19 tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the following verb.
  17. 2 Samuel 5:20 tn The name means “Lord of the outbursts.”
  18. 2 Samuel 5:21 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Philistines) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  19. 2 Samuel 5:21 tc For “idols” the LXX and Vulgate have “gods.”
  20. 2 Samuel 5:23 tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text.
  21. 2 Samuel 5:23 tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text.
  22. 2 Samuel 5:23 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  23. 2 Samuel 5:23 tn Some translate as “balsam trees” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NJB, NLT); cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV “mulberry trees”; NAB “mastic trees”; NEB, REB “aspens.” The exact identification of the type of tree or plant is uncertain.
  24. 2 Samuel 5:24 tn Heb “camp” (so NAB).
  25. 2 Samuel 5:25 tn Heb “from Gibeon until you enter Gezer.”
Next
2 Samuel 4
2 Samuel 6
Next
dropdown
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.