2 Samuel 5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
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.
Philistine Attack Repulsed
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.(M) 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.(N) 19 David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” The Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.”(O) 20 So David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. He said, “The Lord has burst forth against my enemies before me like a bursting flood.” Therefore that place is called Baal-perazim.[c](P) 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.(Q)
22 Once again the Philistines came up and were spread out in the valley of Rephaim.(R) 23 When David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear and come upon them opposite the balsam trees.(S) 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then be on the alert, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”(T) 25 David did just as the Lord had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.(U)
2 Samuel 5
New Living Translation
David Becomes King of All Israel
5 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past,[a] when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’”
3 So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. 5 He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.
David Captures Jerusalem
6 David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe. 7 But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
8 On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites.[b] Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.[c]” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.”[d]
9 So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces[e] and working inward. 10 And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.
11 Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. 12 And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
13 After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David married more concubines and wives, and they had more sons and daughters. 14 These are the names of David’s sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
David Conquers the Philistines
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. 18 The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. 19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”
20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”). 21 The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.
22 But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. 23 And again David asked the Lord what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar[f] trees. 24 When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” 25 So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon[g] to Gezer.
Footnotes
- 5:2 Or For some time.
- 5:8a Or Those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites hate me.
- 5:8b Or with scaling hooks. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 5:8c The meaning of this saying is uncertain.
- 5:9 Hebrew the millo. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 5:23 Or aspen, or balsam; also in 5:24. The exact identification of this tree is uncertain.
- 5:25 As in Greek version (see also 1 Chr 14:16); Hebrew reads Geba.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
