² Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, ^(A)you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the Lord said to you, ^(B)‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’ ” ^3 (C)Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, ^(D)and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron ^(E)before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel. ⁴ David was ^(F)thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^(G)he reigned forty years.