David Anointed King of Israel

Then all the tribes of Israel (A)came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, (B)we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, (C)it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, (D)‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince[a] over Israel.’” So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, (E)and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron (F)before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and (G)he reigned forty years. (H)At Hebron he reigned over Judah (I)seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.[b]

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:2 Or leader
  2. 2 Samuel 5:5 Dead Sea Scroll lacks verses 4–5

David Becomes King of All Israel

Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. 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.’”

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.

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:2 Or For some time.