(A)Now the king and his men went to (B)Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they said to [a]David, “You shall not come in here, but even those who are blind and those who limp will turn you away,” [b]thinking, “David cannot enter here.” Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is, (C)the city of David. 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.” So David lived in the stronghold, and called it (D)the city of David. And David built all around from the [c](E)Millo and inward. 10 (F)David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of armies was with him.

11 (G)Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, carpenters, and [d]stonemasons; and (H)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 (I)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 Now (J)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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:6 Lit David, saying
  2. 2 Samuel 5:6 Lit saying
  3. 2 Samuel 5:9 I.e., terraced structure
  4. 2 Samuel 5:11 Lit stone wall craftsmen

David Captures Jerusalem

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. But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.

On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites.[a] Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.[b]” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.”[c]

So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces[d] 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:8a Or Those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites hate me.
  2. 5:8b Or with scaling hooks. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  3. 5:8c The meaning of this saying is uncertain.
  4. 5:9 Hebrew the millo. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.