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 over Israel(A)

After this, all of the tribes of Israel assembled with David at Hebron and declared, “Look, we’re your own flesh and blood![a] Even back when Saul was our king, it was you who kept on leading Israel out to battle[b] and bringing them back again.[c] The Lord told you, ‘You yourself will shepherd my people Israel and serve as Commander-in-Chief[d] over Israel.’” So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where King David entered into a covenant with them in the presence of the Lord. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel.

David Establishes Jerusalem as His Capital(B)

David began to reign when he was 30 years old, and he reigned 40 years. He reigned over Judah for seven years and six months in Hebron, and he reigned over all of Israel including Judah for 33 years in Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:1 Lit. bone
  2. 2 Samuel 5:2 The Heb. lacks to battle
  3. 2 Samuel 5:2 The Heb. lacks back again
  4. 2 Samuel 5:2 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority