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The Capture and Growth of Jerusalem

The king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. They said to David, “You will not come here, for even the blind and the lame can turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot come here.’” David captured the fortress of Zion, the city of David. David had said, “On that day when we attack the Jebusites,[a] one must attack the lame and the blind, those who hate the soul of David, by means of the water supply.” For thus the blind and the lame would say, “He cannot come into the house.” David occupied the fortress and called it the city of David. And David built all around it from the Millo and inward.[b]

10 David continued growing stronger and stronger,[c] and Yahweh the God of hosts was with him. 11 So Hiram, the king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees and craftsmen skilled in wood and in stone masonry,[d] and they built a house for David. 12 David realized that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom because of his people Israel. 13 David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the ones born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua and Shobab and Nathan and Solomon; 15 Ibhar and Elishua and Nepheg and Japhia; 16 Elishama and Eliada and Eliphelet.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:8 Literally “in all of the striking down the Jebusites”
  2. 2 Samuel 5:9 Literally “to the house”
  3. 2 Samuel 5:10 Literally “went going and great”
  4. 2 Samuel 5:11 Literally “skilled craftsmen of wood and skilled craftsmen of stone wall”

Later, the king and his army marched on Jerusalem against the Jebusites, who were inhabiting the territory at that time[a] and who had told David, “You’re not coming in here! Even the blind and the lame could turn you away!” because they were thinking[b] “David can’t come here.” Even so, David captured the stronghold of Zion, which is now known as[c] the City of David.

At that time,[d] David had said, “Whoever intends to attack the Jebusites will have to climb up the water shaft to attack the lame and blind, who hate David.”[e]

Therefore they say, “The blind and lame are never to come into the house.” David occupied[f] the fortress, naming it the City of David. He[g] built up the surroundings from the terrace ramparts[h] inward. 10 David became more and more esteemed because the Lord God of the Heavenly Armies was with him.

11 Later, King Hiram of Tyre sent a delegation to David, accompanied by cedar[i] logs, carpenters, and stone masons. They built a palace for David. 12 So David concluded[j] that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom in order to benefit his people Israel. 13 But after arriving in Jerusalem after leaving Hebron, David took more wives and mistresses,[k] and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 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 The Heb. lacks at that time
  2. 2 Samuel 5:6 Lit. saying
  3. 2 Samuel 5:7 The Heb. lacks now known as
  4. 2 Samuel 5:8 Lit. day
  5. 2 Samuel 5:8 Or whom David hates; LXX reads blind, and those who hate David
  6. 2 Samuel 5:9 Or lived in
  7. 2 Samuel 5:9 Lit. David
  8. 2 Samuel 5:9 Lit. the Millo, fortified areas of ancient Jerusalem with terraces and retaining walls
  9. 2 Samuel 5:11 I.e. a genus of coniferous evergreen in the family Pinaceae; and so throughout the book
  10. 2 Samuel 5:12 Lit. knew
  11. 2 Samuel 5:13 Or concubines; i.e. secondary wives