Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:

Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold.

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.”

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: “We are yours, O David; We are on your side, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, And peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.

And some from Manasseh defected to David when he was going with the Philistines to battle against Saul; but they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines sent him away by agreement, saying, “He may defect to his master Saul and endanger our heads.”

And they helped David against the bands of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army.

For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, like the army of God.

David’s Army at Hebron

Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord:

of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king;

All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.

And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.

The Ark Brought from Kirjath Jearim

Then David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.

And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us;

So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim.

And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, to Kirjath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, who dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed.

Then David and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.

And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called Perez Uzza to this day.

David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”

So David would not move the ark with him into the City of David, but took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

David Established at Jerusalem

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house.

So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.

Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters.

The Philistines Defeated

Now when the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them.

And David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” The Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”

So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.