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Despite the taunts, David and his army managed to capture the fortress of Zion, which became the city of David.[a]

David (to his army): If you want to strike down the Jebusites—these blind and lame defenders whom I hate—then go through the water tunnel.

(From this exchange came the saying, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the house.”)

Once David captured the fortress, he stayed there and named it the city of David. He built it up all around, carefully terracing the hillside from the Millo[b] inward.

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Footnotes

  1. 5:7 The city of David is below what would be the temple mount, about seven miles from Bethlehem and adjacent to Jerusalem.
  2. 5:9 The meaning is uncertain. Because the word literally means “filling,” it could have been a terrace or a landfill, or it may be a part of the fortress or a wall.

Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion(A)—which is the City of David.(B)

On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft(C) to reach those ‘lame and blind’(D) who are David’s enemies.[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces[b](E) inward.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 5:8 Or are hated by David
  2. 2 Samuel 5:9 Or the Millo