2 Samuel 5

Modern English Version

David Anointed King Over Israel^(A)

5 All of the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your bone and flesh. ² Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one leading Israel out and in. Also, the Lord said to you: You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.”

³ So all of the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the Lord at Hebron. They anointed David king over Israel.

⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ He reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and he reigned over all of Israel and Judah from Jerusalem for thirty-three years.

David Conquers Jerusalem^(B)

⁶ The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, who were living in the land. They said to David, “You will not enter here; even the blind and the lame will turn you away”—thinking, “David cannot enter here.” ⁷ Nevertheless, David overthrew the stronghold of Zion, which is now the City of David.

⁸ David said on that day, “Whoever defeats the Jebusites, let him go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind, who are despised by David.” Therefore, it is said, “The blind and lame shall not come into the house.”

⁹ So David occupied the stronghold, and he called it the City of David. He built on all sides from the terraces inward. ¹⁰ David went on and became great, because the Lord, the God of Hosts, was with him.

¹¹ King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar wood, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a house for David. ¹² Then David understood that the Lord had appointed him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

¹³ David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, after having come from Hebron, and they bore him more sons and daughters. ¹⁴ These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

David Defeats the Philistines^(C)

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all of the Philistines went up to search for David, but David heard about this and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and were spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ So David asked the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?”

The Lord said to David, “Go up, because I will certainly give them into your hand.”

²⁰ So David came to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. He said, “The Lord has breached my enemies before me like bursting tides.” Therefore, he named that place Baal Perazim. ²¹ The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

²² Once again, the Philistines went up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. ²³ When David inquired of the Lord, He said, “You shall not go up. Circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees. ²⁴ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, pay attention, because at that point the Lord is going before you to defeat the army of the Philistines.” ²⁵ So David did just as the Lord commanded, and he defeated the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer.