2 Samuel 5

David becomes king over all Israel

¹Then all the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron. “Look,” they told him, “we are your own bone and flesh. ²In times past, even while Saul reigned over us, you were the one who led Israel out to battle and brought them back. And the LORD said to you, ‘You are the one who will shepherd my people Israel; you will become ruler over Israel.’” ³When all the elders of Israel had come to the king in Hebron, King David made a covenant with them there in the presence of the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

David takes Jerusalem

⁴David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and his reign lasted forty years. ⁵At Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. ⁶Then the king and his men marched on Jerusalem, against the Jebusites who lived in that land. They told David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can fend you off.” By this they meant, “David cannot get in here.”^{a 7}But David captured the stronghold of Zion, which is now the City of David. ⁸On that day David said, “Whoever would strike down the Jebusites must go up through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind, whom David hates.” That is why people say, “The blind and the lame will not come into the house.”^{bcd 9}David took up residence in the stronghold and named it the City of David. He built up the area all around it, from the Millo inward.^{e 10}David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of Armies, was with him.

¹¹Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, with cedar logs, woodworkers and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. ¹²Then David knew that the LORD had made him secure as king over Israel, and had raised his kingdom high for the sake of his people Israel.

Sons born to David in Jerusalem

¹³David took further concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he left Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴The names of the children born to him in Jerusalem are these: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

David defeats the Philistines

¹⁷News reached the Philistines that David had been anointed king over Israel, so the whole Philistine force went up to hunt for him. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold.^{f 18}Now the Philistines had come and spread out across the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹So David inquired of the LORD, “Am I to go up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD answered David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.” ²⁰So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there. He said, “The LORD has burst through my enemies ahead of me, like water breaking through.” That is why that place was named Baal-perazim.^{g 21}The Philistines left their idols behind there, and David and his men carried them off.

²²Once again the Philistines came up and spread out across the Valley of Rephaim. ²³When David inquired of the LORD, he answered, “Do not go straight up. Go around to their rear and attack them opposite the balsam trees.^{h 24}The moment you hear the sound of marching along the tops of the balsam trees, move fast, for that means the LORD has gone out ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” ²⁵David did exactly what the LORD had commanded him, and he struck the Philistines down all the way from Geba to Gezer.ⁱ