Open English Translation 2SA Chapter 5

5 Then the leaders of all of Israel’s tribes came to David at Hebron and said to him, “Listen, we’re all close relations. 2 In the past when Sha’ul was our king, you were the one who actually showed leadership of the people. Yahweh has already told you that you will shepherd Israel and become our king.” 3 So with Yahweh as their witness, all the Israeli elders made a formal agreement with David, and they anointed him as king over all Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he became their king and he reigned for a total of forty years:[ref] 5 seven and a half years in Hebron as king of Yehudah, then thirty-three years in Yerushalem as king over all Israel and Yehudah.

6 The king and his men battled against the Yebusites who lived in and around Yerushalem, but Yebusites mocked David, “You’ll never break in here—even blind and crippled men could keep you out,” because they thought that David couldn’t get in.[ref] 7 But David did capture that Tsiyyon stronghold that then became known as David’s city.

8 He’d told his men that day, “Anyone wanting to strike the Yebusites should use the water tunnel to reach the lame people and the blind people—the ones who’re hated by David.” (That’s why they say that blind and crippled people shouldn’t enter the house.[fn])

9 So David lived in that stronghold and called it ‘David’s city’—expanding it on all sides. 10 David continued to grow more powerful because Yahweh the commander God was with him.

11 King Hiram from Tyre sent messengers to David, then he sent carpenters and stone-cutters to build a palace for David.

12 David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over all Israel and that he was prospering the kingdom for the sake of his people the Israelis.

13 After David moved from Hebron to Yerushalem, he married more wives and took more slave-wives, all of whom produced more sons and daughters for him. 14 The names of his sons who were born in Yerushalem were Shammua, Shobab, Natan (Nathan), Shelomoh (Solomon), 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nefeg, Yafia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Elifelet.

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been proclaimed as king over all Israel, their army set off to capture him, but David heard and retreated[fn] to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines moved in and took over the Rafa valley, 19 and David inquired from Yahweh, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you help me defeat them?”

“Yes, attack them,” Yahweh replied, “because I’ll certainly help you to defeat them.”

20 So David attacked and defeated them, and said, “Yahweh broke through my enemies in front of me like breaking a dam.” So he called the place ‘Baal-Peratsim’ (which means ‘Master of breaking through’). 21 The Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men took them away.

22 Then the Philistines returned to the Rafa valley and took over it again. 23 Again David inquired from Yahweh who replied, “No, don’t go straight in. Move around behind them and then attack them from opposite the trees. 24 Then when you hear a sound in the tops of the trees that sounds like marching, then you’ll know that Yahweh has gone ahead to strike the Philistines’ camp.” 25 So David followed Yahweh’s instructions they attacked the Philistines from Geva all the way to Gezer.