Open English Translation 2 SAM Chapter 5

5 Then the leaders of all of Yisrael’s (Israel) tribes came to David at Hevron and said to him, “Listen, we’re all close relations. 2 In the past when Sha’ul (Saul) was our king, you were the one who actually showed leadership of the people. Yahweh has already told you that you will shepherd Yisrael 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 Yisrael. 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 Hevron as king of Yehudah (Judah), then thirty-three years in Yerushalem (Jerusalem) as king over all Yisrael and Yehudah.

6 The king and his men battled against the Yevusim who lived in and around Yerushalem (Jerusalem),[ref] but Yevusim 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. 7 But David did capture that Tsiyon (Zion) stronghold that then became known as David’s city.

8 He’d told his men that day, “Anyone wanting to strike the Yevusim should use the water tunnel to reach the lame people and the blind people—the ones who are 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 Tsor (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 Yisrael (Israel) and that he was prospering the kingdom for the sake of his people the Israelis.

13 After David moved from Hevron to Yerushalem (Jerusalem), 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 Shamua, Shovav, Natan (Nathan), Shelomoh (Solomon), 15 Yavehar, Elishua, Nefeg, Yafia, 16 Elishama, Elyada, and Elifelet.

17 When the Pelishtim heard that David had been proclaimed as king over all Yisrael (Israel), their army set off to capture him, but David heard and retreated[fn] to the stronghold. 18 The Pelishtim moved in and took over the Rafa valley, 19 and David inquired from Yahweh, “Should I attack the Pelishtim? 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 ‘Ba’al-Peratsim’ (which means ‘Master of breaking through’). 21 The Pelishtim left their idols there, and David and his men took them away.

22 Then the Pelishtim 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 Pelishtim’ camp.” 25 So David followed Yahweh’s instructions they attacked the Pelishtim from Geva all the way to Gezer.