1 THEN ALL the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord told you, You shall feed My people Israel and be prince over [them]. 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them [there] before the Lord, and they anointed [him] king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began his forty-year reign. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, You shall not enter here, for the blind and the lame will prevent you; they thought, David cannot come in here. 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the City of David. 8 David said on that day, Whoever smites the Jebusites, let him get up through the water shaft and smite the lame and the blind who are detested by David's soul. So they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. 9 So David dwelt in the stronghold and called it the City of David. And he built round about from the Millo and inward. 10 David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him.
11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. 12 And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake.
13 And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and other sons and daughters were born to [him]. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went up to find [him], but [he] heard of it and went down to the stronghold. 18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the Valley of Rephaim. 19 David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said to David, Go up, for I will surely deliver [them] into your hand. 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and he smote them there, and said, The Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like the bursting out of great waters. So he called the name of that place Baal-perazim [Lord of breaking through]. 21 There the Philistines left their 1 images, and David and his men took them away.
22 The Philistines came up again and spread themselves out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 When David inquired of the Lord, He said, You shall not go up, but go around behind them and come upon them over opposite the mulberry (or balsam) trees. 24 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then bestir yourselves, for then has the Lord gone out before you to smite the army of the Philistines. 25 And David did as the Lord had commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.