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David Anointed King over All Israel

^1 (C1)Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and ^(F1)said, "Behold, we are ^(C2)your bone and your flesh.² "Previously, when Saul was king over us, ^(C1)you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and Yahweh said to you, '^(C2)You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ^(C3)a ruler over Israel.'"³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David ^(C1)cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; then ^(C2)they anointed David king over Israel.⁴ Now David was ^(C1)thirty years old when he became king, and ^(C2)he reigned forty years.⁵ At Hebron ^(C1)he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

^6 (C1)Then the king and his men went to ^(C2)Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to ^(F1)David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away"; ^(F2)thinking, "David cannot enter here."⁷ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, that is ^(C1)the city of David.⁸ And David said on that day, "Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul, through the water tunnel." Therefore they say, "The blind or the lame shall not come into the house."⁹ Then David lived in the fortress and called it ^(C1)the city of David. And David built all around from the ^(F1)(C2)Millo and inward.^10 (C1)And David became greater and greater, and Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.

^11 (C1)Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and craftsmen of wood and craftsmen of stone walls; and ^(C2)they built a house for David.¹² Thus David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that He had lifted up his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

Children Born to David in Jerusalem

¹³ And ^(C1)David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.¹⁴ Now ^(C1)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.

David Goes Up Against the Philistines

¹⁷ Then the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, so ^(C1)all the Philistines went up to seek out David. And David heard of it and went down to the ^(C2)fortress.¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves out in ^(C1)the valley of Rephaim.¹⁹ Then ^(C1)David asked of Yahweh, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them into my hand?" And ^(C2)Yahweh said to David, "Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand."²⁰ So David came to ^(C1)Baal-perazim, and there David struck them down; and he said, "Yahweh has broken through my enemies before me, like the breakthrough of waters." Therefore he named that place ^(F1)Baal-perazim.²¹ And they forsook their idols there; so ^(C1)David and his men carried them away.

²² Then ^(C1)the Philistines yet again came up and spread themselves out in the valley of Rephaim.²³ So ^(C1)David asked of Yahweh, and He said, "You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the ^(F1)balsam trees.²⁴ "And it will be that when ^(C1)you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the ^(F1)balsam trees, then you shall act promptly, for then ^(C2)Yahweh will have gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines."²⁵ Then David did so, just as Yahweh had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from ^(F1)(C1)Geba ^(F2)as far as ^(C2)Gezer.