1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your flesh and blood. 2 Previously when Saul was our king, you were the one who led the Israelite army into battle. The Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be their ruler.’ ”

3 All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made an agreement with them in the Lord's presence. Then they anointed him king of Israel.

4 David was thirty when he became king, and he reigned for forty years. 5 He reigned over Judah seven years and six months from Hebron, and he reigned over all of Israel and Judah for thirty-three years from Jerusalem.

6 David the king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who were living there. The Jebusites told David: “You'll never enter here. Even the blind and lame could stop you.” They were convinced that David could not get in.

7 But David did capture the fortress of Zion, now known as the City of David. 8 At that time he said, “If we are to successfully conquer the Jebusites we'll have to go up the water shaft to attack these ‘lame and blind’ —these people who hate David. This is why it's said, ‘The blind and the lame will never enter the house.’ ”*There is debate over the meaning of “house” here. It could refer to ordinary houses, or the king's house (palace). However, the Septuagint has “house of the Lord,” which probably refers to the stipulation in Leviticus 21:17-23.

9 David went and lived in the fortress, and named it the City of David. He extended it in all directions, starting from the outer supporting terraces and moving inwards. 10 David became increasingly powerful, for the Lord God Almighty was with him.

11 King Hiram of Tyre sent representatives to David, together with cedar timber, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 David realized that the Lord had installed him as king of Israel, and had made his kingdom great for the sake of his people Israel.

13 After he moved from Hebron, David added more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and he had more sons and daughters. 14 These are the names of his children born 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 of Israel, the whole Philistine army came out to capture him, but David found out and went inside the stronghold. 18 The Philistines came and spread out across the Valley of Rephaim. 19 David asked the Lord “Should I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

“Yes, go,” the Lord replied, “for I will definitely hand them over to you.”

20 David went to Baal-perazim and he defeated the Philistines there. “Like a flood that bursts out, so the Lord has burst out against my enemies right before me,” David declared. So he named that place Baal-perazim. 21 The Philistines left their idols behind, and David and his men removed them.

22 A while later the Philistines came again and spread out across the Valley of Rephaim. 23 David asked the Lord what to do. The Lord replied, “Don't attack them directly, but go round behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. 24 Immediately you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees be ready, because this means the Lord has marched out before you to attack the Philistine camp.”

25 David followed the Lord's orders, and he slaughtered the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.