Online Bible: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

1 In time all the tribes of Israel came to David at He´bron and said: “Look! We ourselves are your bone and your flesh. 2 Both yesterday and previously while Saul happened to be king over us, you yourself became the one leading Israel out and bringing it in. And Jehovah proceeded to say to you, ‘You yourself will shepherd my people Israel, and you yourself will become leader over Israel.’” 3 So all the older men of Israel came to the king at He´bron, and King David concluded a covenant with them in He´bron before Jehovah; after which they anointed David as king over Israel.

4 Thirty years old was David when he became king. For forty years he ruled as king. 5 In He´bron he ruled as king over Judah for seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he ruled as king for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. 6 Consequently the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jeb´u·sites inhabiting the land, and they began to say to David: “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame ones will certainly turn you away,” they thinking: “David will not come in here.” 7 Just the same, David proceeded to capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the City of David. 8 So David said on that day: “Anyone striking the Jeb´u·sites, let him, by means of the water tunnel, make contact with both the lame and the blind, hateful to the soul of David!” That is why they say: “The blind one and the lame one will not come into the house.” 9 And David took up dwelling in the stronghold, and it came to be called the City of David; and David began to build all around from the Mound and inward. 10 Thus David went on getting greater and greater, and Jehovah the God of armies was with him.

11 And Hi´ram the king of Tyre proceeded to send messengers to David, and also cedar trees and workers in wood and workers in stone for walls, and they began to build a house for David. 12 And David came to know that Jehovah had firmly established him as king over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

13 Meantime, David went on taking more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he came from He´bron; and more sons and daughters continued to be born to David. 14 And these are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Sham·mu´a and Sho´bab and Nathan and Sol´o·mon, 15 and Ib´har and E·li´shu·a and Ne´pheg and Ja·phi´a, 16 and E·lish´a·ma and E·li´a·da and E·liph´e·let.

17 And the Phi·lis´tines got to hear that they had anointed David as king over Israel. At that all the Phi·lis´tines came up to look for David. When David heard of it, then he went down to the place hard to approach. 18 And the Phi·lis´tines, for their part, came in and kept tramping about in the low plain of Reph´a·im. 19 And David began to inquire of Jehovah, saying: “Shall I go up against the Phi·lis´tines? Will you give them into my hand?” At this Jehovah said to David: “Go up, for I shall without fail give the Phi·lis´tines into your hands.” 20 So David came to Ba´al-pe·ra´zim, and David got to strike them down there. At that he said: “Jehovah has broken through my enemies ahead of me, like a gap made by waters.” That is why he called the name of that place Ba´al-pe·ra´zim. 21 Consequently they left their idols there, and so David and his men took them away.

22 Later the Phi·lis´tines came up once again and tramped about in the low plain of Reph´a·im. 23 At that David inquired of Jehovah, but he said: “You must not go up. Go around to the rear of them, and you must come against them in front of the ba´ca bushes. 24 And let it occur that, when you hear the sound of a marching in the tops of the ba´ca bushes, at that time you act with decision, because at that time Jehovah will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the camp of the Phi·lis´tines.” 25 Accordingly David did that way, just as Jehovah had commanded him, and he went striking down the Phi·lis´tines from Ge´ba to as far as Ge´zer.