Old Testament · History

2 Samuel chapter 5

Then all the of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Look — we’re your own .Even before this, when Saul was king over us, you were the one actually leading Israel’s military campaigns. And Yahweh told you, ‘You will my people Israel, and you will become their .’”So all the of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a with them there at Hebron, with Yahweh as witness. Then they David as king over Israel.David was when he became king, and he ruled for .He ruled over Judah from for seven years and six months, and then he ruled over all Israel and Judah from for thirty-three years.The king and his men marched on Jerusalem against the who lived in that area. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here. Even the could keep you out” — because they were sure David couldn’t break through.But David captured the — that’s the .That day David said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites, let him go up through the to strike down those ‘lame and blind’ who are enemies of David.” That’s why people say, “The blind and the lame will not enter the house.”David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area all around it, from the inward.David kept getting stronger and more powerful, because Yahweh, , was with him. king of sent messengers to David, along with , carpenters, and stonemasons. They built David a palace.And David knew that Yahweh had him as king over Israel and had elevated his kingdom .After he moved from Hebron, David took on more and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him.These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, , ,Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.When the heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, the entire Philistine army went up looking for him. David heard about it and went down to the .The Philistines came and spread out across the .David , “Should I go attack the Philistines? Will you ?” Yahweh told David, “Go — because I will absolutely hand the Philistines over to you.”So David went to and defeated them there. He said, “Yahweh has my enemies in front of me, like water breaking through a dam.” That’s why that place is called Baal-perazim.The Philistines abandoned their there, and David and his men carried them off.The Philistines came back up again and spread out across the Valley of Rephaim.David asked Yahweh, and this time he said, “Don’t go straight up. Circle around behind them and come at them from the other side, near the .When you hear the in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly — that will be the signal that Yahweh has to strike down the Philistine army.”David did exactly what Yahweh commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from to .