¹ All the tribes of Israel then came to David at Hebron and said, 'Look, we are your own flesh and bone.

² In days past when Saul was our king, it was you who led Israel on its campaigns, and to you it was that Yahweh promised, "You are to shepherd my people Israel and be leader of Israel." '

³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them in Yahweh's presence at Hebron, and they anointed David as king of Israel.

⁴ David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years.

⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months; then he reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

⁶ The king and his men then marched on Jerusalem, on the Jebusites living in the territory. These said to David, 'You will not get in here. The blind and the lame will hold you off.' (That is to say: David will never get in here.)

⁷ But David captured the citadel of Zion, that is, the City of David.

⁸ That day, David said, 'Whoever gets up the tunnel and kills a Jebusite . . .' As for the blind and the lame, David hated them with his whole being. (Hence the saying: the blind and the lame may not enter the Temple.)

⁹ David went to live in the citadel and called it the City of David. David then built a wall round it, from the Millo inwards.

¹⁰ David grew stronger and stronger, and Yahweh, God of Sabaoth, was with him.

¹¹ Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, with cedar wood, carpenters and stone-cutters, who built David a palace.

¹² David then knew that Yahweh had confirmed him as king of Israel and, for the sake of his people Israel, had extended his sovereignty.

¹³ After coming from Hebron, David took other concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and sons and daughters were born to him.

¹⁴ These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, Eliphelet.

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed as king of Israel, they all went up to seek him out. On hearing this, David went down to the stronghold.

¹⁸ When the Philistines arrived, they deployed in the Valley of the Rephaim.

¹⁹ David consulted Yahweh and asked, 'Shall I attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my power?' Yahweh replied to David, 'Attack! I shall certainly deliver the Philistines into your power.'

²⁰ Accordingly, David went to Baal-Perazim and there David defeated them. He said, 'Yahweh has made a breach in my enemies for me, as though they had been breached by a flood.' This is why the place was given the name Baal-Perazim.

²¹ They had left their gods behind them there, and David and his men carried them off.

²² Again the Philistines invaded and deployed in the Valley of the Rephaim.

²³ David consulted Yahweh, who replied, 'Do not attack them from the front; go round to their rear and engage them opposite the balsam trees.

²⁴ When you hear the sound of footsteps in the tops of the balsam trees, advance, for that will be Yahweh going out ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army.'

²⁵ David did as Yahweh had ordered and beat the Philistines from Gibeon to the Pass of Gezer.