| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. | 1Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. |
| 2Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’ ” | 2In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” |
| 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel. | 3So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel. |
| 4David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. | 4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. |
| 5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. | 5He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. David Captures Jerusalem |
| 6Now the king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you.” For they thought, “David cannot get in here.” | 6David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe. |
| 7Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). | 7But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David. |
| 8On that day he said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must use the water shaft to reach the lame and blind who are despised by David.” That is why it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the palace.” | 8On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel. ” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.” |
| 9So David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built it up all the way around, from the supporting terraces inward. | 9So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward. |
| 10And David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of Hosts was with him. | 10And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God of Heaven’s Armies was with him. |
| 11Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. | 11Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. |
| 12And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. | 12And David realized that the LORD had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. |
| 13After he had arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. | 13After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David married more concubines and wives, and they had more sons and daughters. |
| 14These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, | 14These are the names of David’s sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, |
| 15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, | 15Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, |
| 16Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. | 16Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. David Conquers the Philistines |
| 17When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of him; but David learned of this and went down to the stronghold. | 17When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. |
| 18Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. | 18The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. |
| 19So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.” | 19So David asked the LORD, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The LORD replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.” |
| 20So David went to Baal-perazim, where he defeated the Philistines and said, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me.” So he called that place Baal-perazim. | 20So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The LORD did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”). |
| 21There the Philistines abandoned their idols, and David and his men carried them away. | 21The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them. |
| 22Once again the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. | 22But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. |
| 23So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. | 23And again David asked the LORD what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” the LORD replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. |
| 24As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” | 24When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the LORD is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” |
| 25So David did as the LORD had commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. | 25So David did what the LORD commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. |
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