¹ Then came all the tribes of Israel unto David, in Hebron,—and spake, saying—Behold us! thy bone and thy flesh, we are.

² Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou, wast he that led out and brought in, Israel,—and Yahweh said to thee—Thou, shalt be shepherd unto my people, Israel, and, thou, shalt become leader over Israel.

³ So all the elders of Israel came unto the king, in Hebron, and King David solemnised to them a covenant in Hebron, before Yahweh, —and they anointed David to be king over Israel.

⁴ Thirty years old, was David when he began to reign,—forty years, he reigned:

⁵ in Hebron, reigned he over Judah, seven years, and six months,—and, in Jerusalem, reigned he thirty and three years, over all Israel and Judah.

⁶ Then went the king and his men, to Jerusalem, against the Jebusites, inhabiting the land,—and they spake to David, saying—Thou canst not come in hither, unless thou take away the blind and lame—Thinking, David will not come in hither.

⁷ So then David captured the citadel of Zion,—the same, is the city of David.

⁸ And David said, on that day—Whosoever is smiting the Jebusites, then let him reach as far as the aqueduct. But, as for the lame and the blind, they were the hated of David’s soul,—for which cause, they kept on saying, Blind and lame! he will not enter the place.

⁹ So then David dwelt in the citadel, and called it, The City of David,—and David built round about, from Millo and inwards.

¹⁰ And David went on and on waxing great,—Yahweh, God of hosts, being with him.

¹¹ Then Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers unto David, with cedar-wood, and carpenters, and masons, and they built a house for David.

¹² So David perceived that Yahweh had established him to be king over Israel,—and that he had exalted his kingdom, for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ And David took him yet more concubines and wives, out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron, and there were, yet further, born unto David, sons and daughters.

¹⁴ Now, these, are the names of the sons who were born unto him in Jerusalem,—Shammua and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon;

¹⁵ and Ibhar and Elishua and Nepheg and Yaphia;

¹⁶ and Elishama and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

¹⁷ And, when the Philistine heard that they had anointed David to be king over Israel, then came up all the Philistines to seek to secure David, and David heard of it, and went down into the citadel.

¹⁸ Now, the Philistines, had come,—and had spread themselves out in the vale of Rephaim.

¹⁹ So then David enquired of Yahweh, saying,—Shall I go up against the Philistines? Wilt thou deliver them into my hand? And Yahweh said unto David—Go up; for I, will surely deliver, the Philistines into thy hand.

²⁰ And David entered Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said—Yahweh hath broken forth upon mine enemies, before me, like a breaking forth of waters. For this cause, called he the name of that place, Baal-perazim.

²¹ And they left their images there,—and David and his men took them away.

²² And, yet again, did the Philistines come up, —and they spread themselves out in the vale of Rephaim.

²³ So David enquired of Yahweh, and he said—Thou shalt not go up,—Get round behind them, and come in upon them, over against the mulberry-trees.

²⁴ And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, then, shalt thou act with decision,—for, then, will Yahweh have gone forth before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

²⁵ And David did so, as Yahweh had commanded him,—and smote the Philistines, from Gibeon until thou enterest Gezer.