1Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and said thus, Behold, we are thy bones and thy flesh.
2And in time past when Saul was our King, thou leddest Israel in and out: and the Lord hath said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
3So all the Elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron: and King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David King over Israel.
4David was thirty years old when he began to reign: and he reigned forty years.
5In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years, and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
6The King also and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: who spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking that David could not come thither:
7But David took the fort of Zion: this is the city of David.
8Now David had said the same day, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, and getteth up to the gutters and smiteth the lame and blind, which David’s soul hateth, I will prefer him: therefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into that house.
9So David dwelt in that fort, and called it the city of David, and David built round about it, from Millo, and inward.
10And David prospered and grew: for the Lord God of hosts was with him.
11Hiram also king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons for walls: and they built David an house.
12Then David knew that the Lord had established him King over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake.
13And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.
14And these be the names of the sons, that were born unto him in Jerusalem, Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
15And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
16And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David: and when David heard, he went down to a fort.
18But the Philistines came, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
19Then David asked counsel of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hands? And the Lord answered David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hands.
20Then David came to Baal Perazim, and smote them there, and said, The Lord hath divided mine enemies asunder before me, as waters be divided asunder: therefore he called the name of that place, Baal Perazim.
21And there they left their images, and David and his men burnt them.
22Again the Philistines came up, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23And when David asked counsel of the Lord, he answered, Thou shalt not go up, but turn about behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
24And when thou hearest the noise of one going in the tops of the mulberry trees, then remove: for then shall the Lord go out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.
25Then David did so as the Lord had commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba, until thou come to Gezer.