וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ כׇּל־שִׁבְטֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד חֶבְר֑וֹנָה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנְנ֛וּ עַצְמְךָ֥ וּֽבְשָׂרְךָ֖ אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃ aThe account in vv. 1–3 and 6–10 is to be found also, with variations, in 1 Chron. 11.1–9. All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.
גַּם־אֶתְמ֣וֹל גַּם־שִׁלְשׁ֗וֹם בִּֽהְי֨וֹת שָׁא֥וּל מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֗ה (הייתה מוציא) [הָיִ֛יתָ הַמּוֹצִ֥יא] וְהַמֵּבִ֖י אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה לְךָ֗ אַתָּ֨ה תִרְעֶ֤ה אֶת־עַמִּי֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאַתָּ֛ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לְנָגִ֖יד עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ Long before now, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel in war;bled Israel in war Lit. “led Israel out and in.” and GOD said to you: You shall shepherd My people Israel; you shall be ruler of Israel.”
וַ֠יָּבֹ֠אוּ כׇּל־זִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ חֶבְר֔וֹנָה וַיִּכְרֹ֣ת לָהֶם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ דָּוִ֥ד בְּרִ֛ית בְּחֶבְר֖וֹן לִפְנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיִּמְשְׁח֧וּ אֶת־דָּוִ֛ד לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס} All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them in Hebron before GOD. And they anointed David king over Israel.
בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה דָּוִ֖ד בְּמׇלְכ֑וֹ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה מָלָֽךְ׃ David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
בְּחֶבְרוֹן֙ מָלַ֣ךְ עַל־יְהוּדָ֔ה שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֣ה חֳדָשִׁ֑ים וּבִירוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם מָלַ֗ךְ שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וְשָׁלֹשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה עַ֥ל כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וַֽאֲנָשָׁיו֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם אֶל־הַיְבֻסִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לְדָוִ֤ד לֵאמֹר֙ לֹא־תָב֣וֹא הֵ֔נָּה כִּ֣י אִם־הֱסִֽירְךָ֗ הַעִוְרִ֤ים וְהַפִּסְחִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־יָב֥וֹא דָוִ֖ד הֵֽנָּה׃ The king and his men set out for Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the region. David was told, “You will never get in here! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back.” (They meant: David will never enter here.)cEven the blind … enter here Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
וַיִּלְכֹּ֣ד דָּוִ֔ד אֵ֖ת מְצֻדַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הִ֖יא עִ֥יר דָּוִֽד׃ But David captured the stronghold of Zion; it is now the City of David.
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כׇּל־מַכֵּ֤ה יְבֻסִי֙ וְיִגַּ֣ע בַּצִּנּ֔וֹר וְאֶת־הַפִּסְחִים֙ וְאֶת־הַ֣עִוְרִ֔ים (שנאו) [שְׂנוּאֵ֖י] נֶ֣פֶשׁ דָּוִ֑ד עַל־כֵּן֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ עִוֵּ֣ר וּפִסֵּ֔חַ לֹ֥א יָב֖וֹא אֶל־הַבָּֽיִת׃ On that occasion David said, “Those who attack the Jebusites shall reach the water channel and [strike down] the lame and the blind, who are hateful to David.” That is why they say: “No one who is blind or lame may enter the House.”dshall reach the water channel … That is why they say … House Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב דָּוִד֙ בַּמְּצֻדָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָא־לָ֖הּ עִ֣יר דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּ֤בֶן דָּוִד֙ סָבִ֔יב מִן־הַמִּלּ֖וֹא וָבָֽיְתָה׃ David occupied the stronghold and renamed it the City of David; David also fortified the surrounding area, from the MilloeMillo A citadel. inward.
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ דָּוִ֖ד הָל֣וֹךְ וְגָד֑וֹל וַיהֹוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י צְבָא֖וֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
David kept growing stronger, for the ETERNAL, the God of Hosts, was with him.
וַ֠יִּשְׁלַ֠ח חִירָ֨ם מֶלֶךְ־צֹ֥ר מַלְאָכִים֮ אֶל־דָּוִד֒ וַעֲצֵ֣י אֲרָזִ֔ים וְחָרָשֵׁ֣י עֵ֔ץ וְחָרָשֵׁ֖י אֶ֣בֶן קִ֑יר וַיִּבְנוּ־בַ֖יִת לְדָוִֽד׃ fThe account in vv. 11–25 is to be found also, with variations, in 1 Chron. 14.1–16. King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons; and they built a palace for David.
וַיֵּ֣דַע דָּוִ֔ד כִּֽי־הֱכִינ֧וֹ יְהֹוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכִי֙ נִשֵּׂ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֔וֹ בַּעֲב֖וּר עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {ס} Thus David knew that GOD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingship for the sake of Israel—God’s people.
וַיִּקַּח֩ דָּוִ֨ד ע֜וֹד פִּֽלַגְשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם אַחֲרֵ֖י בֹּא֣וֹ מֵחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּוָּ֥לְדוּ ע֛וֹד לְדָוִ֖ד בָּנִ֥ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃ After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to David.
וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמ֛וֹת הַיִּלֹּדִ֥ים ל֖וֹ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם שַׁמּ֣וּעַ וְשׁוֹבָ֔ב וְנָתָ֖ן וּשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃ These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem:gThese are the names … Jerusalem This list is found, in addition to 1 Chron. 14.4–7, in 1 Chron. 3.5–8, with variations. Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon;
וְיִבְחָ֥ר וֶאֱלִישׁ֖וּעַ וְנֶ֥פֶג וְיָפִֽיעַ׃ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, and Japhia;
וֶאֱלִישָׁמָ֥ע וְאֶלְיָדָ֖ע וֶאֱלִיפָֽלֶט׃ {פ}
Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים כִּֽי־מָשְׁח֨וּ אֶת־דָּוִ֤ד לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּעֲל֥וּ כׇל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע דָּוִ֔ד וַיֵּ֖רֶד אֶל־הַמְּצוּדָֽה׃ hVerses 17–25 continue the narrative of v. 3. When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, the Philistines marched up in search of David; but David heard of it, and he went down to the fastness.ifastness Probably the stronghold of Adullam (cf. 1 Sam. 22.4–5).
וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בָּ֑אוּ וַיִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּ בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִֽים׃ The Philistines came and spread out over the Valley of Rephaim.
וַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל דָּוִ֤ד בַּֽיהֹוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶֽעֱלֶה֙ אֶל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים הֲתִתְּנֵ֖ם בְּיָדִ֑י {פ}
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֤ה אֶל־דָּוִד֙ עֲלֵ֔ה כִּֽי־נָתֹ֥ן אֶתֵּ֛ן אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃ David inquired of GOD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hands?” And GOD answered David, “Go up, and I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.”
וַיָּבֹ֨א דָוִ֥ד בְּבַֽעַל־פְּרָצִים֮ וַיַּכֵּ֣ם שָׁ֣ם דָּוִד֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר פָּרַ֨ץ יְהֹוָ֧ה אֶת־אֹיְבַ֛י לְפָנַ֖י כְּפֶ֣רֶץ מָ֑יִם עַל־כֵּ֗ן קָרָ֛א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בַּ֥עַל פְּרָצִֽים׃ Thereupon David marched to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “GOD has broken through my enemies before me as waters break through [a dam].” That is why that place was named Baal-perazim.jBaal-perazim Interpreted as “Baal of Breaches.” Cf. 6.8 below, and the name Perez in Gen. 38.29 and note.
וַיַּ֥עַזְבוּ שָׁ֖ם אֶת־עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשָּׂאֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖ד וַאֲנָשָֽׁיו׃ {פ}
The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
וַיֹּסִ֥פוּ ע֛וֹד פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים לַעֲל֑וֹת וַיִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּ בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִֽים׃ Once again the Philistines marched up and spread out over the Valley of Rephaim.
וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ בַּיהֹוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַעֲלֶ֑ה הָסֵב֙ אֶל־אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם וּבָ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם מִמּ֥וּל בְּכָאִֽים׃ David inquired of GOD, who answered, “Do not go up, but circle around behind them and confront them at the baca kbaca Meaning of Heb. uncertain. trees.
וִ֠יהִ֠י (בשמעך) [כְּֽשׇׁמְעֲךָ֞] אֶת־ק֧וֹל צְעָדָ֛ה בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י הַבְּכָאִ֖ים אָ֣ז תֶּחֱרָ֑ץ כִּ֣י אָ֗ז יָצָ֤א יְהֹוָה֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לְהַכּ֖וֹת בְּמַחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃ And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go into action, for GOD will be going in front of you to attack the Philistine forces.”
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ דָּוִד֙ כֵּ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים מִגֶּ֖בַע עַד־בֹּאֲךָ֥ גָֽזֶר׃ {פ}
David did as GOD had commanded him; and he routed the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.