2 Samuel 5 (NET)

David Is Anointed King Over Israel

1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood!1 2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel.2 The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”

3 When all the leaders3 of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them4 in Hebron before the Lord. They designated5 David as king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem6 he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

David Occupies Jerusalem

6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem7 against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites8 said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”

7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the city of David). 8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies9 by going through the water tunnel.”10 For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.”11

9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards. 10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God12 who commands armies13 was with him.14

11 King Hiram of Tyre15 sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace16 for David. 12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Conflict with the Philistines

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated17 king over Israel, they all18 went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress. 18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed19 hand the Philistines over to you.”

20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.20 21 The Philistines21 abandoned their idols22 there, and David and his men picked them up.

22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. 23 So David asked the Lord what he should do.23 This time24 the Lord25 said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees.26 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army27 of the Philistines.” 25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.28

1tn Heb “look we are your bone and your flesh.” 2tn Heb “you were the one leading out and the one leading in Israel.” 3tn Heb “elders.” 4tn Heb “and the king, David, cut for them a covenant.” 5tn Heb “anointed.” 6map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 7map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 8tn The Hebrew text has “he” rather than “the Jebusites.” The referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. In the Syriac Peshitta and some mss of the Targum the verb is plural rather than singular. 9tc There is some confusion among the witnesses concerning this word. The Kethib is the Qal perfect 3cp שָׂנְאוּ (sanÿ’u, “they hated”), referring to the Jebusites’ attitude toward David. The Qere is the Qal passive participle construct plural שְׂנֻאֵי (sÿnu’e, “hated”), referring to David’s attitude toward the Jebusites. 4QSam^a has the Qal perfect 3rd person feminine singular שָׂנְאָה (sanÿ’ah, “hated”), the subject of which would be “the soul of David.” The difference is minor and the translation adopted above works for either the Kethib or the Qere. 10tn The meaning of the Hebrew term has been debated. For a survey of various views, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 139-40.sn If a water tunnel is in view here, it is probably the so-called Warren’s Shaft that extends up from Hezekiah’s tunnel. It would have provided a means for surprise attack against the occupants of the city of David. The LXX seems not to understand the reference here, translating “by the water shaft” as “with a small knife.” 11tn Heb “the house.” TEV takes this as a reference to the temple (“the Lord’s house”). 12tc 4QSam^a and the LXX lack the word “God,” probably due to harmonization with the more common biblical phrase “the Lord of hosts.” 13tn Traditionally, “the Lord God of hosts” (KJV, NASB); NIV, NLT “the Lord God Almighty”; CEV “the Lord (+ God NCV) All-Powerful.” 14tn The translation assumes that the disjunctive clause is circumstantial-causal, giving the reason for David’s success. 15map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3. 16tn Heb “a house.” 17tn Heb “anointed.” 18tn Heb “all the Philistines.” 19tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the following verb. 20tn The name means “Lord of the outbursts.” 21tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Philistines) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 22tc For “idols” the LXX and Vulgate have “gods.” 23tn The words “what to do” are not in the Hebrew text. 24tn The words “this time” are not in the Hebrew text. 25tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 26tn Some translate as “balsam trees” (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV, NJB, NLT); cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV “mulberry trees”; NAB “mastic trees”; NEB, REB “aspens.” The exact identification of the type of tree or plant is uncertain. 27tn Heb “camp” (so NAB). 28tn Heb “from Gibeon until you enter Gezer.”