1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel: and Yehovah said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince 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 Yehovah: 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-three years over all Israel and Judah. 6And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Unless you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here; thinking, David cannot come in here. 7Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; that is the city of David. 8And David said on that day, Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul. Therefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he cannot come into the house. 9And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built all around from Millo and inward. 10And David became greater and greater; for Yehovah, the God of hosts, was with him. 11And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. 12And David perceived that Yehovah had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. 13And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were still more sons and daughters born to David. 14And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 15and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet. 17And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. 18Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19And David inquired of Yehovah, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? will you deliver them into my hand? And Yehovah said to David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand. 20And David came to Baal-perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, Yehovah has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 21And they left their images there; and David and his men took them away. 22And the Philistines came up again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23And when David inquired of Yehovah, he said, You shall not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come upon them opposite the mulberry-trees. 24And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry-trees, that then you shall rouse yourself; for then Yehovah has gone out before you to strike the host of the Philistines. 25And David did so, as Yehovah commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.