2 Samuel 5:1–24:25
5 Then all the tribes of Israel ucame to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, vwe are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, wit was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, x‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince1 over Israel.’ ” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, yand King David made a covenant with them at Hebron zbefore the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ahe reigned forty years. 5 aAt Hebron he reigned over Judah bseven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.2
6 cAnd the king and his men went to Jerusalem dagainst the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, ethat is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” 9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it ethe city of David. And David built the city all around from the fMillo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
11 gAnd hHiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12 And David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
13 And David took more iconcubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 jAnd these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down kto the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in lthe Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David minquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” nTherefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.3 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.
22 And the Philistines came up yet again oand spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 pAnd when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 24 And qwhen you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, rfor then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba sto Gezer.
6 tDavid again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from uBaale-judah vto bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts wwho sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God xon a new cart and brought it yout of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio,1 the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God,2 and Ahio went before the ark.
5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with zsongs3 and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of aNacon, Uzzah bput out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. 7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and cGod struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah4 to this day. 9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” 10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside dto the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, eand the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” fSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom gto the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when hthose who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, ihe sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David jdanced before the Lord with all his might. And David was kwearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.
16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it lin its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. mAnd David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, nhe blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts 19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat,5 and a cake of raisins to each one. oThen all the people departed, each to his house.
20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, puncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the qvulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, rwho chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince6 over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. 22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your7 eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” 23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
The Lord’s Covenant with David
7 sNow when the king lived in his house and the Lord thad given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to uNathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell vin a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells win a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, x“Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: yWould you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house zsince the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about ain a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where bI have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with cany of the judges1 of Israel, whom I commanded dto shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, eI took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince2 over my people Israel. 9 fAnd I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel gand will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place hand be disturbed no more. iAnd violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 jfrom the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And kI will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that lthe Lord will make you a house. 12 mWhen your days are fulfilled and nyou lie down with your fathers, oI will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 pHe shall build a house for my name, and qI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 rI will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, sI will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 sbut my steadfast love will not depart from him, tas I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 uAnd your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.3 uYour throne shall be established forever.’ ” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, v“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. wYou have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? xFor you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 yTherefore you are great,