2 Samuel 5:1–13; 2 Samuel 5:17–25; 2 Samuel 6:1–11; 1 Chronicles 3:4; 1 Chronicles 11:1–9; 1 Chronicles 12:23–14:2; 1 Chronicles 14:8–17

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2 Samuel 5:1–13

David Anointed King of Israel

Then all the tribes of Israel ucame to David at Hebron and said, Behold, vwe are your bone and flesh. 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, xYou shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince1 over Israel. 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. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ahe reigned forty years. 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

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 offthinking, David cannot come in here. Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, ethat is, the city of David. 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. 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.


2 Samuel 5:17–25

David Defeats the Philistines

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.1 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.


2 Samuel 6:1–11

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

tDavid again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. 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. 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, with the ark of God,2 and Ahio went before the ark.

Uzzah and the Ark

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. 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. 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. And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah4 to this day. 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.


1 Chronicles 3:4

six were born to him in Hebron, pwhere he reigned for seven years and six months. qAnd he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.


1 Chronicles 11:1–9

David Anointed King

eThen all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord your God said to you, fYou shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel, gaccording to the word of the Lord by Samuel.

David Takes Jerusalem

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, hthat is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, ithe inhabitants of the land. The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, You will not come in here. Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. David said, Whoever strikes the Jebusites first jshall be chief and commander. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. And David kbecame greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.


1 Chronicles 12:23–14:2

23 These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops owho came to David in Hebron pto turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, qaccording to the word of the Lord. 24 The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were 6,800 armed troops. 25 Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100. 26 Of the Levites 4,600. 27 The prince Jehoiada, of the house of Aaron, and with him 3,700. 28 rZadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house. 29 Of the Benjaminites, sthe kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the tmajority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30 Of the Ephraimites 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were uexpressly named to come and make David king. 32 Of Issachar, men who vhad understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. 33 Of Zebulun 50,000 seasoned troops, wequipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David1 with xsingleness of purpose. 34 Of Naphtali 1,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear. 35 Of the Danites 28,600 men equipped for battle. 36 Of yAsher 40,000 zseasoned troops zready for battle. 37 Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war.

38 All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with aa whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a bsingle mind to make David king. 39 And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them. 40 And also their relatives, from as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, ccakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

The Ark Brought from Kiriath-Jearim

David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, with every leader. And David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it seems good to you and from the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our brothers dwho remain in all the lands of Israel, as well as to the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasturelands, that they may be gathered to us. Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us, efor we did not seek it2 in the days of Saul. All the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

Uzzah and the Ark

fSo David assembled all Israel gfrom the hNile3 of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God ifrom Kiriath-jearim. jAnd David and all Israel went up to kBaalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim that belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord who lsits enthroned above the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of mAbinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio4 were driving the cart. And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and nlyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.

And when they came to the threshing floor of oChidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down pbecause he put out his hand to the ark, and qhe died there before God. 11 And David was angry because the Lord had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzza5 to this day. 12 And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, How can I bring the ark of God home to me? 13 So David did not take the ark home into the city of David, but took it aside to the house rof Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 And the ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months. sAnd the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.

David’s Wives and Children

tAnd Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also masons and carpenters to build a house for him. And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.


1 Chronicles 14:8–17

Philistines Defeated

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went out against them. Now the Philistines had come and ymade a raid in the zValley of Rephaim. 10 And David inquired of God, Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand? And the Lord said to him, Go up, and I will give them into your hand. 11 And he went up to Baal-perazim, and David struck them down there. And David said, God has broken through1 my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood. Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. 12 And they left their gods there, and David gave command, and they were burned.

13 And the Philistines yet again amade a raid in the valley. 14 And when David again inquired of God, bGod said to him, You shall not go up after them; go around and come against them opposite the balsam trees. 15 And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines. 16 And David did as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. 17 And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the cfear of him upon all nations.