2Sa 5-10 | ESV | STEP | Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said , Behold , we are your bone and flesh .

1 Then all the tribes of Israel ^acame to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, ^bwe are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, ^cit was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ^d‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince ^{▼▼Or leader} over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, ^fand King David made a covenant with them at Hebron ^gbefore the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^hhe reigned forty years. 5 ⁱAt Hebron he reigned over Judah ^jseven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. ^{▼▼Dead Sea Scroll lacks verses 4–5}

6 ^lAnd the king and his men went to Jerusalem ^magainst 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, ⁿthat 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 ^othe city of David. And David built the city all around from the ^pMillo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

11 ^qAnd ^rHiram 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 ^sconcubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 ^tAnd 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.

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 ^uto the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread out in ^vthe Valley of Rephaim. 19 And David ^winquired 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.” ^xTherefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. ^{▼▼ Baal-perazim means lord of bursting through} 21 And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

22 And the Philistines came up yet again ^zand spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 ^aaAnd 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 ^abwhen you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, ^acfor 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 ^adto Gezer.

2 Samuel 6

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

1 ^aeDavid 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 ^afBaale-judah ^agto bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts ^ahwho sits enthroned on the cherubim. 3 And they carried the ark of God ^aion a new cart and brought it ^ajout of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, ^{▼▼Or and his brother; also verse 4} the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, ^{▼▼Compare Septuagint; Hebrew the new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill} 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

Uzzah and the Ark

5 And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with ^amsongs ^{▼▼Septuagint, 1 Chronicles 13:8; Hebrew fir trees} and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. 6 And when they came to the threshing floor of ^aoNacon, Uzzah ^apput 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 ^aqGod 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-uzzah ^{▼▼ Perez-uzzah means the breaking out against Uzzah} 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 ^asto 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, ^atand 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.” ^auSo David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom ^avto the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when ^awthose who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, ^axhe sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David ^aydanced before the Lord with all his might. And David was ^azwearing 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.

David and Michal

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 ^bain its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. ^bbAnd David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, ^bche 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, ^{▼▼Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain} and a cake of raisins to each one. ^beThen 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, ^bfuncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the ^bgvulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” 21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, ^bhwho chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince ^{▼▼Or leader} 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 your ^{▼▼Septuagint; Hebrew my} 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.

2 Samuel 7

The Lord’s Covenant with David

1 ^bkNow when the king lived in his house and the Lord ^blhad given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to ^bmNathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell ^bnin a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells ^boin a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, ^bp“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: ^bqWould you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house ^brsince the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about ^bsin a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where ^btI have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with ^buany of the judges ^{▼▼Compare 1 Chronicles 17:6; Hebrew tribes} of Israel, whom I commanded ^bwto 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, ^bxI took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince ^{▼▼Or leader} over my people Israel. 9 ^bzAnd 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 ^caand will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place ^cband be disturbed no more. ^ccAnd violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 ^cdfrom the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And ^ceI will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that ^cfthe Lord will make you a house. 12 ^cgWhen your days are fulfilled and ^chyou lie down with your fathers, ^ciI will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 ^cjHe shall build a house for my name, and ^ckI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 ^clI will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, ^cmI will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 ^cnbut my steadfast love will not depart from him, ^coas I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 ^cpAnd your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. ^{▼▼Septuagint; Hebrew you} ^crYour throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer of Gratitude

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, ^cs“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. ^ctYou 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? ^cuFor 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 ^cvTherefore you are great, O Lord God. ^cwFor there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 ^cxAnd who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name ^cyand doing for them ^{▼▼With a few Targums, Vulgate, Syriac; Hebrew you} great and awesome things by driving out ^{▼▼Septuagint (compare 1 Chronicles 17:21); Hebrew for your land} before your people, whom ^dbyou redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 ^dcAnd you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and ^ddyour words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, ^deand with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

2 Samuel 8

David’s Victories

1 ^dfAfter this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took ^dgMetheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

2 ^dhAnd he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites ^dibecame servants to David and ^djbrought tribute.

3 David also defeated ^dkHadadezer the son of Rehob, king of ^dlZobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. 4 ^dmAnd David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David ^dnhamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 ^doAnd when the ^dpSyrians of Damascus came to help ^dqHadadezer king of ^drZobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians ^dsbecame servants to David and brought tribute. ^dtAnd the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took ^duthe shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

9 When Toi king of ^dvHamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 ^dwThese also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, ^dxMoab, ^dythe Ammonites, ^dzthe Philistines, ^eaAmalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of ^ebZobah.

13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in ^ecthe Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, ^edand all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Officials

15 So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 16 ^eeJoab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and ^efJehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and ^egZadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and ^ehSeraiah was secretary, 18 and ^eiBenaiah the son of Jehoiada was over ^{▼▼Compare 20:23, 1 Chronicles 18:17, Syriac, Targum, Vulgate; Hebrew lacks was over} the ^ekCherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.

2 Samuel 9

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

1 And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may ^elshow him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was ^emZiba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show ^enthe kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of ^eoJonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4 The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of ^epMachir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6 And ^eqMephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, ^erfor I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and ^esyou shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for ^eta dead dog such as I?”

9 Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10 And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson ^eushall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had ^evfifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ^ewate at David’s ^{▼▼Septuagint; Hebrew my} table, like one of the king’s sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, ^eywhose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for ^ezhe ate always at the king’s table. Now ^fahe was lame in both his feet.

2 Samuel 10

David Defeats Ammon and Syria

1 ^fbAfter this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 And David said, “I will deal loyally ^{▼▼Or kindly; twice in this verse} with Hanun the son of ^fdNahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. 3 But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?” 4 So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, ^feat their hips, and sent them away. 5 When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of ^ffBeth-rehob, and ^fgthe Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and the king of ^fhMaacah with 1,000 men, and the men of ^fiTob, 12,000 men. 7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the host of ^fjthe mighty men. 8 And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and ^fkthe Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and ^flthe men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

9 When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 10 The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11 And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. 12 ^fmBe of good courage, and ^fnlet us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and ^fomay the Lord do what seems good to him.” 13 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14 And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

15 But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond ^fpthe Euphrates. ^{▼▼Hebrew the River} They came to Helam, with ^frShobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded ^fsShobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. 19 And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel ^ftand became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.