The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Then all the tribes of Isra'el came to David in Hevron and said, "Here, we are your own flesh and bone.
1
All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron. "We are your own flesh and blood," they said.
2 In the past, when Sha'ul was king over us, it was you who led Isra'el's military campaigns; and ADONAI said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Isra'el, and you will be chief over Isra'el.'"
2
"Even in the past when Saul ruled us, you were the one who led Israel in battle. The LORD has said to you, 'You will be shepherd of my people Israel, the leader of Israel.'"
3 So all the leaders of Isra'el came to the king in Hevron, and King David made a covenant with them in Hevron in the presence of ADONAI. Then they anointed David king over Isra'el.
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All the leaders of Israel had come to Hebron. King David made an agreement with them at Hebron in front of the LORD. So they anointed David king of Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he began his rule, and he ruled forty years.
4
David was 30 years old when he became king, and he ruled for 40 years.
5 In Hevron he ruled over Y'hudah seven years and six months; then in Yerushalayim he ruled thirty-three years over all Isra'el and Y'hudah.
5
In Hebron he ruled Judah for seven years and six months. In Jerusalem he ruled for 33 years over all Israel and Judah.
6 The king and his men went to Yerushalayim to attack the Y'vusi, the inhabitants of that region. They taunted David, "You won't get in here! Even the blind and the lame could fend you off!"- in other words, they were thinking, "David will never get in here."
6
The king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived in that region. The Jebusites told David, "You will never get in here. Even the blind and the lame could turn you away" (meaning that David could never get in there).
7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Tziyon, also known [now] as the City of David.
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But David captured the fortress Zion (that is, the City of David).
8 What David said on that day was, "In order to attack the Y'vusi, you have to climb up [from the spring outside the city] through the water tunnel. Then you can do away with those [so-called] 'lame and blind'" (whom David despises - hence the expression, "The 'blind and lame' keep him from entering the house").
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That day David said, "Whoever wants to defeat the Jebusites must reach the lame and the blind who hate me by using the water shaft." So there is a saying, "The blind and the lame will not get into the palace."
9 David lived in the stronghold and called it the City of David. Then David built up the city around it, starting at the Millo [earth rampart] and working inward.
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David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built the city [of Jerusalem] around it from the Millo to the palace.
10 David grew greater and greater, because ADONAI the God of Armies was with him.
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David continued to grow more powerful because the LORD God of Armies was with him.
11 Hiram king of Tzor sent envoys to David with cedar logs, and with them were carpenters and stonemasons; and they built David a palace.
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Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedarwood, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace for David.
12 David then knew that ADONAI had set him up as king over Isra'el and increased his royal power for the sake of his people.
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So David realized that the LORD had established him as king of Israel and made his kingship famous for the sake of Israel, the LORD's people.
13 David took for himself more concubines and wives in Yerushalayim after coming from Hevron, so that still more sons and daughters were born to David.
13
David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he had come there from Hebron, and he fathered more sons and daughters.
14 Here are the names of those born to him in Yerushalayim: Shamua, Shovav, Natan, Shlomo,
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These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15 Yivchar, Elishua, Nefeg, Yafia,
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Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,
16 Elishama, Elyada and Elifelet.
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Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17 When the P'lishtim heard that David had been anointed king over Isra'el, all the P'lishtim went up in search of David. On learning of it, David went down to the stronghold.
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When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, all of them came to attack David. But David heard about it and went to the fortress.
18 The P'lishtim came and deployed in the Refa'im Valley.
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The Philistines had come and overrun the valley of Rephaim.
19 David consulted ADONAI, asking, "Should I attack the P'lishtim? Will you hand them over to me?"ADONAI answered David, "Attack; I will certainly hand the P'lishtim over to you."
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David asked the LORD, "Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered David, "Attack! I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you."
20 So David went to Ba'al-P'ratzim and defeated them there. He said, "ADONAI has broken through my enemies for me like a river breaking through its banks." This is why he called the place Ba'al-P'ratzim [Lord of breaking through].
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So David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines there. He said, "The LORD has overwhelmed my enemies in front of me like an overwhelming flood." That is why that place is called Baal Perazim [The Lord Overwhelms].
21 The P'lishtim had left their idols there, so David and his men took them away.
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The Philistines left their idols there, so David and his men carried the idols away.
22 The P'lishtim came up again and deployed in the Refa'im Valley.
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The Philistines again attacked and overran the valley of Rephaim.
23 When David consulted ADONAI, he said, "Don't attack! Circle behind them, and engage them opposite the balsam trees.
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David asked the LORD, and he answered, "Don't attack now, but circle around behind them, and come at them in front of the balsam trees.
24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, advance; because then ADONAI has gone out ahead of you to defeat the army of the P'lishtim."
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When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act immediately because the LORD has gone ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army."
25 David did exactly as ADONAI had ordered him to do and pursued his attack on the P'lishtim from Geva all the way to Gezer.
25
David did as the LORD ordered him and defeated the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.