2 Samuel 5 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Then all the family groups of Israel came to David at Hebron. They said to David, “Look, we are one family! [21]

² Even when Saul was our king, you were the one who led us into battle. And you were the one who brought Israel back home from war. And the Lord himself said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people, the Israelites. You will be the ruler over Israel.’”

³ So all the leaders of Israel came to meet with King David at Hebron. King David made an agreement with these leaders in Hebron in front of the Lord. Then the leaders anointed [22] David to be the king of Israel.

⁴ David was 30 years old when he began to rule. He was king for 40 years.

⁵ In Hebron, he ruled over Judah for 7 years and 6 months. And in Jerusalem, he ruled over all of Israel and Judah for 33 years.

⁶ The king and his men went to fight against the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites said to David, “You can’t come into {our city}. [23] Even our blind and crippled people can stop you.” (They said this because they thought that David would not be able to enter into their city.

⁷ But David did take the fort of Zion. This fort became the City of David. [24])

⁸ That day David said to his men, “If you want to defeat the Jebusites, go up through the water shaft [25] and reach those ‘crippled and blind’ enemies.”

⁹ David lived in the fort and called it “The City of David.” [27] David built the area called the Millo. [28] He also built more buildings inside the city.

¹⁰ David became stronger and stronger because the Lord All-Powerful was with him.

¹¹ Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David. Hiram also sent cedar trees, carpenters and stonemasons. They built a house for David.

¹² Then David knew that the Lord had really made him king of Israel. And David knew that the Lord had made his kingdom very important to God’s people, the people of Israel.

¹³ David moved from Hebron to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, David got more women servants [29] and wives. Some more of David’s children were born in Jerusalem.

¹⁴ These are the names of David’s sons that were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

¹⁷ The Philistines heard that the Israelites had anointed [30] David to be the king of Israel. So the Philistines went to look for David {to kill him}. But David heard about this and went into the fort {at Jerusalem}.

¹⁸ The Philistines came and camped in the Rephaim Valley.

¹⁹ David asked the Lord, saying, “Should I go to war against the Philistines? Will you help me defeat the Philistines?”

²⁰ Then David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines in that place. David said, “The Lord broke through my enemies like water breaking through a broken dam.” That is why David named that place “Baal Perazim.” [31]

²¹ The Philistines left the statues of their gods behind at Baal Perazim. David and his men took those statues away.

²² Again the Philistines came and camped in Rephaim Valley.

²³ David prayed to the Lord. This time the Lord told David, “Don’t go up there. Go around them to the back of their army. Attack them from the other side of the balsam trees.

²⁴ From the top of the balsam trees you will be able to hear the Philistines marching into battle. Then you must act quickly, because at that time the Lord will go ahead of you and defeat the Philistines for you.”

²⁵ David did what the Lord commanded him to do. And he defeated the Philistines. He chased them and killed them all the way from Geba to Gezer.