Study Desk

^(a)Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and ^[a]said, "Behold, we are ^(b)your bone and your flesh.

Previously, when Saul was king over us, ^(c)you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the Lord said to you, ‘^(d)You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ^(e)a ruler over Israel.'"

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David ^(f)made a covenant with them before the Lord at Hebron; then ^(g)they anointed David king over Israel.

David was ^(h)thirty years old when he became king, and ⁽ⁱ⁾he reigned forty years.

At Hebron ^(j)he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

^(k)Now the king and his men went to ^(l)Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to ^[b]David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away"; ^[c]thinking, "David cannot enter here."

Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is ^(m)the city of David.

David said on that day, "Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul, through the water tunnel." Therefore they say, "The blind or the lame shall not come into the house."

So David lived in the stronghold and called it ⁽ⁿ⁾the city of David. And David built all around from the ^[d](o)Millo and inward.

^(p)David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him.

^(q)Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and ^(r)they built a house for David.

And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.