The King Everyone Finally Wanted.

וַיָּבֹ֜אוּ כָּל־שִׁבְטֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד חֶבְר֑וֹנָה וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנְנ֛וּ עַצְמְךָ֥ וּֽבְשָׂרְךָ֖ אֲנָֽחְנוּ׃

Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.

גַּם־אֶתְמ֣וֹל גַּם־שִׁלְשׁ֗וֹם בִּהְי֨וֹת שָׁא֥וּל מֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עָלֵ֔ינוּ אַתָּ֗ה ׳הָיִיתָה׳ ״הָיִ֛יתָ״ ׳מוֹצִיא׳ ״הַמּוֹצִ֥יא״ ׳וְהַמֵּבִי׳ ״וְהַמֵּבִ֖יא״ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה לְךָ֗ אַתָּ֨ה תִרְעֶ֤ה אֶת־עַמִּי֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְאַתָּ֛ה תִּהְיֶ֥ה לְנָגִ֖יד עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[2] In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’”

וַ֠יָּבֹאוּ כָּל־זִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ חֶבְר֔וֹנָה וַיִּכְרֹ֣ת לָהֶם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ דָּוִ֥ד בְּרִ֛ית בְּחֶבְר֖וֹן לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּמְשְׁח֧וּ אֶת־דָּוִ֛ד לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

[3] So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord , and they anointed David king over Israel.

בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֛ה דָּוִ֖ד בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ אַרְבָּעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה מָלָֽךְ׃

[4] David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

בְּחֶבְרוֹן֙ מָלַ֣ךְ עַל־יְהוּדָ֔ה שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִ֖ים וְשִׁשָּׁ֣ה חֳדָשִׁ֑ים וּבִירוּשָׁלִַ֣ם מָלַ֗ךְ שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וְשָׁלֹשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה עַ֥ל כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃

[5] At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ וַֽאֲנָשָׁיו֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם אֶל־הַיְבֻסִ֖י יוֹשֵׁ֣ב הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לְדָוִ֤ד לֵאמֹר֙ לֹא־תָב֣וֹא הֵ֔נָּה כִּ֣י אִם־הֱסִֽירְךָ֗ הַעִוְרִ֤ים וְהַפִּסְחִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹֽא־יָב֥וֹא דָוִ֖ד הֵֽנָּה׃

[6] And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against 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.”

וַיִּלְכֹּ֣ד דָּוִ֔ד אֵ֖ת מְצֻדַ֣ת צִיּ֑וֹן הִ֖יא עִ֥יר דָּוִֽד׃

[7] Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּל־מַכֵּ֤ה יְבֻסִי֙ וְיִגַּ֣ע בַּצִּנּ֔וֹר וְאֶת־הַפִּסְחִים֙ וְאֶת־הַ֣עִוְרִ֔ים ׳שָׂנְאוּ׳ ״שְׂנֻאֵ֖י״ נֶ֣פֶשׁ דָּוִ֑ד עַל־כֵּן֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ עִוֵּ֣ר וּפִסֵּ֔חַ לֹ֥א יָב֖וֹא אֶל־הַבָּֽיִת׃

[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.”

וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב דָּוִד֙ בַּמְּצֻדָ֔ה וַיִּקְרָא־לָ֖הּ עִ֣יר דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּ֤בֶן דָּוִד֙ סָבִ֔יב מִן־הַמִּלּ֖וֹא וָבָֽיְתָה׃

[9] And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward.

וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ דָּוִ֖ד הָל֣וֹךְ וְגָד֑וֹל וַיהוָ֛ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י צְבָא֖וֹת עִמּֽוֹ׃ פ

[10] And David became greater and greater, for the Lord , the God of hosts, was with him.

וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח חִירָ֨ם מֶֽלֶךְ־צֹ֥ר מַלְאָכִים֮ אֶל־דָּוִד֒ וַעֲצֵ֣י אֲרָזִ֔ים וְחָרָשֵׁ֣י עֵ֔ץ וְחָֽרָשֵׁ֖י אֶ֣בֶן קִ֑יר וַיִּבְנֽוּ־בַ֖יִת לְדָוִֽד׃

[11] And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house.

וַיֵּ֣דַע דָּוִ֔ד כִּֽי־הֱכִינ֧וֹ יְהוָ֛ה לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְכִי֙ נִשֵּׂ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֔וֹ בַּעֲב֖וּר עַמּ֥וֹ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס

[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.

וַיִּקַּח֩ דָּוִ֨ד ע֜וֹד פִּֽלַגְשִׁ֤ים וְנָשִׁים֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם אַחֲרֵ֖י בֹּא֣וֹ מֵחֶבְר֑וֹן וַיִּוָּ֥לְדוּ ע֛וֹד לְדָוִ֖ד בָּנִ֥ים וּבָנֽוֹת׃

[13] And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David.

וְאֵ֗לֶּה שְׁמ֛וֹת הַיִּלֹּדִ֥ים ל֖וֹ בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם שַׁמּ֣וּעַ וְשׁוֹבָ֔ב וְנָתָ֖ן וּשְׁלֹמֹֽה׃

[14] And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

וְיִבְחָ֥ר וֶאֱלִישׁ֖וּעַ וְנֶ֥פֶג וְיָפִֽיעַ׃

[15] Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

וֶאֱלִישָׁמָ֥ע וְאֶלְיָדָ֖ע וֶאֱלִיפָֽלֶט׃ פ

[16] Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

וַיִּשְׁמְע֣וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים כִּי־מָשְׁח֨וּ אֶת־דָּוִ֤ד לְמֶ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּעֲל֥וּ כָל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע דָּוִ֔ד וַיֵּ֖רֶד אֶל־הַמְּצוּדָֽה׃

[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 to the stronghold.

וּפְלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בָּ֑אוּ וַיִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּ בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִֽים׃

[18] Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

וַיִּשְׁאַ֨ל דָּוִ֤ד בַּֽיהוָה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶֽעֱלֶה֙ אֶל־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים הֲתִתְּנֵ֖ם בְּיָדִ֑י וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־דָּוִד֙ עֲלֵ֔ה כִּֽי־נָתֹ֥ן אֶתֵּ֛ן אֶת־הַפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים בְּיָדֶֽךָ׃

[19] And David inquired 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.”

וַיָּבֹ֨א דָוִ֥ד בְּבַֽעַל־פְּרָצִים֮ וַיַּכֵּ֣ם שָׁ֣ם דָּוִד֒ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר פָּרַ֨ץ יְהוָ֧ה אֶת־אֹיְבַ֛י לְפָנַ֖י כְּפֶ֣רֶץ מָ֑יִם עַל־כֵּ֗ן קָרָ֛א שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בַּ֥עַל פְּרָצִֽים׃

[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.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim.

וַיַּעַזְבוּ־שָׁ֖ם אֶת־עֲצַבֵּיהֶ֑ם וַיִּשָּׂאֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖ד וַאֲנָשָֽׁיו׃ פ

[21] And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

וַיֹּסִ֥פוּ ע֛וֹד פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים לַֽעֲל֑וֹת וַיִּנָּֽטְשׁ֖וּ בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִֽים׃

[22] And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.

וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל דָּוִד֙ בַּֽיהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֹ֣א תַעֲלֶ֑ה הָסֵב֙ אֶל־אַ֣חֲרֵיהֶ֔ם וּבָ֥אתָ לָהֶ֖ם מִמּ֥וּל בְּכָאִֽים׃

[23] And 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.

וִ֠יהִי ׳בְּשָׁמְעֲךָ׳ ״כְּֽשָׁמְעֲךָ֞״ אֶת־ק֧וֹל צְעָדָ֛ה בְּרָאשֵׁ֥י הַבְּכָאִ֖ים אָ֣ז תֶּחֱרָ֑ץ כִּ֣י אָ֗ז יָצָ֤א יְהוָה֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ לְהַכּ֖וֹת בְּמַחֲנֵ֥ה פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

[24] And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

וַיַּ֤עַשׂ דָּוִד֙ כֵּ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּ֖הוּ יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים מִגֶּ֖בַע עַד־בֹּאֲךָ֥ גָֽזֶר׃ פ

[25] And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.