1Then came kol Shivtei Yisroel to Dovid unto Chevron, and spoke, saying, Hineni, we are thy etzem and thy basar.

2Also in time past, when Sha'ul was melech over us, thou wast he that didst lead out and brought in Yisroel; and Hashem said to thee, Thou shalt feed ⁴My people Yisroel, and thou shalt become Nagid over Yisroel.

3So all the zekenim of Yisroel came to HaMelech at Chevron; and Dovid HaMelech cut a Brit with them in Chevron before Hashem; v'yimshechu (and they anointed) Dovid Melech Yisroel.

4Dovid was in age shloshim shanah when he began to reign, and he reigned arba'im shanim.

5In Chevron he reigned over Yehudah sheva shanim and shishah chodashim; and in Yerushalayim he reigned shloshim v'shalosh shanah over kol Yisroel and Yehudah.

6And HaMelech and his anashim went to Yerushalayim unto the Yevusi, the inhabitants of the land; which spoke unto Dovid, saying, Thou shalt not come in here; but the ivrim (blind ones) and the pisechim (lame ones) shall repel thee; thinking, Dovid cannot come in here.

7Nevertheless Dovid captured the Metzudat Tziyon (Fortress of Zion); the same is Ir Dovid (City of Dovid).

8And Dovid said on that day, Anyone that striketh the Yevusi will have to reach the water shaft, the pisechim and the ivrim whom the nefesh Dovid hates; thus the saying… The ivver and the piseach are here, he will not enter the bais.

9So Dovid dwelt in the Metzudah, and called it Ir Dovid. And Dovid built [Ir Dovid] all around from Millo and inward.

10And Dovid went on, and grew gadol, and Hashem Elohei Tzva'os was with him.

11And Chiram Melech Tzor sent malachim to Dovid, and cedar trees, and charashim of etz (carpenters) and charashim of even (stone masons) kir (wall, i.e., masons of wall stones); and they built Dovid a Bais (Palace).

12And Dovid had da'as that Hashem had established him Melech Yisroel, and that he had exalted his mamlachah for the sake of His people Yisroel.

13And Dovid took him more pilagshim and nashim out of Yerushalayim after he was come from Chevron; and there were more banim and banot born to Dovid.

14And these are the shmot of those that were born unto him in Yerushalayim: Shammua, and Shovav, and Natan, and Sh'lomo,

15Yivchar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Yaphia,

16And Elishama, and Elyada, and Eliphelet.

17But when the Pelishtim heard that they had mashechu (anointed) Dovid Melech over Yisroel, all the Pelishtim came up to seek Dovid; but Dovid heard of it, and went down to the metzudah (stronghold).

18The Pelishtim also came and spread themselves in the Emek Repha'im.

19And Dovid inquired of Hashem, saying, Shall I go up against the Pelishtim? Wilt Thou deliver them into mine yad? And Hashem said unto Dovid, Go up; for I will doubtless deliver the Pelishtim into thine yad.

20So Dovid came to Ba'al-Peratzim, and Dovid struck them there, and said, Hashem hath paratz (broken out) upon mine enemies before me, as of peretz mayim. Therefore he called the shem of that place Ba'al-Peratzim.

21And there they left their atzabim, and Dovid and his anashim burned them.

22And the Pelishtim came up yet again, and spread themselves out in the Emek Repha'im.

23And when Dovid inquired of Hashem, He said, Thou shalt not go up; but circle around behind them, and come upon them opposite the mulberry trees.

24And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then shall Hashem go out before thee, to strike the machaneh of the Pelishtim.

25And Dovid did so, as Hashem had commanded him; and struck the Pelishtim from Geva until thou come to Gezer.