2 Samuel 5-6

Easy-to-Read Version

The Israelites Make David King

5 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron. They said to David, “Look, we are one family^[a]! 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. 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. He made an agreement with them in Hebron in front of the Lord, and they anointed 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 Israel and Judah for 33 years.

David Captures Jerusalem

⁶ The king and his men went to fight against the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites said to David, “You cannot come into our city.^[b] 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.)

⁸ That day David said to his men, “Whenever you strike at the Jebusites, aim for the throat and kill them.”^[c] David said this because he hates to have people left who are crippled and blind. That is why people now say, “The lame and blind are not allowed in the temple.^[d]”

⁹ David lived in the fort and called it “The City of David.” David built up the city from the Millo^[e] inward.^{[f] 10} He became stronger and stronger because the Lord All-Powerful was with him.

¹¹ King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David. He 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 had made him ruler over his kingdom for the good of his people, Israel.

¹³ David moved from Hebron to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, he got more slave women and wives. So David had more children who were born in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ David’s sons who were born in Jerusalem are Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

David Fights Against the Philistines

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that the Israelites had anointed David to be the king of Israel, all the Philistines went up to kill him. David heard about this and went down into the fort at Jerusalem. ¹⁸ The Philistines came and camped in Rephaim Valley.

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

The Lord answered, “Yes, I certainly will help you defeat the Philistines.”

²⁰ Then David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines in that place. He said, “The Lord broke through my enemies like water breaking through a dam.” That is why David named that place “Baal Perazim.”^{[g] 21} The Philistines left the statues of their gods behind at Baal Perazim. David and his men took them away.

²² Again the Philistines came up and camped in Rephaim Valley.

²³ David prayed to the Lord again and got this answer: “Don’t go up the valley. Go around them to the other side of their army. Attack them from the other side of the balsam trees. ²⁴ When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, you must act quickly because that is the sign that the Lord has gone out in front of you to defeat the Philistines.^[h]”

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

God’s Holy Box Is Moved to Jerusalem

6 David again gathered all the best soldiers in Israel. There were 30,000 men. ² Then David and all his men went to Baalah in Judah^[i] to take God’s Holy Box there. The Holy Box is like God’s throne—people go there to call on the name of the Lord All-Powerful who sits as king above the Cherub angels that are on that Box. ³ David’s men brought the Holy Box out of Abinadab’s house on the hill. Then they put God’s Holy Box on a new wagon. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were driving the new wagon.

⁴ So they carried the Holy Box out of Abinadab’s house on the hill. The sons of Abinadab, Uzzah and Ahio, drove the new wagon. Ahio was walking in front of the Holy Box. ⁵ David and all the Israelites were dancing in front of the Lord and playing all kinds of musical instruments. There were lyres, harps, drums, rattles, instruments made from cypress wood, and cymbals. ⁶ When David’s men came to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and God’s Holy Box began to fall off the wagon. Uzzah caught the Holy Box. ⁷ But the Lord was angry with Uzzah and killed him for that mistake. Uzzah showed he did not honor God when he touched the Holy Box, so he died there by God’s Holy Box. ⁸ David was upset because the Lord had killed Uzzah. David called that place “Perez Uzzah.”^[j] It is still called Perez Uzzah today.

⁹ David became afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, “How can I bring God’s Holy Box here now?” ¹⁰ So David would not move the Lord’s Holy Box into the City of David. He put the Holy Box at the house of Obed Edom from Gath.^{[k] 11} The Lord’s Holy Box stayed in Obed Edom’s house for three months. The Lord blessed Obed Edom and all his family.

¹² Later people told David, “The Lord has blessed the family of Obed Edom and everything he owns, because God’s Holy Box is there.” So David went and brought God’s Holy Box from Obed Edom’s house. David was very happy and excited. ¹³ When the men who carried the Lord’s Holy Box had walked six steps, they stopped and David sacrificed a bull and a fat calf. ¹⁴ David was dancing in front of the Lord. He was wearing a linen ephod.

¹⁵ David and all the Israelites were excited—they shouted and blew the trumpet as they brought the Lord’s Holy Box into the city. ¹⁶ Saul’s daughter Michal was looking out the window. While the Lord’s Holy Box was being carried into the city, David was jumping and dancing before the Lord. Michal saw this, and she was upset at David.

¹⁷ David put up a tent for the Holy Box. The Israelites put the Lord’s Holy Box in its place under the tent. Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord.

¹⁸ After David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord All-Powerful. ¹⁹ He also gave a share of bread, a raisin cake, and some date bread to every man and woman of Israel. Then all the people went home.

Michal Scolds David

²⁰ David went back to bless his house, but Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. She said, “The king of Israel did not honor himself today! You took off your clothes in front of your servants’ girls. You were like a fool who takes off his clothes without shame!”

²¹ Then David said to Michal, “The Lord chose me, not your father or anyone from his family. The Lord chose me to be leader of his people, the Israelites. So I will continue dancing and celebrating in front of the Lord. ²² I might do things that are even more embarrassing! Maybe you will not respect me, but the girls you are talking about are proud of me!”

²³ Saul’s daughter Michal never had a child. She died without having any children.