1 Then all the tribes of Israel ^ucame to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, ^vwe are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, ^wit was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ^x‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince¹ over Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, ^yand King David made a covenant with them at Hebron ^zbefore the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ^ahe reigned forty years. 5 ^aAt Hebron he reigned over Judah ^bseven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.²

6 ^cAnd the king and his men went to Jerusalem ^dagainst 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.” 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, ^ethat is, the city of David. 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.” 9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it ^ethe city of David. And David built the city all around from the ^fMillo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.