David Anointed King of All Israel (2 Samuel 5:1–5)
1 UDB Then the people of Israel came to David at the city of Hebron and said to him, "Listen, we have the same ancestors that you have. BSB BSB: Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.
2 UDB In the past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led our Israelite soldiers in our battles. You are the one to whom Yahweh our God promised, 'You will be the leader of my people; you will be their king.'" BSB BSB: Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”
3 UDB So all the Israelite elders came to David at Hebron. There David made a sacred agreement with them while Yahweh was listening. They anointed him with olive oil to set him apart to be the king of the Israelite people. That is what Yahweh had previously told the prophet Samuel would happen. BSB BSB: So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel.
David Conquers Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:6–11)
4 UDB David and all the Israelite soldiers went to Jerusalem. At that time, Jerusalem was called Jebus, and the people who lived there were the Jebus people. BSB BSB: Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land.
5 UDB They said to David, "Your soldiers will not be able to get inside our city!" But David's soldiers captured the city even though it had strong walls around it, and since then it has been called the city of David. BSB BSB: The people of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David).
6 UDB What happened was this: David said to his soldiers, "The one who leads our soldiers to attack the Jebus people will become the commander of all of my army." Joab son of Zeruiah led the soldiers, so he became the commander of all the army. BSB BSB: Now David had said, “Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief.
7 UDB After they captured the city with its strong walls around it, David moved there. That is why they named it the city of David. BSB BSB: So David took up residence in the fortress; that is why it was called the City of David.
8 UDB David's workers rebuilt the city, starting where the land was filled in and extending to the wall that was around the city. Joab's men repaired the other parts of the city. BSB BSB: He built up the city around it, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.
9 UDB David became more and more powerful because Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, was with him. BSB BSB: And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of Hosts was with him.
David’s Mighty Men (2 Samuel 23:8–39)
10 UDB Yahweh had promised that David would become the king. And all the Israelite people were happy that David was their king. There were many soldiers who helped David's kingdom to remain strong. BSB BSB: Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.
11 UDB This is a list of David's most outstanding warriors: Jashobeam was from the Hakmon clan. He was the leader of the officers. One time, he fought against three hundred enemies and killed them all with his spear. BSB BSB: This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the officers; he wielded his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed at one time.
12 UDB Next was Eleazar son of Dodo, from the clan of Ahoh. He was one of David's three mighty men. BSB BSB: Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.
13 UDB One day he was with David at Pas Dammim when the soldiers of Philistia gathered there for the battle. There was a field of barley there. At first, the Israelite soldiers ran away from the soldiers of Philistia, BSB BSB: He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place with a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines.
14 UDB but then David and Eleazar stopped in the middle of the field and fought to defend it and killed many of the soldiers of Philistia. Yahweh enabled them to win a great victory on that day. BSB BSB: But Eleazar and David stationed themselves in the middle of the field and defended it. They struck down the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory.
15 UDB One time, three of David's thirty greatest warriors came to David when he was camping next to the huge rock outside the cave near Adullam. At that same time, the army of Philistia had camped in the Valley of Rephaim. BSB BSB: Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
16 UDB David was in a fortress, and some of the soldiers of Philistia were occupying Bethlehem. BSB BSB: At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
17 UDB One day, David very much wanted some water to drink and said, "I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!" BSB BSB: David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
18 UDB So the three greatest warriors forced through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out on the ground to be an offering to Yahweh. BSB BSB: So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,
19 UDB He said, "Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like drinking the blood of these men who were willing to die for me!" So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that David's three greatest warriors did. BSB BSB: saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
20 UDB Joab's younger brother Abishai was the leader of the greatest warriors (called "The Three") and they gave him the great honor. One time, Abishai fought three hundred enemy soldiers with his spear, and he killed them all. BSB BSB: Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three, and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.
21 UDB So he became as famous as the three greatest warriors (called "The Three"). He became their commander, even though "The Three" did not count him in their number. BSB BSB: He was doubly honored above the Three, and he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.
22 UDB Jehoiada's son Benaiah was a brave soldier from the city of Kabzeel who did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people. One day he went down into a pit when snow was falling on the ground and killed a lion there. BSB BSB: And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.
23 UDB He also killed a soldier from Egypt who was two and one-third meters tall. The soldier from Egypt carried a spear that was as long as a weaver's rod. Benaiah had only a club, but he grabbed the other man's spear and killed him with it. BSB BSB: He also struck down an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.
24 UDB Those are some of the things that Benaiah did. So he became as famous as the three greatest warriors. BSB BSB: These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name along with the three mighty men.
25 UDB He was more honored that the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but he did not become a member of the group of three most outstanding warriors. David appointed him to be the leader of his bodyguards. BSB BSB: He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.
26 UDB These are the names of the great warriors: Asahel, younger brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo, from Bethlehem; BSB BSB: Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 UDB Shammoth from Haror; Helez from Pelon; BSB BSB: Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
28 UDB Ira son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth; BSB BSB: Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
29 UDB Sibbekai from Hushah; Ilai from Ahoh; BSB BSB: Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
30 UDB Maharai from Netophah; Heled son of Baanah, also from Netophah; BSB BSB: Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 UDB Ithai, son of Ribai, from Gibeah in the land that belonged to the tribe of Benjamin; Benaiah from Pirathon town; BSB BSB: Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 UDB Hurai from the valleys near Mount Gaash; Abiel from the clan of Arabah; BSB BSB: Hurai from the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
33 UDB Azmaveth from Baharum; Eliahba from Shaalbon; BSB BSB: Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
34 UDB the sons of Hashem, from Gizon; Jonathan son of Shagee, from Harar; BSB BSB: the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,
35 UDB Ahiam son of Sharar, from Harar; Eliphal son of Ur; BSB BSB: Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,
36 UDB Hepher from the Mekerath clan; Ahijah from the Pelon; BSB BSB: Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 UDB Hezro from Carmel; Naarai son of Ezbai; BSB BSB: Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
38 UDB Joel the younger brother of Nathan; Mibhar son of Hagri; BSB BSB: Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,
39 UDB Zelek from the Ammon people; Naharai, the man who carried Joab's weapons, from Beeroth; BSB BSB: Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
40 UDB Ira and Gareb from Jattir; BSB BSB: Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
41 UDB Uriah, Bathsheba's husband, from the Heth people; Zabad son of Ahlai; BSB BSB: Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,
42 UDB Adina son of Shiza, a leader from the tribe of Reuben, who had thirty soldiers with him; BSB BSB: Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,
43 UDB Hanan son of Maakah; Joshaphat from Mithna; BSB BSB: Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 UDB Uzzia from Ashterath; Shama and Jeiel, sons of Hotham, from Aroer; BSB BSB: Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
45 UDB Jediael son of Shimri and his younger brother Joha, from Tiz town; BSB BSB: Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite,
46 UDB Eliel from Mahavah; Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam; Ithmah from Moab; BSB BSB: Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,
47 UDB Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel from Zobah. BSB BSB: Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
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