1 Chronicles 11:1-9

David Becomes King

11:1 All Israel joined David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 11:2 In the past, even when Saul was king, you were Israel’s commanding general. The Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over my people Israel.’” 11:3 When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. They anointed David king over Israel, just as the Lord had announced through Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem

11:4 David and the whole Israelite army advanced to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). (The Jebusites, the land’s original inhabitants, lived there.) 11:5 The residents of Jebus said to David, “You cannot invade this place!” But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). 11:6 10  David said, “Whoever attacks 11  the Jebusites first will become commanding general!” 12  So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked 13  first and became commander. 14  11:7 David lived in the fortress; for this reason it is called the City of David. 11:8 He built up the city around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls; 15  Joab restored the rest of the city. 11:9 David’s power steadily grew, for the Lord who commands armies was with him. 16 


tn Heb “look, your bone and your flesh [are] we.”

tn Heb “you were the one who led out and the one who brought in Israel.”

tn Heb “elders.”

tn Or “covenant.”

tn Or “They poured olive oil on David to designate him as king.”

tn Heb “according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Samuel.”

tn Heb “all Israel.”

sn Jebus was an older name for the city of Jerusalem (cf. Josh 15:8; Judg 1:21).

tn Heb “and there [were] the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land.”

10 sn Verse 6 inserts into the narrative parenthetical information about Joab’s role in the conquest of the city. Verse 7 then picks up where v. 5 left off.

11 tn Or perhaps “strikes down.”

12 tn Heb “head and officer.”

13 tn Heb “went up.”

14 tn Heb “head.”

15 tn Heb “to that which surrounds.” On the referent here as “the surrounding walls,” see HALOT 740 s.v. סָבִיב.

16 tn Heb “and David went, going and becoming great, and the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, Lord of hosts] was with him.”