David Conquers Jerusalem^(A)(B)

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem^(C) to attack the Jebusites,^(D) who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion^(E)—which is the City of David.^(F)

⁸ On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft^(G) to reach those ‘lame and blind’^(H) who are David’s enemies.^[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

⁹ David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces^[b](I) inward.

Saying 22

¹⁵ Now there lived in that city a man poor but wise, and he saved the city by his wisdom. But nobody remembered that poor man.^(A)

¹⁶ So I said, “Wisdom is better than strength.” But the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are no longer heeded.^(A)