2 Samuel 5:6-12
New Catholic Bible
Capture of Zion. 6 Then the king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites who inhabited the land. These people said to David: “You will never come in here. Even the blind and the lame will stop you in your tracks.” In this way they showed their contempt for David and his forces.
7 [a]Despite their boast, David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is now known as the City of David. 8 David had said on that day: “All those who are eager to attack the Jebusites must scale the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, the bitter enemies of David.” Therefore, it is said: “The blind and the lame shall not enter the palace.”
9 David then took up residence in the stronghold and called it the City of David. After that, he constructed a wall around it from the Millo[b] inward. 10 David steadily continued to grow more powerful, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.
11 King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David with cedar wood, and he also supplied carpenters and stonemasons who built a palace for David. 12 Then David had no doubt at all that the Lord had established him as king of Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 5:7 Stronghold of Zion: the name “Zion” continued in use and was extended to include the entire hill on which the temple would later be built (see 2 Sam 24:15-25; 2 Chr 3:1).
- 2 Samuel 5:9 Millo: a supporting terrace or embankment, the precise form of which we do not know, formed the southern extremity of the City of David (see 1 Ki 9:15; 2 Chr 32:5).
