Now Abner, the captain of Saul's host, had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and made him king over Israel. But the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: and David waxed stronger and stronger, but the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker, and when Ish-bosheth was dead, then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, "Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, 'Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel.'" So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel. =§75. David's Great Reign= (I Chron. 11:4-9; II Sam. 5:17-25; 8:2-6, 13, 14; 10:6, 17-19; 11:1; 12:29-31; 5:11, 12; 23:14-17) A. THE NEW CAPITAL And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. And the inhabitants said to David, "Thou shalt not come hither." Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. And David said, "Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain." So Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was chief. And David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David. And he built the city round about, from Millo, even round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. So David waxed greater and greater: for the Lord of hosts was with him. B. DAVID'S WARS OF DEFENSE And when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, they went up and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David enquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into my hand?" And the Lord said unto David, "Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into thy hand." And David went up and smote them; and he said, "The Lord hath broken down mine enemies before me like the breaking of waters." And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, "Thou shalt not go up. Go about to their rear and come upon them opposite the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when thou hearest the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself; for then is the Lord gone out before thee to smite the host of the Philistines." And David did so as the Lord commanded him, and smote the Philistines, and subdued them. And he smote Moab. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute. And David put garrisons in Damascus; and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David whithersoever he went.