1 At first David was boss only for the Judah tribe. But one day all the other Israel tribes came together at Hebron and said to David, “You are family for us. 2 While Saul was the big boss of all of us in Israel, you were boss of all the soldiers. At that time, God told you, ‘One day, you will be the big boss, and you will look after my people, the Israel mob, like a shepherd looks after his sheep.’ ”

3 So the elders told that story to David in Hebron. Then he said, “Yes, I agree to be the big boss of everybody. I say that while God is listening.” Then the elders poured olive oil on his head to show that he was the big boss for all the Israel mob.

4 David was 30 years old when they picked him to be the big boss. And he was boss for a long time, for 40 years. 5 You see, David was boss for the Judah tribe first. That was for 7½ years, and he lived at that place called Hebron. After that, he became the big boss for the other Israel tribes too, and he lived in the city called Jerusalem.* 1 Kings 2:11; 1 Chronicles 3:4; 29:27