2 Samuel 5:4

4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he ruled for forty years. 1

2 Samuel 5:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 5:4

David [was] thirty years old when he began reign
Over Judah, which was the age of his antitype Christ, when he entered upon his public ministry, ( Luke 3:23 ) ;

[and] he reigned forty years;
and six months, as appears by ( 2 Samuel 5:5 ) ; but the months are not mentioned, only the round number of years given: two reasons the Jews F1 give for this; the one, that he fled six months from Absalom; the other is, that he was ill in Hebron so long, and therefore are not reckoned.


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 77. I.

2 Samuel 5:4 In-Context

2 In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the Lord promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler."
3 So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he ruled for forty years.
5 He ruled in Hebron over Judah for seven and a half years, and in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.
6 The time came when King David and his men set out to attack Jerusalem. The Jebusites, who lived there, thought that David would not be able to conquer the city, and so they said to him, "You will never get in here; even the blind and the crippled could keep you out."

Cross References 1

  • 1. 5.4, 5 1 K 2.11;1 Chronicles 3.4; 29.27.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.