2 Samuel 5:1

David Becomes King Over Israel

1 All of the tribes of Israel came to see David at Hebron. They said, "We are your own flesh and blood.

2 Samuel 5:1 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 5:1

Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron
All the rest of the tribes, save the tribe of Judah, who had made him king over them in Hebron seven years ago. These were ambassadors sent in the name of the several tribes to him, quickly after the deaths of Abner and Ishbosheth; from having any hand in which David had sufficiently cleared himself, and which had tended to reconcile the minds of the people of Israel to him:

and spake, saying, we [are] thy bone and thy flesh;
for though he was of the tribe of Judah, yet as all the tribes sprung from one man, they were all one bone, flesh, and blood; all nearly related to each other, all of the same general family of which David was; and so, according to their law, a fit person to be their king, ( Deuteronomy 16:18-17:13 ) ; and from whom they might expect clemency and tenderness, being so near akin to them.

2 Samuel 5:1 In-Context

1 All of the tribes of Israel came to see David at Hebron. They said, "We are your own flesh and blood.

2 In the past, Saul was our king. But you led the men of Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, 'You will be the shepherd over my people Israel. You will become their ruler.' "

3 All of the elders of Israel came to see King David at Hebron. There the king made a covenant with them in the sight of the Lord. They anointed David as king over Israel.

4 David was 30 years old when he became king. He ruled for 40 years.

5 In Hebron he ruled over Judah for seven and a half years. In Jerusalem he ruled over all of Israel and Judah for 33 years.