2 Samuel 5:1-10

David Anointed King of Israel

1 Then all the tribes of Israel ¹came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, ²we are your bone and flesh.

2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, ³it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord said to you, ⁴‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince^[a] over Israel. ’”

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, ⁵and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron ⁶before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and ⁷he reigned forty years.

5 ⁸At Hebron he reigned over Judah ⁹seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. ^[b]

6 ¹⁰And the king and his men went to Jerusalem ¹¹against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here. ”

7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, ¹²that is, the city of David.

8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind, ’ who are hated by David’s soul. ” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. ”

9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it ¹³the city of David. And David built the city all around from the ¹⁴Millo inward.

10 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

2 Samuel 5:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 5

In this chapter we have an account of all the tribes of Israel coming to Hebron, and anointing David king over them, 2Sa 5:1-5; of his expedition against the Jebusites in Jerusalem, and taking from them the strong hold of Zion, 2Sa 5:6-10; of his building an house for himself, and of his building up his family, by taking more wives and concubines, and having more children, whose names are given, 2Sa 5:11-16; and of an invasion of the land by the Philistines, and David's victory over them, 2Sa 5:17-25.

Cross References

• 1. 5:1 For ver. 1-3, see 1 Chr. 11:1-3
• 2. 5:1 See Gen. 29:14
• 3. 5:2 [1 Sam. 18:13]
• 4. 5:2 ch. 7:7; 1 Chr. 17:6; Ps. 78:71, 72; [Matt. 2:6]
• 5. 5:3 ch. 3:12, 13, 21; [2 Kgs. 11:17]
• 6. 5:3 Judg. 11:11; 1 Sam. 23:18
• 7. 5:4 1 Kgs. 2:11; 1 Chr. 3:4; 29:27
• 8. 5:5 [See ver. 4 above]
• 9. 5:5 ch. 2:11
• 10. 5:6 For ver. 6-10, see 1 Chr. 11:4-9
• 11. 5:6 Judg. 19:11; [Josh. 15:63; Judg. 1:21]
• 12. 5:7 ch. 6:12, 16
• 13. 5:9 [See ver. 7 above]
• 14. 5:9 1 Kgs. 9:15, 24; 11:27; 2 Kgs. 12:20; 2 Chr. 32:5

Footnotes

• [a] 5:2 Or 'leader'
• [b] 5:5 Dead Sea Scroll lacks verses 4–5