2 Samuel 5:1-5

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]

2 Samuel 5:1-5 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

Footnotes

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