2 Samuel 5:6-25

6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived in that region. The Jebusites told David, "You will never get in here. Even the blind and the lame could turn you away" (meaning that David could never get in there).
7 But David captured the fortress Zion (that is, the City of David).
8 That day David said, "Whoever wants to defeat the Jebusites must reach the lame and the blind who hate me by using the water shaft." So there is a saying, "The blind and the lame will not get into the palace."
9 David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built the city [of Jerusalem] around it from the Millo to the palace.
10 David continued to grow more powerful because the LORD God of Armies was with him.
11 Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedarwood, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace for David.
12 So David realized that the LORD had established him as king of Israel and made his kingship famous for the sake of Israel, the LORD's people.
13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he had come there from Hebron, and he fathered more sons and daughters.
14 These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,
15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,
16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, all of them came to attack David. But David heard about it and went to the fortress.
18 The Philistines had come and overrun the valley of Rephaim.
19 David asked the LORD, "Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" The LORD answered David, "Attack! I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you."
20 So David went to Baal Perazim and defeated the Philistines there. He said, "The LORD has overwhelmed my enemies in front of me like an overwhelming flood." That is why that place is called Baal Perazim [The Lord Overwhelms].
21 The Philistines left their idols there, so David and his men carried the idols away.
22 The Philistines again attacked and overran the valley of Rephaim.
23 David asked the LORD, and he answered, "Don't attack now, but circle around behind them, and come at them in front of the balsam trees.
24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act immediately because the LORD has gone ahead of you to defeat the Philistine army."
25 David did as the LORD ordered him and defeated the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

2 Samuel 5:6-25 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.

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