2 Samuel 5:1-5

David Anointed as King over All of Israel

1 So all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and they said, "Here we [are], {we are your flesh and blood}.

2 {For some time}, when Saul was king over us, {you were leading Israel in and out}. Yahweh had said to you, 'You shall be the shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be the leader over Israel.'"

3 All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David {made a covenant} with them at Hebron in the presence of Yahweh; then they anointed David as king over Israel.

4 David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years.

5 He reigned over Judah at Hebron [for] seven years and six months; and he reigned over all Israel and Judah at Jerusalem [for] thirty-three years.

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.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "We [are] your bone and your flesh"
• [b] Literally "Both yesterday and three days before"
• [c] Literally "you were going out and coming in, Israel." (So Kethib; Qere reads "bringing out and bringing in Israel")
• [d] Literally "cut a covenant"