2 Samuel 5:1-16

David King over All Israel

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

2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, ³you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the LORD said to you, '⁴You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ⁵a ruler over Israel.' "

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David ⁶made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron; then ⁷they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was ⁸thirty years old when he became king, and ⁹he reigned forty years.

5 At Hebron ¹⁰he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three * years over all Israel and Judah.

6 ¹¹Now the king and his men went to ¹²Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away "; thinking, "David cannot enter here."

7 Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is ¹³the city of David.

8 David said on that day, "Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul, through the water tunnel." Therefore * they say, "The blind or the lame shall not come into the house."

9 So David lived in the stronghold and called it ¹⁴the city of David. And David built all around from the ¹⁵Millo and inward.

10 ¹⁶David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of hosts was with him.

11 ¹⁷Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters * and stonemasons *; and ¹⁸they built a house for David.

12 And David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

13 Meanwhile ¹⁹David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David.

14 Now ²⁰these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon,

15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia,

16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

2 Samuel 5:1-16 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. 1 Chronicles 11:1-3
• 2. 2 Samuel 19:13
• 3. 1 Sam 18:5, 13, 16
• 4. Genesis 49:24; 2 Samuel 7:7
• 5. 1 Samuel 25:30
• 6. 2 Samuel 3:21
• 7. 1 Samuel 16:13; 2 Samuel 2:4
• 8. Genesis 41:46; Numbers 4:3; Luke 3:23
• 9. 1 Kings 2:11; 1 Chronicles 26:31
• 10. 2 Samuel 2:11; 1 Chronicles 3:4; 1 Chronicles 29:27
• 11. 1 Chronicles 11:4-9
• 12. Joshua 15:63; Joshua 18:28; Judges 1:21
• 13. 2 Samuel 6:12, 16; 1 Kings 2:10; 1 Kings 9:24
• 14. 2 Samuel 5:7
• 15. 1 Kings 9:15, 24
• 16. 2 Samuel 3:1
• 17. 1 Kin 5:1, 10, 18; 1 Chronicles 14:1
• 18. Ps 30: title
• 19. Deuteronomy 17:17; 1 Chronicles 3:9
• 20. 1 Chronicles 3:5-8

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "said, saying"
• [b]. Lit "David, saying"
• [c]. Lit "saying"
• [d]. I.e. citadel