English · KJV

2 Samuel 5

Listen to this chapter
0:00 0:00

David Anointed King Over All Israel 1–5

1
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. ​
2
Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. ​
3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. ​
4
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. ​
5
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

The Capture of Jerusalem 6–10

6
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. ​
7
Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. ​
8
And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. ​
9
So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. ​
10
And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him. ​

Hiram’s Alliance and David’s Household 11–16

11
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. ​
12
And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. ​
13
And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. ​
14
And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, ​
15
Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
16
And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

Two Victories Over the Philistines 17–25

17
But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. ​
18
The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
19
And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. ​
20
And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. ​
21
And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. ​
22
And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23
And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. ​
24
And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. ​
25
And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for 2 Samuel 5

Verse 1

we are thy bone and thy flesh — Etsem (bone) and basar (flesh), the language of kinship, as when Laban says it to Jacob (Gen 29:14). David uses it to Amasa (2 Sam 19:13); 1 Chr 11:1 repeats the scene. Paul applies it to the church: 'members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones' (Eph 5:30).

Verse 2

feed my people Israel — Ra'ah, to tend a flock, and so to rule. The LORD's word makes David shepherd and 'captain' (nagid, a commander). Ezekiel names him: 'even my servant David; he shall feed them' (Ezek 34:23); Matthew gives it to Christ, 'a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel' (Matt 2:6).

Verse 3

made a league — Berith, covenant; the verb is karath, literally 'to cut'. The compact was made 'before the LORD', as Jehoiada later bound king and people (2 Kings 11:17). 'Anointed' is mashach; David had been anointed by Samuel (1 Sam 16:13) and by Judah (2 Sam 2:4); this is the anointing 'over Israel'.

Verse 4

thirty years old — Verse 5 divides the forty years: 'seven years and six months' at Hebron, thirty-three at Jerusalem, as in 1 Kings 2:11 and 1 Chr 29:27. Jesus too 'began to be about thirty years of age' (Luke 3:23), the son of David (Luke 3:31).

Verse 6

Except thou take away the blind and the lame — The Jebusites, 'the inhabitants of the land' (Yebusi), still held the city that Judah and Benjamin had not cleared (Josh 15:63; Judg 1:21). 1 Chr 11:4 says 'Jerusalem, which is Jebus'. Their boast closes the verse: 'David cannot come in hither.'

Verse 7

strong hold of Zion — Metsudah, a fastness, and Tsiyon, the name of the height David took. 'The same is the city of David': to it the ark was brought (2 Sam 6:12, 16) and in it David was buried (1 Kings 2:10).

Verse 8

the gutter — Tsinnor, a culvert or water-spout; the verse does not say more of the way in. David's prize, 'chief and captain', went to Joab, 'the son of Zeruiah', who 'went first up, and was chief' (1 Chr 11:6). The saying 'The blind and the lame shall not come into the house' echoes the taunt of v.6.

Verse 9

Millo — Millo comes from male, to fill: a rampart built up with fill. David 'dwelt in the fort' (metsudah, the word of v.7) and named it after himself. 1 Chr 11:8 adds that 'Joab repaired the rest of the city'; Solomon later 'built Millo' (1 Kings 11:27).

Verse 10

the LORD God of hosts was with him — The Hebrew pairs halak (going on) with gadol (great). Tsaba, 'hosts', is an organized army, the title of the LORD as commander. It echoes 'David waxed stronger and stronger' (2 Sam 3:1) and 'The LORD of hosts is with us' (Ps 46:11).

Verse 11

Hiram king of Tyre — The messengers brought 'cedar trees' (erez) and craftsmen; 'masons' renders words meaning wall and stone. 1 Chr 14:1 repeats the report. The house follows on the city of David (v.9) and leads into v.12.

Verse 12

established him king — Kun, to set firmly. David 'perceived' (yada, knew) that his lifting up (nasa) was 'for his people Israel's sake'; 1 Chr 14:2 has 'because of his people Israel'. The same verb returns in the promise 'thy throne shall be established for ever' (2 Sam 7:16).”

Verse 13

more concubines and wives — Pilegesh, concubine, a secondary wife; 1 Chr 3:9 distinguishes 'the sons of the concubines' from the rest. The law for the king had said 'Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away' (Deut 17:17).

Verse 14

Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon — Four sons 'born unto him in Jerusalem', whom 1 Chr 3:5 lists as 'of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel', with Shimea for Shammua. Solomon (Shelomoh, from shalom, peace) was the later king (2 Sam 12:24); Nathan appears in Christ's line in Luke 3:31.

Verse 17

all the Philistines came up to seek David — Baqash, to seek out; they moved when they heard of the anointing 'over Israel' (1 Chr 14:8 reads 'over all Israel'). David 'went down to the hold' (metsudah, the word of vv.7, 9). Ps 2:1 asks 'Why do the heathen rage?'

Verse 19

David enquired of the LORD — Sha'al, to ask, as at 1 Sam 23:2 ('Shall I go and smite these Philistines?') and 2 Sam 2:1. The answer is emphatic: 'I will doubtless deliver', in Hebrew the verb nathan, give, doubled, answering the 'deliver' of David's own question.

Verse 20

Baalperazim — Ba'al Peratsim means possessor of breaches. David names the place from the LORD's act: he 'hath broken forth' (parats) on the enemies, like a perets, a breach of waters. Isa 28:21 recalls it: 'the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim'.

Verse 21

they left their images — Atsab, an idol. The verse's 'burned' is nasa, to lift or carry off; 1 Chr 14:12 says that David 'gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire', as Deut 7:5 requires: 'burn their graven images with fire'.

Verse 23

fetch a compass behind them — Sabab, to go round. The answer differs from v.19: 'Thou shalt not go up'. The LORD names the place, 'over against the mulberry trees' (baka, a gum-distilling tree), and 1 Chr 14:14 gives the order as 'turn away from them, and come upon them'.

Verse 24

the sound of a going — Tsa'adah, a marching, heard 'in the tops of the mulberry trees'. The sign is that 'the LORD go out before thee', as Deborah told Barak (Judg 4:14). 'Bestir thyself' is charats, to move sharply; 1 Chr 14:15 reads 'go out to battle'.

Verse 25

from Geba until thou come to Gazer — David 'did so, as the LORD had commanded him'. The pursuit runs from Geba to Gezer; 1 Chr 14:16 reads 'from Gibeon even to Gazer'. Gezer was a Canaanite city in Ephraim's allotment (Josh 16:10).