1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, "Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. Yahweh said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'" 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; 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-three years over all Israel and Judah. 6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, "Unless you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here;" thinking, "David can't come in here." 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. 8 David said on that day, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul." Therefore they say, "The blind and the lame can't come into the house." 9 David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. David built around from Millo and inward. 10 David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of Armies, was with him. 11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. 12 David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. 13 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 These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 15 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet. 17 When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19 David inquired of Yahweh, saying, "Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" Yahweh said to David, "Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand." 20 David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, "Yahweh has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters." Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 21 They left their images there; and David and his men took them away. 22 The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 When David inquired of Yahweh, he said, "You shall not go up. Circle around behind them, and attack them over against the mulberry trees. 24 It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall stir yourself up; for then Yahweh has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines." 25 David did so, as Yahweh commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer.
The elders of all the tribes of Israel come and anoint David king over all Israel, 2-Samuel 5:1-5. He goes against the Jebusites, and takes the strong hold of Zion, and afterwards the city itself; which is called the city of David, 2-Samuel 5:6-9. David's prosperity, and friendship with Hiram, king of Tyre, 2-Samuel 5:10-12. He takes more concubines, and begets several sons and daughters, 2-Samuel 5:13-16. The Philistines gather together against him in the valley of Rephaim; he defeats them; they abandon their idols, and David and his men burn them, 2-Samuel 5:17-21. They assemble once more in the valley of Rephaim, and David smites them from Geba to Gazer, 2-Samuel 5:22-25.
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, 2-Samuel 5:1; of his expedition against the Jebusites in Jerusalem, and taking from them the strong hold of Zion, 2-Samuel 5:6; 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, 2-Samuel 5:11; and of an invasion of the land by the Philistines, and David's victory over them, 2-Samuel 5:17.
(2-Samuel 5:1-5) David king over all Israel.
(2-Samuel 5:6-10) He takes the strong-hold of Zion.
(2-Samuel 5:11-16) David's kingdom established.
(2-Samuel 5:17-25) He defeats the Philistines.
II. The Government of David Over All Israel in the Time of Its Strength And Glory - 2 Samuel 5
After the death of Ishbosheth, David was anointed in Hebron by all the tribes as king over the whole of Israel (2-Samuel 5:1-5). He then proceeded to attack the Jebusites in Jerusalem, conquered their fortress Zion, and made Jerusalem the capital of his kingdom; fortifying it still further, and building a palace in it (2-Samuel 5:6-16), after he had twice inflicted a defeat upon the Philistines (2-Samuel 5:17-25). But in order that the chief city of his kingdom and the seat of his own palace might also be made the religious centre of the whole nation as a congregation of Jehovah, he first of all brought the ark of the covenant out of its place of concealment, and had it conveyed in a festal procession to Zion, and deposited there in a tent which had been specially prepared for it, as a place of worship for the whole congregation (2 Samuel 6). He then resolved to erect for the Lord in Jerusalem a temple fitted for His name; and the Lord gave him in return the promise of the eternal perpetuity of his throne (2 Samuel 7). To this there is appended a cursory account of David's wars with the neighbouring nations, by which not only his own sovereignty, but the Israelitish kingdom of God, was raised into a commanding power among the nations and kingdoms of the world. In connection with all this, David still maintained his affection and fidelity towards the fallen royal family of Saul, and showed compassion towards the last remaining descendant of that family (2-Samuel 9:1-13).
This account of the unfolding of the power and glory of the kingdom of Israel, through the instrumentality of David and during his reign, is so far arranged chronologically, that all the events and all the enterprises of David mentioned in this section occurred in the first half of his reign over the whole of the covenant nation. The chronological arrangement, however, is not strictly adhered to, so far as the details are concerned; but the standpoint of material resemblance is so far connected with it, that all the greater wars of David are grouped together in 2 Samuel 8 (see the introduction to 2 Samuel 8). It is obvious from this, that the plan which the historian adopted was first of all to describe the internal improvement of the Israelitish kingdom of God by David, and then to proceed to the external development of his power in conflict with the opposing nations of the world. David Anointed King over All Israel. Jerusalem Taken, and Made the Capital of the Kingdom. Victories over the Philistines. 2 Samuel 5.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.