2 Samuel 5 - Printer Friendly

What does 2 Samuel 5 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

David has been king of Judah for seven years. Now, the elders of the northern and eastern tribes are ready to accept him as king. Apparently, they had wanted David as their king for a while, but Saul's general Abner appointed Saul's son Ish-bosheth instead. Right before Abner was killed, he changed his mind and convinced the tribes to follow David. Shortly after, Ish-bosheth was murdered. David condemned the murders and honored both Abner and Ish-bosheth, endearing himself to the other tribes even more (2 Samuel 3—4).

The people give three reasons for welcoming David as king: They are all related as the descendants of Abraham. David has proved himself in battle on their behalf against the Philistines. The Lord has declared that David would be their shepherd and leader. The elders make a covenant with David and anoint him as king over all Israel. David was thirty years old when he became king of Judah in Hebron. He's thirty-seven or thirty-eight when he becomes king of all Israel. In total, he'll be king for forty years (2 Samuel 5:1–5).

David decides to move his capital from Hebron to a more central location in Jebus. The Jebusites who have occupied the city since the time of Joshua mock David, saying that even the lame and blind could defeat him. Although Jebus is naturally well defended, David sends his men up through the water shaft to attack and defeat the "blind and lame" Jebusites and take the stronghold. David renames Jebus as Jerusalem, or Yaruwshalaim, meaning "teaching of peace." This place will also be known as "Zion" and "the city of David" (2 Samuel 5:6–9).

Second Samuel 5:10 marks a transition. From this point in the text until David's decline, the stories may not be recorded in strict chronological order. Second Samuel 5:9—10:19 recounts David's great deeds. Starting in 2 Samuel 11 with David's sins against Uriah and Bathsheba and continuing through his death, David makes poor choices, and his power wanes. But we don't know for sure where the stories fit between each other. As an example, Solomon is mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:15, but he won't be born until chapter 12.

Once David has Jerusalem, he expands the city, makes an international ally, builds a palace, and acquires a larger family, all because God is with him and wants to bless Israel (2 Samuel 5:11–16).

As David settles into his new capital, the Philistines attack, twice. In both cases, David "inquires of the Lord" and wins decisively (2 Samuel 5:17–25).

David's next goal is to retrieve the ark of the Covenant and make Jerusalem both the religious and political capital. Once the ark arrives, David realizes that while he has a grand house, the ark sits in a tent. David asks Nathan the prophet if he should build a temple. God has other plans. He promises that David's sons will rule Israel forever, but David's heir, Solomon, will build the temple (2 Samuel 6:1–15; 7:1–17).

Parts of 2 Samuel 5 are also recorded in 1 Chronicles 11:1–9 and 14:1–17. Second Samuel 23:13–17 (1 Chronicles 11:15–19) may give details to the battle in 2 Samuel 5:17–21.

Second Samuel 5:1–5 records the moment when David finally becomes king of all Israel. Jacob had prophesied that the tribe of Judah would carry the scepter (Genesis 49:10). Samuel had first anointed David years earlier when he was still a shepherd (1 Samuel 16:12–13). David has been king of the tribe of Judah for seven years. As king of Israel, he will establish his capital, Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:6–10). David's inauguration is also recorded in 1 Chronicles 11:1–3.

Second Samuel 5:6–10 describes David's establishment of a new capital city. He has been in Hebron, in the heart of Judah, for seven years. He decides to move to Jebus, an easily defendable city closer to central Israel. He and his men take it from the native Jebusites, and he renames it Jerusalem. David knows he owes his success to God and God alone. David's people move in, and the king of Tyre helps him build a house where he has many more children (2 Samuel 5:11–16). This information is also found in 1 Chronicles 11:2–9.

Second Samuel 5:11–16 gives more examples of God's blessings on David. He and his men have taken Jebus and renamed it Jerusalem: a place established in peace (1 Chronicles 11:9—12:40). The king of Tyre sends the materials and tradesmen necessary to build a house. David takes more wives and concubines and has several more sons. First Chronicles 14:1 also records Hiram's contributions, and 1 Chronicles 3:1–9 and 14:3–7 repeat the list of David's expanding family. Next, David furthers his domination over the armies of the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17–25).

Second 2 Samuel 5:17–25 explains how David confronts the Philistines as king of Israel. He has been fighting the Philistines since he was a boy (1 Samuel 17), and one of the reasons Israel has accepted him as king is because of his reputation as a military commander (2 Samuel 3:17–19; 5:2). This section is repeated in 1 Chronicles 14:8–17. The battles continue a series of examples of how God is blessing David's new kingship (2 Samuel 5). Second Samuel 5—10 describes David's successes as a man and a king. Second Samuel 11—24 describes his failures and their consequences.

Chapter Summary:

Second Samuel 5 is a series of vignettes describing how God blesses David after his inauguration as king over the nation. David took Jerusalem from the Jebusites and made the city the nation's capital (2 Samuel 5:6–9). His first international ally, Hiram, king of Tyre, built his palace (2 Samuel 5:11). His family grew: exponentially (2 Samuel 5:13–16)! And he soundly beat his enemies (2 Samuel 5:17–25). David did all this because of God's favor, to bless the nation, not through his own skill or because of any good in him (2 Samuel 5:10, 12). First Chronicles 11:1–9 and 14:1–17 also record these events.

Chapter Context:

Second Samuel 5 is a pivot point for all of Israel's history. After Saul's son Ish-bosheth is killed, no opposition remains to David's kingship (2 Samuel 4:5–6). Convinced by Abner before his death to follow David (2 Samuel 3:17–19), the elders of Israel gather at Hebron to anoint David king over the entire nation. David moves his capital to Jerusalem and defends the nation against the Philistines. Now, he has enough security to bring the ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1–15). The following chapters seem to collectively describe David's accomplishments (2 Samuel 5:9—10:19) and his mistakes (2 Samuel 11—20).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.

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