2 Samuel 5

2 Samuel 5:1

D. Coronation as King over All Israel (Chap. 5)5:1-5 With words of loyalty and allegiance, the eleven tribes of Israel now joined Judah in acknowledging David as rightful king. Those who came are enumerated in 1Ch_12:23-40. Thus began a reign over the united nation that was to last thirty-three years. In all, David’s reign lasted forty years. Verse 3 records David’s third anointing. He was first anointed by the prophet Samuel (1Sa_16:13). Then he was anointed as king over the house of Judah in Hebron (2Sa_2:4). Now he was finally anointed as rightful king by the entire nation. 5:6-10 One of King David’s first military acts was to capture the fortress on Mount Zion from the Jebusites. These heathen warriors considered their city so invincible that it could be defended by the lame and the blind. David detected a weak point in the city’s water system; he ordered his men to climb up through an underground watercourse which the Jebusites used to bring water to the city from a fountain below. The strategy was successful, and Jebus became Jerusalem, also called the City of David, the capital of the nation of Israel. The latter part of verse 8 looks back to the Jebusite taunt in verse 6, which later became a common saying: “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” The Millo was a part of the fortification of the ancient city. (The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 11 reveals that Joab led the successful attack on the city and thus secured his place as commander of David’s forces.) 5:11-16 Hiram, the Gentile king of Tyre, sent materials and workmen to build a palace for David in Jerusalem. David took more concubines and wives while at Jerusalem, in violation of Deu_17:17, and additional sons and daughters were born to him. The royal line of the Messiah is traced through Solomon. There are two other lists of the sons born to David in Jerusalem (1Ch_3:5-8; 1Ch_14:3-7), with minor variations (mostly in spelling) among the three lists. 5:17-21 Disturbed by news of Israel’s unity and strong central government, the Philistines decided to attack. They gathered their forces at the Valley of Rephaim, south of Jerusalem. Assured of victory by the Lord, David attacked the foe and defeated them. He called the place Baal Perazim, meaning Baal is broken (NKJV marg.) or the master of breakthrough (NASB marg.). The Lord had made breaches in the ranks of the enemy there. The images which the Philistines abandoned were seized by David (v. 21) and burned (1Ch_14:12) so as not to become stumbling blocks to future generations. 5:22-25 Sometime later, the Philistines returned to this same Valley of Rephaim and threatened Israel. This time the LORD told David to circle around behind the enemy forces, opposite some mulberry trees. When he heard the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, he would know that the LORD was marching against the Philistines. The result was that David destroyed the foe from Geba to Gezer. Geba probably should read Gibeon (NKJV marg., LXX, and 1Ch_14:16.) Note that David did not assume that God’s guidance for one battle (v. 19) would be the same for the next (v. 23). We must constantly seek God’s will in everything. God’s strategy in the first battle was direct assault; in the second, ambush.