1.
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
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.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
feed = feed as a shepherd.
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.
made a league = solemnised a covenant. anointed David. See note on 1 Samuel 16:13 .
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.
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.
men. Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 .
saying . What they said must be rendered thus "Thou shalt not come in hither, for the blind and the lame shall drive thee away [by saying]`David shall not come in hither. ' "
7.
Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.
the strong hold of Zion : i.e. the hill of Ophel, immediately south of Moriah.
Zion. First occurrence. Occurs 154 times in O.T. (7 x 22, App-10 ); used later (especially in prophecy) of the whole city. See App-68 .
the City of David . Which is on Jebus, therefore, and not on the west side. First occurrence. Occurs forty times in O.T. Used of Zion five times ( 2Sa 5:7 , 2 Samuel 5:9 ; 1Ki 8:1 . 1 Chronicles 11:5 . 2 Chronicles 5:2 ).
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.
to the gutter = by (or through) the zinnor, a rock-cut passage from the lower Gihon or En-Rogel (now the Virgin's Fount on east of Ophel), leading up into the city and supplying water. Discovered by Sir Charles Warren. Compare note on Nehemiah 2:13 , &c.
soul . Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
he shall be chief and captain . These words are supplied from 1 Chronicles 11:6 , which tells that Joab got up the zinnor first. Probably revealed to him (or to David) by Araunah, who (though a Jebusite) was not slain, but is found, later on, owning property quite near (2 Samuel 24:16 ). Josephus says Araunah was a friend of David's.
Wherefore = Because.
9.
So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
fort = the "strong hold" of 2 Samuel 5:7 . Citadel.
round about = the wall, which was continued by Solomon (1 Kings 9:15 , 1 Kings 9:24 ; 1 Kings 11:27 ), afterward by Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 32:5 ), and extended by Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:14 ).
Millo = the Millo, or the filling up: i.e. of the valley between Moriah and Jebus.
10.
And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
went on = went on and on.
the LORD God of hosts = Jehovah Elohim zebaioth. App-4 . See note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .
11.
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
Hiram . Not the Hiram of 1 Kings 9:11 , which was sixty years later. Josephus says he was his father. Compare 2 Chronicles 2:13 . 1 Kings 5:1 .
Tyre . Israel had no war with Phoenicians. Asher failed to expel them (Judges 1:31 ).
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.
out of . Perhaps this should read "into", as in 1 Chronicles 14:3 . But both accounts are independent and complementary.
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.
Eliada = Another name, Beeliada. See note on 1 Chronicles 14:7 .
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.
seek . Compare 1 Samuel 26:2 .
hold . Probably Adullam. 1 Samuel 22:1 . Not Zion, because he went "down "to it.
18.
The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
Rephaim . The descendants of the Nephilim through one "Rapha". See App-23 and App-25 . Compare 1 Chronicles 11:15 .
19.
And David inquired 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.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. ( App-4 .). See note on Chron. 2 Samuel 14:10 .
20.
And David came to Baal-perazim, 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 Baal-perazim.
broken forth . Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6 .
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 inquired 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.
as = according as.
Geba . Abbreviation for "Gibeon". Compare Septuagint, and 1 Chronicles 14:16 .