When everyone gathered at Hebron, they tell David that they are his own flesh and blood, 2 Samuel 5:1. In saying this they were pledging their allegiance to David, 1 Chronicles 11:1-3. They now recognise that David was to be king because God wanted him to shepherd his people, 2 Samuel 5:2. Although we don’t know the details, David made a covenant with the people, 2 Samuel 5:3, and tells them he would do as they say. Usually, when a covenant was made between parties, there would be a time of great celebration and an offering was usually sacrificed.
This is now the third time David has been anointed as king, 2 Samuel 5:3. The first time he was anointed by Samuel but it was done in secret, 1 Samuel 10:1. The second time was after the death of Saul when Judah made him king at Hebron, 2 Samuel 2:1-7. It was now that David began his unchallenged reign over Israel at the age of thirty, 2 Samuel 5:4-5, which was the normal age at which a Levite priest assumed his duties.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following, concerning 2 Samuel 5:4-5.
‘The age of David is conclusive as to the fact that the earlier years of Saul’s reign (during which Jonathan grew up to be a man) are passed over in silence, and that the events narrated from 1 Samuel 13 to the end of the book did not occupy more than 10 years. If David was 20 years old at the time he killed Goliath, four years in Saul’s service, four years of wandering from place to place, one year and four months in the country of the Philistines, and a few months after Saul’s death, would make up the 10 years necessary to bring him to the age of 30.’
We mustn’t forget that Abner played a big part in making this moment happen when he turned his allegiance from Ish-Bosheth and brought all of Israel to David, 2 Samuel 3:12 / 2 Samuel 3:17–19.
After David becomes king he makes the decision to go from Hebron to Jerusalem, 2 Samuel 5:6, or as it was sometimes called, ‘Jebus’, where he would function as king of Israel, 1 Chronicles 11:4-9 / Galatians 4:26. The Jebusites were a remnant people of the Canaanites, and they still lived in the city, 2 Samuel 5:6. As the text tells us, they were very arrogant and proud of their fortified city, thinking it was impenetrable, 2 Samuel 5:6.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following, concerning the lame and the blind, 2 Samuel 5:6.
‘From the general face of the text it appears that the Jebusites, vainly confiding in the strength of their fortress, placed lame and blind men upon the walls, and thus endeavoured to turn into ridicule David’s attempt to take the place’
This is the first reference to Zion in the Bible, 2 Samuel 5:7. This was the hill where the Jebusite’s fortified city was built upon. It was now going to be called the city of David, 2 Samuel 5:7, which as we now know is also called Jerusalem. There is mention of a water shaft, 2 Samuel 5:8, but no one knows what this water shaft was. It could have been a water drain or sewer, or it could have been a water source which came in from outside the city, 1 Chronicles 11:4-7. The point is that the Jebusites thought that this water shaft was the only way into the city because it was the only part of the city which wasn’t guarded.
The N.I.V tells us that David built up the area around the city from the ‘terraces inward’, 2 Samuel 5:9 / 1 Chronicles 11:8. The K.J.V. tells us that David built the city from ‘the Millo inward’. Millo was one of many fortified cities which had the same name, one of them is found in Shechem, Judges 9:6 / Judges 9:20. Both Solomon, 1 Kings 9:15, and Hezekiah, 2 Chronicles 32:5, in later times strengthened and repaired the Millo. Notice David became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him, 2 Samuel 5:10.
Hiram, who was the king of Tyre, became very supportive of David, which included building him a palace, 2 Samuel 5:11 / 1 Kings 5:1 / 1 Kings 9:10-14.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘He was a very friendly man, and no doubt a believer in the true God. He was not only a friend to David, but also of his son Solomon, to whom, in building the temple, he afforded the most important assistance.’
It appears that David not only wanted to have a strong city but he wanted to make allies with those around him, 2 Samuel 8:9. Later when David wanted to make an alliance with the Ammonites, they rejected it, this rejection led to a war with the Arameans, 2 Samuel 10:1-19.
David is fully aware for Israel’s sake that God anointed him to be king of His people after Saul’s sinning got out of control, 2 Samuel 5:12 / 1 Samuel 14:1-7 / 1 Chronicles 3:5-9. David was well aware of what God was doing through him for Israel’s benefit. Here again, we read about how David took more concubines and wives, 2 Samuel 5:13, although it was common practice in Old Testament times, this was a sin on David’s part, Deuteronomy 17:17.
Shammua, 2 Samuel 5:14, was the name of the one who was sent out by Moses to spy on the land of Canaan, Numbers 13:1. The first four sons mentioned here, 2 Samuel 5:14, were born to Bathsheba, the daughter of Ammiel, 1 Chronicles 3:5.
David had added to his collection of wives and concubines in Jerusalem, along with the other six he obtained at Hebron, 2 Samuel 3:2-5, and Michal, 2 Samuel 3:14-16, and those mentioned here. It appears up until this point David had a total of fifteen or twenty wives and concubines, it becomes apparent why Solomon went on to have seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines, 1 Kings 11:3.
Earlier when Israel wasn’t united but divided, the Philistines took full advantage of Israel’s disunity because Israel was no threat to anyone, 1 Samuel 4:11. Now that David is king and Israel has become one, the Philistines see them as a great threat and move in to remove the threat, 2 Samuel 5:17 / 1 Chronicles 14:8-17.
They used to see the Israelites as simple farmers and no threat to anyone but now, under David, they see that they have become a powerful military force. When David heard about it, he went down to the stronghold, 2 Samuel 5:17.
The Philistines spread out in the Valley of Rephaim, 2 Samuel 5:18, which was the valley of the giants. It was located just south of Jerusalem within another valley called the valley of Hinnom, Joshua 15:8. David now inquires of the LORD, 2 Samuel 5:19, and after inquiring of the Lord and the Lord gives him the go-ahead, 2 Samuel 5:19. We read that the waters broke out, and that place was called Baal Perazim, 2 Samuel 5:20, which means ‘the LORD who breaks out’.
David had obviously received some kind of advance notice of what the Philistines were planning to do and so he took his men and surprised attacked the Philistines from the east as they were moving towards Jerusalem. Notice that the Philistines abandoned their idols and David and his men carried them off, 2 Samuel 5:21. We know that later David ordered his men to burn the idols, 1 Chronicles 14:12 / Deuteronomy 7:5 / Deuteronomy 7:25.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It was the custom of most nations to carry their gods with them to battle: in imitation of this custom the Israelites once took the ark and lost it in the field, 1 Samuel 4:10-11.’
Although David made a surprise attack against the Philistines when they were approaching Jerusalem and they fled, the Philistines once again decide to give it another go, 2 Samuel 5:22. David once again inquires of the LORD, 2 Samuel 5:23, and under God’s command circles behind the Philistine army to finish them off, 2 Samuel 5:23-25.
Notice how God brought about this victory for Israel, the noise of marching on the tops of the poplar trees made the Philistines panic, 2 Samuel 5:23-24, and so David and his men kills them all, 2 Samuel 5:25. This is very similar to what we read about concerning the way Gideon defeated the Midianites, Judges 7:15-23.
Gibeon, 2 Samuel 5:25, was a small city near Jerusalem and Gezer, was located to the northwest of Jerusalem, 1 Chronicles 14:8-17. We can imagine the ripple effect through all the surrounding nations after David and his men defeated the Philistines. Everyone was afraid of the Philistines and so if David and his army could defeat them, the nations around would have a whole new respect for David and his army.