The tribes come to Hebron and anoint David over Israel, 1-3. David's age, 4, 5. Taking Zion from the Jebusites, he dwells in it, 6-10. Hiram sends to David, 11, 12. Eleven sons are born to him in Jerusalem, 13-16. David, directed by God, smites the Philistines at Baal-perazim, 17-21; and again at the mulberry trees, 22-25.
1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, "Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, 'You shall feed my people Israel and you shall be a captain over Israel.'" 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD. 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 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to 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 could not get in there. 7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, "Whoever gets up to the gutter and smites the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind who are hated by David's soul, he shall be chief and captain." Therefore, they said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." 9 So David dwelt in the fort and called it the city of David. And David built around from Millo and inward. 10 And David went on and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and also cedar-trees, carpenters, and masons, and they built David a house. 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 for himself more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem after he had come from Hebron. And there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammuah, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphalet.
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. 18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19 And David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?" And the LORD said to David, "Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand." 20 And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there and said, "The LORD has broken forth upon my enemies before me, as the breach of waters." Therefore, he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. 21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
22 And the Philistines came yet again and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, "You shall not go up, but make a circuit behind them and come upon them over against the mulberry-trees. 24 And let it be, when you hear the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry-trees, you shall move quickly, for then the LORD shall go out before you to smite the host of the Philistines." 25 And David did so as the LORD had commanded him and smote the Philistines from Geba as far as Gazer.
Matthew Henry Commentary - 2nd Samuel, Chapter 5[➚]
[v.13] - See the note for Deuteronomy 17:16-20.