2 Samuel 5

THen came all the Tribes of Israel To wit, by their Ambassadors, Ishbosheth and Abner being now dead; and that without David's concurrence. to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy... one, and thy flesh i. e. Thy Brethren, or Kinsmen, of the same Nation and Parentage, though not of the same Tribe; and therefore, as Gods Law, Deut. 17. 15. permits us, so our own relation and affection inclines us to choose thee for our King; and we doubt not thou wilt receive us for thy Subjects and People, and Pardon our Offences against thee..

Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out, and broughtest in Israel Thou wast our Chief Commander in our Expeditions against the Philistines, and therefore art most fit to be King over us.; and the LORD said to thee To wit, by Samuel, 1 Sam. 16. 11, 12, 13. for though the words vary, yet the sense is the same., Thou shalt feed my people Israel i. e. Rule them, and take care of them, as a Shepherd does of his Sheep, Psal. 78. 70, 71. This Expression he useth to admonish David, that he was not made a King to advance his own Glory and Interest, but for the good and benefit of his People; and that he ought to Rule them with all tenderness, and to watch over them with all diligence., and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and king David made a league with them Whereby David obliged himself to rule them according to God's Laws; and the People promised Fidelity and Obedience to him. in Hebron before the LORD Either, 1. Before the Ark; which might be here, though that be not mentioned in this place. Or, 2. Before the Priest clothed with the Ephod; whereby he was in a manner put into God's Presence. Or rather, 3. In the congregation of the mighty, or Magistrates, where God used to be present, Psal. 82. 1. in the Publick Assembly now met together in God's name and fear, and as in his Presence to call upon him, to appeal to him as the Witness and Judge of their Transactions. Compare Iudg. 11. 11. 1 Sam. 23. 18.: and they anointed David Either by a Prophet, or the Priest, to whom this Office belonged. See 2 Sam. 2. 4. king over Israel.

¶ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years And some odd Months, as it follows..

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.

¶ And the king and his men went Having the advantage of so great a confluence of his People to make him King, he thought fit to begin his Reign with some eminent Action, and to lead them forth in this Expedition. Wherein doubtless he asked Advice from God, and the consent of the Elders now present. to Jerusalem As the place which God had designed for his Worship; and in the Center and Heart of his Kingdom, and therefore fittest for his Royal City. unto the Jebusites Who continued to dwell there in spight of the Benjamites, to whose lot it fell. See Iosh. 15. 63. Iudg. 1. 21. and 19. 10, 11., 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 Or, thou shalt not come in hither, but the blind and the lame shall remove or hinder thee. By the blind and the lame they understand, either, 1. Their own People; and so they imply, that the Place was so Impregnable, that a few Blind and Lame men were able to Defend it against all David's Assaults. And these may be called, and were the hated of David's soul, v. 8. Not because they were blind and lame, but because they were Iebusites, a People hated and accursed by God: and the Iebusites of this place were more hateful to him, than the rest of that Nation; partly, because they Possessed this Place, which David knew was designed for the one and only Place of God's Solenm Worship; and partly, because they did so wickedly and insolently defie the Armies of Israel, and consequently, the God of Israel. Or 2. Their gods or images; which, after the manner of the Heathens, they Worshipped as their tutelary gods, and placed in their Gates or Walls. These they call blind and lame sarcastically, and with respect to David's opinion; as if they said, These gods of ours, whom you Israelites Reproach, as Blind and Lame, Psal. 115. 5, 6. and so unable to direct and protect us, they will defend us against you; and you will find, they are neither Blind, nor Lame, but have Eyes to watch for us, and Hands to Fight against you; and you must Conquer them, before you can take our City. And these may well be called, the hated of David's soul. But I prefer the former sense, as being most easie, and natural, and proper; whereas, the latter is Metaphorical, and seems doubtful and forced.: thinking, David cannot come in hither Concluding their Fort to be Impregnable..

Nevertheless, David took the strong hold of Zion Either, 1. A very strong Fort which they had built upon Mount Sion; which being taken, the City quickly yielded. Or, 2. The City of Zion, which was very strongly Fortified.: the same is the city of David.

And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter i. e. Whosoever Scaleth the Fort, or getteth up to the top of it, where the Gutter was., and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame, and the blind Or even, or especially (for the Hebrew Particle Vau, signifies both ways) the lame and the blind: i. e. Those of them who are set to Defend that Place; who, as they pretend, should be only the Lame, and the Blind. Others understand it, of their Idols, or Images. But they could not properly be said to be smitten, i. e. Killed; as that Word is used here, and elsewhere., that are hated of Davids soul This belongs to the Iebusite, and the lame, and the blind; and it is explained in v. 6., he shall be chief and captain These words are fitly supplyed out of 1 Chron. 11. 6. where they are expressed; and they must needs be understood to make the sense complete. And such Ellipses or defects of a part of the Sentence, are usual in Promises and Oaths, and Conditional Offers, such as this was.: wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house i. e. Whence it became a Proverb, or a common saying, used by David, and others, upon this occasion: or otherwise, The blind and the lame Iebusites... ere set to keep the House: i. e. The Fort of Zion; and to keep others from coming into it; but now they are shut out of it, and none of them, to wit, either, 1. Of the Iebusites; or, 2. Of Blind and Lame persons, shall be admitted to come into it again. Which David might resolve, and ordain, to keep up the memory of this great Exploit, and of the Insolent Carriage of the Iebusites, and their unhappy Success. Or, the blind and the lame shall not come into my house: to wit, Into the King's Palace. And although this might be a general Rule and Decree of David's, yet he might dispense with it in some special cases, as in that of Mephibosheth. But it is not necessary, that this should be a Proverb; for the Words may be thus rendred, as it is in the Margent of our Bible, because they had said, even the blind and the lame, he (i. e. David) shall not come into the house: or, because they (i. e. the Jebusites) had said, the blind and the lame shall hinder him; (which Words are easily supplied out of v. 6. where having spoken of this more largely, it was sufficient here to mention the most Emphatical Words, as is usual in such Cases;) He shall not come into the house, or hither; as they say, v. 6. i. e. Into the Fort: for the Word house is used very largely and generally in the Hebrew Language, for any place; as Iudg. 16. 21..

So David dwelt in the fort, and called it, The city of David: and David built round about from Millo Which seems to have been some large and well fortified Building, Iudg. 9. 6. 2 Chron. 3. 5. adjoyning, or near to the wall of the City of Zion., and inward.

¶ And David went on, and grew great In reputation and power., and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar-trees For Lebanon, which was famous for its Cedars, was, a great part of it, in his Dominion., and carpenters, and masons For the Tyrians were excellent Artists and Workmen; as both Sacred and Profane Writers agree., and they built David an house.

And David perceived By reflecting upon the Promises which God had made him, and the constant course of Gods Providence favouring him., that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israels sake.

¶ And David took him moe concubines and wives This may well be reckon'd amongst David's miscarriages, the multiplication of being expresly forbidden to the King, Deut. 17. 17. The use of seems to have been his Policy, that hereby he might enlarge his Family, and strengthen his Interest by Alliances with so many considerable Families. And the number of Wives being not limited, Deut. 17. he might conceive this was no Transgression of that Law. out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron, and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobub, and Nathan, and Solomon.

Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhiah:

And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.

¶ But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel Whilst the Civil War lasted between the Houses of Saul and David, they wisely forbore all Hostilites, and left them to tear out one anothers Bowels, that afterwards they might make a more easie Conquest of both. But that being ended, and all united under David, they bestir themselves., all the Philistines came up to seek David To find him out, and fight against him, and cut him off now in the Infancy of his Kingdom. Whereby they give David a just occasion to fight against them for his own necessary Defence, and acquit him from any note of Ingratitude, in opposing them who had formerly exercised kindness and Hospitality to him. Though indeed David's Obligations were in a manner wholly to Achish, who seems to he dead at this time, there being no mention of him., and David heard of it, and went down to the hold To some fortified place to which his people might conveniently resort from all places, and where he might intrench his Army, and which lay towards the Philistines..

The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephim Or, of the Giants: which lay Westward from Ierusalem, and so was the ready way to Ierusalem, which it seems they designed to take..

And David enquired 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.

And David came to Baal-perazim Whither the Philistines were come from the Valley of Rephaim, 1 Chron. 14. 11., and David smote them there, and said, The LORD has broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters As Floods or Rivers of Waters, which break the Banks, and overflow a Land, and overturn all that stands in their way.. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.

¶ And there they left their images Which they seem to have brought into the Field to Figh... for them, as the Israelites had formerly done the Ark., and David and his men burnt them As God had commanded, Deut. 7. 5..

And the Philistines came up yet again Doubtless with greater Force, as those that saw their All lay at stake., and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up To wit, directly against them, as the following words explain it.: but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulbery-trees Where they least expect thee; Gods purposes and Promises do not exclude Mens just endeavours, but require them..

And let it be when thou hearest the sound of a going A noise as it were of persons walking upon the tops of them, which I shall cause; and by this sign, both thou shalt be assured that I am coming to help thee; and the Philistines shall be affrighted and amused, and not perceive the noise of thy Army, until thou art upon them. in the tops of the mulbery-trees, that then thou shalt bestir they self Do thou fall upon them.: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba, until thou come to Gazer They followed their Victory, and pursued them to their own Borders, in which Gazer was, as Iosephus relates..