5:1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood!
After the death of king Ish-bosheth, all of the elders united at Hebron to accept David as the King of all twelve tribes.
5:2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over Israel.’”
The twelve tribes united and acknowledged that even during Saul’s reign, David was the real leader of Israel.
5:3 When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. They designated David as king over Israel.
King David made a covenant with the elders of the twelve tribes. The twelve tribes designated David as their king.
5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign and he reigned for forty years.
David was from the tribe of Judah. He began to reign as king over all twelve tribes when he was thirty years old. Jesus also was from the tribe of Judah. Jesus began his ministry at thirty years old as well.
5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
David reigned for a total of forty years. Israel was never at peace during his reign, but he did turn Israel into the most powerful nation in the world.
David Occupies Jerusalem
5:6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites said to David, “You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, ‘David cannot invade this place!’”
The Jebusites were a tribe who descended from Mizraim, the son of Ham. Mizraim also founded Egypt. Jerusalem had been under Canaanite control since the time of Abraham. Abraham offered Isaac at Mount Moriah, which was in this same area. Joshua was never able to drive the Jebusites out of this Jerusalem territory. The Jebusite territory was designated to the Benjaminites, but they were not able to drive them out either. The Jebusite city was positioned high on a hill, so no one had ever been able to take them from the high ground. The Jebusites were so confident of their city’s defense, that they boasted that the blind and lame could defend the city.
5:7 But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the city of David).
The Hebrew word for “Zion” is fortress. This is the first time this name is used in the Bible. Jerusalem was called “Zion” about 150 times.
5:8 David said on that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must approach the ‘lame’ and the ‘blind’ who are David’s enemies by going through the water tunnel.” For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame cannot enter the palace.”
David found a water tunnel. His men snuck throughout the water tunnel, bypassing the blind and lame, and surprised the city. The Jebusites were easily defeated.
5:9 So David lived in the fortress and called it the City of David. David built all around it, from the terrace inwards.
Jerusalem and Bethlehem were both called “the City of David." King David conquered and built Jerusalem, but he was born in Bethlehem.
5:10 David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God who commands armies was with him.
Jehovah is the one who commands the angelic army. Therefore, David could never lose a battle. Anyone who attacked David was fighting the angelic army of Jehovah.
5:11 King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons. They built a palace for David.
Tyre was one of the wealthiest shipping ports on the Mediterranean Sea. It was a Phoenician seaport ruled by King Hiram. King Hiram sent messengers, cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons to build David’s palace. David was an ally with the most powerful naval industry in the ancient world.
5:12 David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
David was humble enough to understand that God established his kingdom. This is a concept that many modern believers and unbelievers do not understand. God gives and God takes away.
5:13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David.
It was against the Mosaic Law for a king to multiply horses or wives. David multiplied both, so he would later be judged for this sin.
5:14 These are the names of children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5:15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 5:16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
Nathan would be in the line of the Virgin Mary. Solomon would be in the line of Joseph. Luke recorded the messianic genealogy of Mary through Nathan. Matthew recorded the messianic genealogy of Joseph through Solomon. Nathan and Solomon were brothers. They were both sons of King David.
Conflict with the Philistines
5:17 When the Philistines heard that David had been designated king over Israel, they all went up to search for David. When David heard about it, he went down to the fortress.
The Philistines wanted to destroy David before he consolidated Israel.
5:18 Now the Philistines had arrived and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.
The Valley of Rephaim was the valley of the giants. The Philistines spread their war camps in the valley, ready to attack Israel. This was another attempt of Satan to exterminate the messianic line.
5:19 So David asked the Lord, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to David, “March up, for I will indeed hand the Philistines over to you.”
David most likely inquired of God through the Urim and Thummin.
5:20 So David marched against Baal Perazim and defeated them there. Then he said, “The Lord has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So he called the name of that place Baal Perazim.
Baal Perazim means “bursting out." David’s army bursted out against the Philistines and defeated them.
5:21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men picked them up.
The Philistines were so routed by David’s army, that they left their idols on the ground of their abandoned camps. Israel most likely picked them up and began worshiping them.
5:22 The Philistines again came up and spread out in the valley of Rephaim.
The Philistines regathered and attacked David a second time.
5:23 So David asked the Lord what he should do. This time the Lord said to him, “Don’t march straight up. Instead, circle around behind them and come against them opposite the trees.
David was not like Saul. David constantly asked God for direction. God gave David a different strategic plan. David's army was to circle around the trees and wait for God’s signal.
5:24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees, act decisively. For at that moment the Lord is going before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”
When David heard the angelic army marching over the trees, then David was to watch Jehovah go before David and strike down the enemies.
5:25 David did just as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer.
David followed this divine strategy which was given to him by God. David drove the Philistines out of the hill country and back into the coastal plain.