2 Samuel 5:1-25

DAVID IS ANOINTED KING, CAPTURES JERUSALEM, AND SMITES THE PHILISTINES 1. There was no longer any member of the house of Saul who could take the lead.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:2

FEED] lit. 'act as shepherd to' (cp. 2 Samuel 7:7;). 'Shepherd' became a technical term for a ruler (Jeremiah 3:15). The figure is developed in Ezekiel 34.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:4

The capture of Jerusalem marks a most important point in the history of Israel. Hitherto, the national life had had no real centre; the residence of a judge or a prophet or a king would be a temporary rallying place, such as the 'palm-tree of Deborah,' Shiloh (see on 1 Samuel 7:1), Mizpah, Gibeah (o... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:6

EXCEPT THOU TAKE AWAY THE BLIND AND THE LAME] RM 'but the blind and the lame shall turn thee away.' The Jebusites considered their city so strong that it needed no other defenders.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:7

THE STRONG HOLD OF ZION] called later on the 'city' (i.e. citadel) 'of David,' because he built and fortified it. It is to be noticed that the city of David does not mean the city of Jerusalem but the fort on Mt. Zion. David does not yet venture to live in Jerusalem itself, outside the fort. The ci... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:8

LXX reads 'Whosoever smites the Jebusite, let him slay with the sword both the lame and the blind, and those who hate David's soul.' 1 Chronicles 11:6 reads, 'Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain,' and adds, 'And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief'... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:11

HIRAM] If we accept the statements of Josephus, this Hiram was the father of Solomon's friend (1 Kings 5:1). TYRE] the leading city of Phœnicia. THEY BUILT] For the skill of the Phœnicians in masonry and building see 1 Kings 5:7. 14-16. The list of David's sons is given also in 1 Chronicles 3:5.; 1... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:17

This was a united and determined effort to crush David before he became too powerful. THE HOLD] It is uncertain what place is meant.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:20

BAAL-PERAZIM] Perazim means 'breaches.' Hence the play upon words. 'The Lord has made a breach.. like the breach.. he called the name.. Breaches.' It is common to find the names of places compounded with the name of the Baal to whom they were considered to belong: e.g. Baal-Peor, Baal-Gad, Baal-Pera... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:21

THEIR IMAGES] They had brought them into the battle to secure victory: cp. 1 Samuel 4:3. BURNED THEM] RV 'took them away,' i.e. as trophies.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:24

THE SOUND OF A GOING] RV 'the sound of marching.' It was the heavenly host marching to join in the attack on the Philistines.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 5:25

GEBA] LXX and Chronicles both have Gibeon, which is doubtless correct. This battle is apparently referred to in Isaiah 28:21, where also we have Gibeon.... [ Continue Reading ]

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