[2] Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
Shalt feed — That is, rule them, and take care of them, as a shepherd doth of his sheep, Psalms 78:70,71. This expression, he useth to admonish David, that he was not made a king to advance his own glory, but for the good of his people; whom he ought to rule with all tenderness, and to watch over with all diligence.
Verse 3
[3] So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.
A league — Whereby David obliged himself to rule them according to God's laws; and the people promised obedience to him.
Verse 6
[6] And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, 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: thinking, David cannot come in hither.
Cannot come — They confided in the strength of their fortifications, which they thought so impregnable, that the blind and the lame were sufficient to defend them, against the most powerful assailant. And probably they set a parcel of blind and lame people, invalids or maimed soldiers, to make their appearance on the wall, in contempt of David and his men.
Verse 8
[8] And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.
To the gutter — That is, whosoever scaleth the fort, or getteth up to the top of it, where the gutter was.
That are hated — The Jebusites, and the lame, and the blind, Who had probably themselves insulted him, and blasphemed God.
He shall be — These words are fitly supplied out of 1 Chronicles 11:6, where they are expressed.
They said … — That is, whence it became a proverb, or a common saying, used by David, and others, the blind and the lame Jebusites, were set to keep the house, that is, the fort of Zion; and to keep others from coming into it; but now they are shut out of it, and none of them, either of the Jebusites, or of blind and lame persons, shall be admitted to come into it again. Which David might ordain, to keep up the memory of this great exploit, and of the insolent carriage of the Jebusites.
Verse 9
[9] So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
Millo — Which seems to have been the town-hall or, state-house, near the wall of the city of Zion.
Verse 12
[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.
King over Israel — That he might be a blessing to them, and they might be happy under his administration.
Verse 13
[13] And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
David took, … — This may well be reckoned amongst David's miscarriages, the multiplication of wives being expresly forbidden to the king, Deuteronomy 17:17. It seems to have been his policy, that hereby he might enlarge his family, and strengthen his interest by alliances with so many considerable families. But all these did not preserve him from coveting his neighbour's wife. Rather they inclined him to it: for men who have once broke the fence, will wander carelesly.
Verse 17
[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.
The hold — To some fortified place to which his people might conveniently resort from all places, and where he might intrench his army, which lay towards the Philistines.
Verse 20
[20] And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
Baal-perazim-Whither the Philistines were come from the valley of Rephraim, 1 Chronicles 14:11. Baal-perazim, signifies the master of the breaches: So he ascribes all to God.
As waters — As floods or rivers of waters, which break the banks, and overflow a land, and overturn all that stands in their way.
Verse 21
[21] And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
Images — When the ark fell into the hand of the Philistines, it consumed them: but when these images fell into the hands of Israel, they could not save themselves from being consumed.
Verse 22
[22] And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
And spread themselves — The expression intimates, that they were very numerous, and made a very formidable appearance. So we read, Revelation 20:9, of the church's enemies going up on the breadth of the earth. But the wider they spread themselves, the fairer mark they are for God's arrows.
Verse 23
[23] And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
Go up — Directly against them, as the following words explain it.
Behind — Where they least expect thee; God's purposes and promises do not exclude men's endeavours.
Verse 24
[24] And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
The sound — A noise as it were of persons walking upon the tops of them, which I shall cause; and by this sign, both thou shalt he assured that I am coming to help thee; and the Philistines shall be affrighted, and not perceive the noise of thy army, until thou art upon them.
2 Samuel 5 Bible Commentary
John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes
Verse 2
[2] Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
Shalt feed — That is, rule them, and take care of them, as a shepherd doth of his sheep, Psalms 78:70,71. This expression, he useth to admonish David, that he was not made a king to advance his own glory, but for the good of his people; whom he ought to rule with all tenderness, and to watch over with all diligence.
Verse 3
[3] So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.
A league — Whereby David obliged himself to rule them according to God's laws; and the people promised obedience to him.
Verse 6
[6] And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, 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: thinking, David cannot come in hither.
Cannot come — They confided in the strength of their fortifications, which they thought so impregnable, that the blind and the lame were sufficient to defend them, against the most powerful assailant. And probably they set a parcel of blind and lame people, invalids or maimed soldiers, to make their appearance on the wall, in contempt of David and his men.
Verse 8
[8] And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.
To the gutter — That is, whosoever scaleth the fort, or getteth up to the top of it, where the gutter was.
That are hated — The Jebusites, and the lame, and the blind, Who had probably themselves insulted him, and blasphemed God.
He shall be — These words are fitly supplied out of 1 Chronicles 11:6, where they are expressed.
They said … — That is, whence it became a proverb, or a common saying, used by David, and others, the blind and the lame Jebusites, were set to keep the house, that is, the fort of Zion; and to keep others from coming into it; but now they are shut out of it, and none of them, either of the Jebusites, or of blind and lame persons, shall be admitted to come into it again. Which David might ordain, to keep up the memory of this great exploit, and of the insolent carriage of the Jebusites.
Verse 9
[9] So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.
Millo — Which seems to have been the town-hall or, state-house, near the wall of the city of Zion.
Verse 12
[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.
King over Israel — That he might be a blessing to them, and they might be happy under his administration.
Verse 13
[13] And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
David took, … — This may well be reckoned amongst David's miscarriages, the multiplication of wives being expresly forbidden to the king, Deuteronomy 17:17. It seems to have been his policy, that hereby he might enlarge his family, and strengthen his interest by alliances with so many considerable families. But all these did not preserve him from coveting his neighbour's wife. Rather they inclined him to it: for men who have once broke the fence, will wander carelesly.
Verse 17
[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.
The hold — To some fortified place to which his people might conveniently resort from all places, and where he might intrench his army, which lay towards the Philistines.
Verse 20
[20] And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim.
Baal-perazim-Whither the Philistines were come from the valley of Rephraim, 1 Chronicles 14:11. Baal-perazim, signifies the master of the breaches: So he ascribes all to God.
As waters — As floods or rivers of waters, which break the banks, and overflow a land, and overturn all that stands in their way.
Verse 21
[21] And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
Images — When the ark fell into the hand of the Philistines, it consumed them: but when these images fell into the hands of Israel, they could not save themselves from being consumed.
Verse 22
[22] And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
And spread themselves — The expression intimates, that they were very numerous, and made a very formidable appearance. So we read, Revelation 20:9, of the church's enemies going up on the breadth of the earth. But the wider they spread themselves, the fairer mark they are for God's arrows.
Verse 23
[23] And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
Go up — Directly against them, as the following words explain it.
Behind — Where they least expect thee; God's purposes and promises do not exclude men's endeavours.
Verse 24
[24] And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
The sound — A noise as it were of persons walking upon the tops of them, which I shall cause; and by this sign, both thou shalt he assured that I am coming to help thee; and the Philistines shall be affrighted, and not perceive the noise of thy army, until thou art upon them.
Bestir — Fall upon them.