II Samuel 10, A New King of the Ammonites

The kingdom of David continues to grow.  David has made alliances.  Some of them change.

2 Samuel 10:1-4, Hanun's obscenity

In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king.

David thought, "I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. 

When David's men came to the land of the Ammonites, the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, "Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Hasn't David sent them to you to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?" So Hanun seized David's men, shaved off half of each man's beard, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.

David seeks to extend his alliance with the Ammonites, east of the Jordan (in the modern country of Jordan.) But the new king, Hanun, humiliates David's men by shaving half of each man's beard and cutting their robe so as to expose their buttocks. This is an arrogant statement of power by a new king. The half-shaving of the beard insults the men's manhood; the cutting of their robes mocks their formal standing as ambassadors. This is, in essence, a declaration of war. Hanun has made it clear he views David as an enemy.

2 Samuel 10: 5-10, David's response

When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, "Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back."

When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David's nostrils, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.

On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country. Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites.

The Ammonites "realize that they have become a stench" and so go on the offensive first. Presumably this is all to be expected; Hanun's treatment of David's envoys invited this.

2 Samuel 10: 11-14, Arameans flee before Joab

Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight."

Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

 

Joab is victorious in his first sally against the Arameans.

2 Samuel 10: 15-19, The battle continues

After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the River; they went to Helam, with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer's army leading them.

When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there.

When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

The "River" is the Euphrates.  David has won a victory over the Ammonites and Arameans. (We do not hear of the status of Hanun, who began this conflict.) This final triumph over the Ammonites will be told at the end of chapter 12, but before that, David's story turns tragic....

II Samuel 9, Mephibosheth

David has defeated the house of Saul, but he remembers his love for Jonathan.

2 Samuel 9: 1-5, Ziba remembers

David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"

Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" 

"Your servant," he replied. 

The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" 

Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet."

"Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar." 

So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel.

David finds Mephibosheth, crippled at age five when his father died, and David plans to protect him.  There is some risk in this -- supporters of Saul could later attempt to put one of his descendants on the throne.

2 Samuel 9: Mephibosheth honored

When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" 

"Your servant," he replied.

"Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." 

Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

Mephibosheth and Saul's servant, Ziba, are provided for and given land to farm.

2 Samuel 9: Mephiboseth and family eat at the king's table

Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.

Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet.

Mephiboseth and his family now have the king's support. They even eat at the king's table, with David and his many sons.

II Samuel 8, Victories Wherever He Goes

David has settled in as king of all Israel.  But there are still enemies....

2 Samuel 8:1-4, Philistines, Moabites and Zobahites defeated

In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines. David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought tribute.

Moreover, David fought Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control along the Euphrates River. David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.

This passage reports, without apology, the violence of ancient Near East warfare, including the massacre of prisoners and maming of horses.

(NIV footnotes: In verse 4, there are discrepancies in the ancient texts. The Masoretic Text says that David captured seventeen hundred charioteers.)

2 Samuel 8: 5-8, Arameans defeated

When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. From Tebah and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.

 

David defeats the Arameans to the northeast and puts up garrisons.  Wherever David goes, he is given victory, collects tribute and brings it to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 8: 9-12, Prince Joram congratulates David

When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze.

King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: Edom and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

King Tou offers David tribute and David devotes it to YHWH, presumably through a treasury of some type.  David also dedicates plunder from other victories.

2 Samuel 8: 13-18, Garrisons built, officers appointed

And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.

David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David's sons were royal advisers.

The theme of this chapter is in verse 14: "The LORD gave David victory wherever he went,"

(NIV footnotes; In verse 13 there are discrepancies in ancient texts; most Hebrew texts have Arameans in place of Edomites.)

II Samuel 7, The Davidic Covenant

David is now king of all Israel, with a palace built by the king of Tyre (2 Samuel 5: 11.)

2 Samuel 7: 1-3, A palace for God?

After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent."

Nathan replied to the king, "Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you."
 

David feels guilty about having a nice palace when the ark sits in a tent.  Nathan says, "Go for it!" and David is ready to build a permanent temple.

This is the first we hear of the prophet Nathan.

2 Samuel 7: 7-11a, A house to be established

That night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying: "Go and tell my servant David, `This is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'
 

"Now then, tell my servant David, `This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. 

YHWH tells Nathan that, Yes, He has established and protected David, that He will make the line of David strong and great. Eventually they will have rest from their enemies. But it is not David who will build the temple. (In 1 Chronicles 28: 2-3 we learn that God told David he could not build the temple because he was a warrior and had shed blood.)

2 Samuel 7: 11b-16, "Your kingdom will endure forever"

"`The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.'"

Despite David's enthusiasm for building a temple, it will be a son of his that will build the temple. Then David's line will last forever.

2 Samuel 7: 17-24, David's response

Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD?

"What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD. For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

"How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like your people Israel--the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, O LORD, have become their God.

When Nathan reports YHWH's response, David goes and prays, "Who am I?",  a rhetorical question, as the answer is the same as that of Jacob and Moses -- YHWH chose them for His own reason and purpose.

2 Samuel 7: 25-29, A song of praise

"And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then men will say, `The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

"O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, `I will build a house for you.' So your servant has found courage to offer you this prayer. O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."

David sings a song of praise, thanking YHWH for blessing both him and Israel.  He expects Israel to forever be blessed by YHWH choosing them.

This is the height of David's reign.  His political power will continue to grow and be consolidated over the next few chapters before it all falls apart.

A Review of The David Story by Robert Alter

Robert Alter is a Hebrew scholar who has made a name by translating the Hebrew scrolls of the Old Testament, adding commentary to explain the Hebrew terms and possible interpretations.  I first read his work in his exceptional commentary on Genesis, a beautiful and elegant work that brings that ancient book to life and displays the artistry of the writer(s) of that book.

Alter is not a Christian and does not view the Old Testament in the way that many Christian scholars do but he does love the ancient text and has a high regard for its language and internal consistency. He will suggest, in places, that the text has been edited (where some Christian scholars will agree) but opposes the modern scholarly obsession of dividing the texts into multiple threads of authors and editors.

Alter has now translated the entire Old Testament, with copious notes and commentary. His translation of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel is available as a work called The David Story. (For completeness, it also includes the first two chapters of 1 Kings, covering David's death and the start of Solomon's reign.)  I have used the commentary in my blog on the Old Testament and it is exceptional.  I work through a chapter by first reading Alter's translation and then going back and reading his comments on the translation.  

In this commentary, Alter describes discrepancies in the ancient text (the traditional Masoretic Text of about 1000 AD, the scrolls of Samuel from the Dead Sea scrolls, c. 50 BC and the Septuagint Greek text, c. 250 BC.) He points out Hebrew wordplay in the text and the emotions and meanings carried by Hebrew words and terms. The scroll of Samuel (broken into 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel in modern Bibles) has an inclusio of songs, Hannah's song at the front in 1 Samuel 2: 1-10 and David's song at the end in 2 Samuel 22. These praise songs set off the remainder of the book, devoted to telling the story of Israel's great shepherd-king. Both songs announce that YHWH is the "horn of salvation", the one who has given them victory over their enemies.

In some places, the Hebrew words carry urgency of emotion that may be missed in modern translations.  In 1 Samuel 2: 14, Alter has greedy priests thrusting their forks "into the cauldron or the pot of the vat or the kettle", arguing that this flurry of terms, in the Hebrew text, adds to the image of greed and gluttony. In 1 Samuel 20: 30, when Saul accuses Jonathan of "the shame of your mother's nakedness" (Alter's literal translation), Alter argues that this is an abusive or violent sexual statement about Jonathan's mother. In other places, Alter insists that the term "son of..." is rude; when Saul calls David "son of Jesse" (1 Samuel 22: 7), he is refusing to say David's name and only naming his father. When Saul calls the priest Ahimelech "son of Ahitub" in 1 Samuel 22: 12 it is a rudeness that shows Saul's intent to kill the man. This use of the rude "patronymic" occurs in numerous places.

In 1 Samuel 9: 12-13, Alter suggests that the long rambling answers of the women around Saul might be a response to Saul's passivity in seeking out Samuel. He explains the proverb "Is Saul among the prophets?" (1 Samuel 10 and 1 Samuel 19: 23-24) as first being a statement of amazement at the signs given by Samuel but then later a mockery of Saul's attempts to stop David.

As Alter elaborates on the Hebrew language in 1 Samuel, we gain insight into Saul's character and his slow dissent into insanity, culminating in his visit to the woman of Endor the night before his death.

In numerous places, Alter suggests an explanation or interpretation of the ancient Hebrew names and points out wordplay, in which the ancient author has deliberately used homonyms, words that sound the same or very similar. For example, in 1 Samuel 13: 7, the text says "the Hebrews had crossed the Jordan..."  The uncommon description of the people as "Hebrews" is explained by the wordplay ivrim avru, Hebrew words translated "Hebrews had crossed". In 1 Samuel 16: 23, Saul's finding relief from the evil spirit, involves the same base word; ruah is spirit and rawah is relief. There are numerous places where this wordplay is hidden by English translations and only pulled out by Alter's notes.

Alter's translation of David's story is a beautiful study of the great shepherd-king of Israel and an artful argument for the power and majesty of the Old Testament writings.

Other reviews of Alter's commentary on 1 and 2 Samuel are: 

• A short review by Patrick Reardon is here.
• A review by the New York Times is here; it includes a link to the first chapter of the book.  in case one wants to see the style of the translation and commentary.
• A review by the Los Angeles Times is here.

I have enjoyed slowly working through this book and marking up the pages!

II Samuel 6, Bring the Ark to Jerusalem

David is now king of all Israel and has pushed the Philistines out of the center of the country.

2 Samuel 6: 1-5, The ark on a cart

David again brought together out of Israel chosen men, thirty thousand in all. He and all his men set out from Baalah of Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the LORD Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.

Now that he is king, David wants the ark to reside in the new capital city of Israel, Jerusalem.

The thirty thousand (or thirty elefs) that David gathers to bring up the ark is equal to the number killed when the ark was first captured by the Philistines in 1 Samuel 4: 10-11.

2 Samuel 6: 6-8, Death of Uzzah

When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.

Then David was angry because the LORD's wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.

This is a shocking event -- the ark is apparently to be treated much more carefully than it has been. Apparently for merely touching the ark, Uzzah is struck down. And then David, naturally enough, is angry at YHWH.

We have no real explanation for this event -- except for a dramatic message about the importance of the ark.

In verse 8, Perez Uzzah means "outbreak against Uzzah" (according to NIV footnotes.)

2 Samuel 6: 9-11, The ark at Obed-Edom

David was afraid of the LORD that day and said, "How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?" He was not willing to take the ark of the LORD to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the LORD blessed him and his entire household.

Shaken by the death of Uzzah, David is not sure he wants the ark close to him. So the ark is set aside at the house of a man named Obed-Edom. Obed-Edom is a Gittite, a former resident of Gath, and likely a former Philistine.

2 Samuel 6: 12, The ark at Obed-Edom

Now King David was told, "The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God." So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.

After some time, David hears how the house of Obed-Edom has prospered and so again makes plans to move the ark on to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 6: 13-15, Sacrifice and dancing

When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

David slowly, with great fanfare and rejoicing, moves the ark.  After the first six steps, he sacrifices a bull and a calf. He then begins to dance and shout, as trumpets are played. One imagines this excited dancing continuing on into the city of Jerusalem, all the way to the palace.

2 Samuel 6: 16, Michal's mistake

As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart.

Michal is embarrassed by the actions of her husband, the king. This is a foolish reaction, focusing on an outward appearance -- and by association, on her own status as a queen -- instead of embracing David's joy at the return of the ark.

2 Samuel 6: 17-19, The ark in Jerusalem

They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the LORD. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. 

And all the people went to their homes.

The ark is finally in its place in Jerusalem, within a tent near the palace.

2 Samuel 6: 20-23, Separation from Michal

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, "How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, disrobing in the sight of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!" 

David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the LORD's people Israel--I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor."

And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Michal had lived with another husband, having been given to another man by Saul. Here, finally in the palace with the new king, she reacts in disgust at David's exhibition of excitement and joy. When she expresses her disgust, David sharply defends himself. 

David's words to Michal echoes those of Samuel to Saul in I Samuel 13: 14, reminding her that God has chosen him, David, not Saul, her father, as king.

We are told that Michal then had no children. Presumably this is because David rejected her and no longer slept with her.

II Samuel 5, The City of David

After the death of Saul, David continues to collect allies and solidify control of Israel.

2 Samuel 5: 1-3, Israel submits to David

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, "We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, 

`You will shepherd my people Israel, 

and you will become their ruler.'"

When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

 

Israel comes together at Hebron to make David king of all twelve tribes

2 Samuel 5: 4-5, The Reign of David

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

David's reign is summarized. He will shortly conquer the city that will be called, for all time, the City of David.

2 Samuel 5: 6-8, Capture of Zion

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here."

Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.

On that day, David said, "Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those `lame and blind' who are David's enemies." That is why they say, "The `blind and lame' will not enter the palace." 

David has been living in Hebron.  But now he conquers Jerusalem and lives there.  

The Hebrew passage about the blind and lame is unclear and the NIV translation is one of several different options. Apparently the city was so well defended that the blind and lame could defend it but, in mockery of the blind and lame, David's men entered through a water shaft.

(The Hebrew translated "supporting terraces" by the NIV is unclear. It is literally "the Millo" and is mentioned several times in the Old Testament history.  Wikipedia has an article on it here and the Biblical Archealogical Society has an online article on it here.)

2 Samuel 5: 9-10, The City of David

David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him.

The city David has conquered is now claimed as his capital and the center of power in Israel. Jerusalem becomes, for all ages, the City of David.

2 Samuel 5: 11-12, Hiram helps build a palace for David

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

Hiram recognizes David's reign and seeks alliance with David.

2 Samuel 5: 13-16, More concubines, more sons

After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

 

This is a summary paragraph. As king, David has more power, thus more wives and more children. The birth of Solomon will be described in more detail later.

2 Samuel 5: 17-21, Victory of the Philistines

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.

Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" 

The LORD answered him, "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you."

So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me." So that place was called Baal Perazim. [9]

The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

The Philistines see an old enemy and seek to bring him down. But David wins in a battle at a place later called Baal Perazim which means (according to the NIV footnotes) "the lord who breaks out."

2 Samuel 5:22-25, The Philistines again

Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

The Philistines return and once again, YHWH guides David to victory but this time in a different way. Eventually David drives the Philistines out of central Canaan.