seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Samuel 5:6 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.” 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
8 On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”
9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces(b) inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
8 On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”
9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces(b) inward. 10 And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.
11 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
13 After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.
a. 2 Samuel 5:8 Or are hated by David
b. 2 Samuel 5:9 Or the Millo
A lot is going on in these few verses.
King David took over Jerusalem
King Tyre sent cedar and stonemasons to help build King David's Castle
King David takes in more women
King Tyre sent cedar and stonemasons to help build King David's Castle
King David takes in more women
This is from https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/studyguide_2sa/2sa_5.cfm.
The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites: To this point Jerusalem was a small Canaanite city in the center of Israel. Some 400 years after God commanded Israel to take the whole land, this city was till in Canaanite hands.
You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you: Because of its location, Jerusalem was an easily defended city. This made the Jebusites overconfident and quick to mock David and his troops.
Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: Despite the difficulty, David and his men took the city. Since the water shaft is mentioned, some think that David sent his men through what is called "Warren's Shaft." Whatever exactly their tactics, David and his men persisted through difficult circumstances to defeat an overconfident enemy.
David dwelt in the stronghold: Jerusalem became the capital city of David's kingdom. It was a good choice because:
They built David a house: This shows David's influence and importance. Neighboring kings honor him with the finest craftsmen and wood to build him a palace. This relationship with Hiram king of Tyre also shows that David was more than a man of war. He knew how to build important political alliances.
David took more concubines and wives: This was in direct disobedience to Deuteronomy 17:17: Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away.
More sons and daughters were born to David: Certainly David (and everyone else) saw these many children as God's sign of blessing upon David and his many wives. Yet most of the trouble to come in David's life comes from his relationship with women and from his children.
You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you: Because of its location, Jerusalem was an easily defended city. This made the Jebusites overconfident and quick to mock David and his troops.
Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: Despite the difficulty, David and his men took the city. Since the water shaft is mentioned, some think that David sent his men through what is called "Warren's Shaft." Whatever exactly their tactics, David and his men persisted through difficult circumstances to defeat an overconfident enemy.
David dwelt in the stronghold: Jerusalem became the capital city of David's kingdom. It was a good choice because:
- It has no prior tribal association and was therefore good for a unified Israel
- The geography of the city made it easy to defend against a hostile army
- The geography of the city made it easy to defend against a hostile army
They built David a house: This shows David's influence and importance. Neighboring kings honor him with the finest craftsmen and wood to build him a palace. This relationship with Hiram king of Tyre also shows that David was more than a man of war. He knew how to build important political alliances.
David took more concubines and wives: This was in direct disobedience to Deuteronomy 17:17: Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away.
More sons and daughters were born to David: Certainly David (and everyone else) saw these many children as God's sign of blessing upon David and his many wives. Yet most of the trouble to come in David's life comes from his relationship with women and from his children.
I titled this "lame and blind" because of verse 8. This is from bible-studys.org.
This was a water tunnel that channeled the city’s water supply from the Gihon spring outside the city walls on the east side into the citadel.
Some understand the word translated “gutter” to mean a water course; others, a grappling hook used by siege forces in assaulting the walls of a town. Still others suggest that the word refers to some bodily part such as the throat or windpipe. The mentioning of “the lame and the blind” is probably an ancient play on words. The Jebusite defenders had such confidence in their fortress-like city that they boasted that the lame and blind could defend such a town. “David” calls them all lame and blind. The whole episode gave birth to a proverb reflecting social customs of gaining access to the royal quarters. David had anticipated a return to Jerusalem long beforehand (1 Sam. 17:54).
The city was thought of as impossible to penetrate. They had overlooked the water system, and possibly, some of David's men went in through the gutter, spoken of above, into the city. They would have had to wade in water, probably, shoulder deep to get in that way. The brave men, who would slip into the city this way, would be given the high positions of chief and captain. It appears that Joab was one of the volunteers who went in and then he regained his position in David's army. They speak of weak people as the lame and the blind; those who are unable to help themselves.
Some understand the word translated “gutter” to mean a water course; others, a grappling hook used by siege forces in assaulting the walls of a town. Still others suggest that the word refers to some bodily part such as the throat or windpipe. The mentioning of “the lame and the blind” is probably an ancient play on words. The Jebusite defenders had such confidence in their fortress-like city that they boasted that the lame and blind could defend such a town. “David” calls them all lame and blind. The whole episode gave birth to a proverb reflecting social customs of gaining access to the royal quarters. David had anticipated a return to Jerusalem long beforehand (1 Sam. 17:54).
The city was thought of as impossible to penetrate. They had overlooked the water system, and possibly, some of David's men went in through the gutter, spoken of above, into the city. They would have had to wade in water, probably, shoulder deep to get in that way. The brave men, who would slip into the city this way, would be given the high positions of chief and captain. It appears that Joab was one of the volunteers who went in and then he regained his position in David's army. They speak of weak people as the lame and the blind; those who are unable to help themselves.
So... David has conquered Jerusalem and taken it as his city. He's built a fine castle there, with the help of a neighboring king, and he's brought in a lot of wives.
The City of David = Jerusalem
