Add parallel Print Page Options

David is Anointed King

Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied,[a] “To Hebron.” So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the cities[b] of Hebron. The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people[c] of Judah.

David was told,[d] “The people[e] of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.” So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness[f] to your lord Saul by burying him. Now may the Lord show you true kindness![g] I also will reward you,[h] because you have done this deed. Now be courageous[i] and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 2:1 tn Heb “he said.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
  2. 2 Samuel 2:3 tc The expression “the cities of Hebron” is odd; we would expect the noun to be in the singular, if used at all. Although the Syriac Peshitta has the expected reading “in Hebron,” the MT is clearly the more difficult reading and should probably be retained here.
  3. 2 Samuel 2:4 tn Heb “house.”
  4. 2 Samuel 2:4 tn Heb “and they told David.” The subject appears to be indefinite, allowing one to translate the verb as passive with David as subject.
  5. 2 Samuel 2:4 tn Heb “men.”
  6. 2 Samuel 2:5 tn Or “loyalty.”
  7. 2 Samuel 2:6 tn Or “loyalty and devotion.”
  8. 2 Samuel 2:6 tn Heb “will do with you this good.”
  9. 2 Samuel 2:7 tn Heb “let your hands be strong.”

David Made King over Judah

So it happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” And He said, “To Hebron.” So David went up there [to Hebron] with his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel [in Judah]. And David brought up his men who were with him, each one with his household; and they lived in the cities of Hebron. Then the men of Judah came and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

Then they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”(A) So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you showed this graciousness and loyalty to Saul your lord (king), and buried him. Now may the Lord show lovingkindness and truth and faithfulness to you. I too will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing. So now, let your hands be strong and be valiant; for your lord Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

Read full chapter