2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

◄ 2 Samuel 5:3 ►

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

New Living Translation
So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.

English Standard Version
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel.

New American Standard Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the LORD in Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel.

NASB 1995
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel.

NASB 1977
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the LORD at Hebron; then they anointed David king over Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; then they anointed David king over Israel.

Amplified Bible
So all the elders (tribal leaders) of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed him king over Israel.

Christian Standard Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the LORD’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the LORD’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel.

American Standard Version
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah: and they anointed David king over Israel.

Contemporary English Version
During the meeting, David made an agreement with the leaders and asked the LORD to be their witness. Then the leaders poured olive oil on David's head to show that he was now the king of Israel.

English Revised Version
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
All the leaders of Israel had come to Hebron. King David made an agreement with them at Hebron in front of the LORD. So they anointed David king of Israel.

Good News Translation
So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel.

International Standard Version
So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where King David entered into a covenant with them in the presence of the LORD. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel.

Majority Standard Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

NET Bible
When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, King David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the LORD. They designated David as king over Israel.

New Heart English Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; and they anointed David king over Israel.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And all [the] elderly of Israel come to the king, to Hebron, and King David makes a covenant with them in Hebron before YHWH, and they anoint David for king over Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
And all the elders of Israel come unto the king, to Hebron, and king David maketh with them a covenant in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anoint David for king over Israel.

Smith's Literal Translation
And all the old men of Israel will come to the king to Hebron; and king David will cut out for them a covenant in Hebron before Jehovah, and they will anoint David for king over Israel.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
The ancients also 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 to be king over Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Also, the elders of Israel went to the king at Hebron, and king David struck a pact with them at Hebron in the sight of the Lord. And they anointed David as king over Israel.

New American Bible
Then all the elders of Israel came to the king in Hebron, and at Hebron King David made a covenant with them in the presence of the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And all the Elders of Israel came to the King at Khebron, and King David covenanted a covenant with them in Khebruun before LORD JEHOVAH, and they anointed David to reign over Israel

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And all the elders of Israel come to the king to Chebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Chebron before the Lord; and they anoint David king over all Israel.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

David Anointed King over Israel
…2Even in times past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And to you the LORD said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’ ” 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel. 4David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Chronicles 11:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel.

1 Samuel 16:1-13
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have selected from his sons a king for Myself.” / “How can I go?” Samuel asked. “Saul will hear of it and kill me!” The LORD answered, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ / Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.” ...

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

1 Samuel 16:12-13
So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.” / So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.

1 Samuel 18:5
So David marched out and prospered in everything Saul sent him to do, and Saul set him over the men of war. And this was pleasing in the sight of all the people, and of Saul’s officers as well.

1 Samuel 24:20
Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands.

1 Samuel 25:30
When the LORD has done for my lord all the good He promised, and when He has appointed you ruler over Israel,

1 Samuel 28:17
He has done exactly what He spoke through me: The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor David.

1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.

1 Kings 2:4
and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

1 Kings 8:25
Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk before Me as you have done.’

1 Kings 9:5
then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David when I said, ‘You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

1 Chronicles 17:11-14
And when your days are fulfilled and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. And I will never remove My loving devotion from him as I removed it from your predecessor. ...

1 Chronicles 28:4
Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me out of all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever. For He chose Judah as leader, and from the house of Judah He chose my father’s household, and from my father’s sons He was pleased to make me king over all Israel.

2 Samuel 2:4
Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

Treasury of Scripture

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.

So all

Exodus 3:16
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

1 Chronicles 11:3
Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

made

1 Samuel 11:15
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.

2 Kings 11:17
And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD'S people; between the king also and the people.

2 Chronicles 23:16
And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

before

Judges 11:11
Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his words before the LORD in Mizpeh.

1 Samuel 23:18
And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

anointed

2 Samuel 2:4
And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

1 Samuel 16:13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

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2 Samuel 5

1. The tribes come to Hebron and anoint David over Israel,
4. David's age
6. Taking Zion from the Jebusites, he dwells in it
11. Hiram sends to David,
13. Eleven sons are born to him in Jerusalem
17. David, directed by God, smites the Philistines at Baal-perazim
22. And again at the mulberry trees

Berean Study Bible

So all the elders of Israel
The term "elders" refers to the leaders or representatives of the tribes of Israel. In ancient Israel, elders were respected figures who held authority and were often involved in decision-making processes. The Hebrew word for "elders" is "זְקֵנִים" (zeqenim), which implies wisdom and experience. This gathering of elders signifies a unified recognition of David's leadership, highlighting the importance of collective agreement and the role of wise counsel in governance.

came to the king at Hebron
Hebron is a significant city in biblical history, located in the southern part of Judah. It was a city of refuge and the place where Abraham settled. The act of coming to Hebron indicates a formal and respectful approach to David, acknowledging his established rule in Judah. Hebron served as David's capital for seven and a half years before he moved to Jerusalem, symbolizing a period of consolidation and preparation for his reign over all Israel.

and King David made a covenant with them
The making of a covenant is a solemn and binding agreement, often involving promises and commitments before God. The Hebrew word for "covenant" is "בְּרִית" (berit), which denotes a deep, relational bond. This covenant signifies David's commitment to lead according to God's laws and the elders' acceptance of his kingship. It reflects the biblical principle that leadership is a partnership between the ruler and the people, under God's authority.

at Hebron before the LORD
The phrase "before the LORD" indicates that this covenant was made in the presence of God, emphasizing its sacred nature. It underscores the belief that God is the ultimate witness and guarantor of human agreements. This setting in Hebron, a city with deep patriarchal roots, further reinforces the divine approval and historical continuity of David's kingship.

and they anointed David king over Israel
Anointing is a ritual act of consecration, using oil to symbolize the Holy Spirit's empowerment and God's selection. The Hebrew word for "anointed" is "מָשַׁח" (mashach), from which the term "Messiah" is derived. This anointing marks the official recognition of David as king over all Israel, fulfilling God's promise to him. It signifies a new era of unity and divine favor, as David becomes the shepherd of God's people, foreshadowing the ultimate anointed one, Jesus Christ.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) Made a league with them.--It would be an anachronism to understand this of the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, but the "league" may have had reference to certain special matters, such as leading them against their enemies, not destroying the remnant of the house of Saul or its late adherents, and not showing partiality (as Saul had done) to the members of his own tribe.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 3. - A league. The early kings of Israel were not invested with despotic power. Thus, on Saul's appointment, "Samuel wrote in a book the manner of the kingdom" (1 Samuel 10:25, made most emphatic in the Revised Version by the note in the margin, that the Hebrew is "the book"). The revolt against Rehoboam was the result of the too great extension of the royal power in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 12:4). Though subsequently the kings seemed to have retained their supremacy, yet when the good and patriotic Jehoiada restored the family of David to the throne, he reverted to the old ways, and "made a covenant between the king and the people" (2 Kings 11:17). Besides personal rights, the tribes, accustomed to their own leaders, and unused to yield obedience to a central authority, would certainly stipulate for a large measure of tribal independence, and the management of local matters by themselves. They anointed David king. This was the public ratification of Samuel's anointing, and by it David became de facto, as well as de jure, king. The prophets could not give any right over the people without the consent of the people themselves. But all religious men would see in the Divine command an obligation upon their conscience to accept as their king the man whom the prophet had anointed; and Saul acted in an irreligious manner in seeking to frustrate God's will. And this impiety culminated in his murder of the priests at Nob, which was the open avowal that he would trample all scruples of conscience underfoot.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

So all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the elders
זִקְנֵ֨י (ziq·nê)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2205: Old

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

came
וַ֠יָּבֹאוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the king
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

at Hebron,
חֶבְר֔וֹנָה (ḥeḇ·rō·w·nāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2275: Hebron -- 'association, league', a city in southern Judah

[where]
בְּחֶבְר֖וֹן (bə·ḥeḇ·rō·wn)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2275: Hebron -- 'association, league', a city in southern Judah

King
הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

David
דָּוִ֥ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

made
וַיִּכְרֹ֣ת (way·yiḵ·rōṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

with them
לָהֶם֩ (lā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

a covenant
בְּרִ֛ית (bə·rîṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant

before
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

the LORD.
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

And they anointed
וַיִּמְשְׁח֧וּ (way·yim·šə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 4886: To rub with oil, to anoint, to consecrate, to paint

[him]
דָּוִ֛ד (dā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

king
לְמֶ֖לֶךְ (lə·me·leḵ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

over
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

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OT History: 2 Samuel 5:3 So all the elders of Israel came (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)