David Reigns Over All of Israel

II Samuel 5:1–25
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After the death of Ishbosheth, all of the tribes of Israel sent their leaders to David in Hebron. They made a covenant with him. In a spiritual ceremony they anointed him king over all of Israel. This chapter starts where David becomes king of all Israel and, at the same time, he finally obtains a place of his own. The nation after more than seven years of civil war, is reunited under David’s leadership. The place of his residence was known as Jebus. But from this text onward, Jebus becomes Jerusalem, the “city of David.” This chapter can be divided into four major sections:

1. Israel Submits to David as God’s King (vv.1-5) - At Hebron David reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. The Israelite elders come to David while he is in Hebron, submitting themselves to him as God’s king.
2. David captures Jebus, which becomes Jerusalem, the “City of David.” (vv.6-10) - The city of Jerusalem was until the time that David captured it, known as Jebus. The Jebusites are first named in (Gen. 10:15-16) and are truly Canaanites, the descendants of Canaan, the third son of Ham (Gen. 10:6). David devised a plan to defeat the Jebusites by entering the city through the water tunnel.
3. David’s house is built, in Jerusalem (vv.11-16) - Essentially there were two responses to David’s being made King of Israel: (a) embrace him as a friend and ally, or (b) resist and attack him as an enemy. Hiram, the king of Tyure, chose the former, while the Philistines opted for the latter.
4. David defeats the Philistines (vv.17-25) - Though it was Saul’s task to deliver Israel from the Philistines (I Sam. 9:16), he was killed and Israel was defeated by the Philistines (I Sam 31). It was God who unnerved the Philistines with a sound in the tops of the mulberry trees (v. 24) and David was able to conquer them (v. 25).

Application

David did not become king over Israel until he was 37 years old, although he had been promised the kingdom many years earlier (I Sam. 16:13). When I feel pressured to achieve instant results and success I need to remember David’s patience and wait on God’s timing.