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2 Samuel 5 Bible study: The stronghold of Zion

Zion is named for the first time in the Bible here (5:7), and among the sons born to David in it is Nathan (5:14), the son Luke's list of Jesus' ancestors runs through: "the son of Nathan, the son of David" (Luke 3:31).

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“David grew greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of Armies, was with him.”
2 Samuel 5:10 · World English Bible

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“The second time David inquired of the LORD about the Philistines, he was told not to go up but to circle around behind them.”

Is that in 2 Samuel 5, or not? Make your call.

What's really going on

Three things the tribes say

In the text

After "a long war between Saul’s house and David’s house" (3:1), "all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron" (5:1), and they say three things. The first is family: "Behold, we are your bone and your flesh" (5:1) (tap bone). The second is what they had seen: "In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and in" (5:2). 1 Samuel had said of David in Saul's day, "he went out and came in before them" (1 Samuel 18:16); in Hebrew the same two verbs, go out and come in, stand behind both verses. The third is what the LORD had said: "You will be shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be prince over Israel" (5:2) (tap shepherd and prince). Then "all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD" (5:3) (tap covenant), "and they anointed David king over Israel" (5:3) (tap anointed). It is the third time David is anointed: by Samuel "in the middle of his brothers" (1 Samuel 16:13), by the men of Judah "king over the house of Judah" (2:4), and now over Israel.

Where it leads to Jesus

David's son Nathan in Jesus' line

In the text

2 Samuel 5:14leads toLuke 3:31

Among the sons "born to him in Jerusalem" (5:14) is Nathan, named just before Solomon. Luke's list of Jesus' ancestors begins, "Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph" (Luke 3:23), and runs back through David's son Nathan: "the son of Nathan, the son of David" (Luke 3:31). Matthew's list runs through Solomon: "David the king became the father of Solomon" (Matthew 1:6). Neither Gospel says why the two lists take different sons of David.

Honest questions

Questions people ask about 2 Samuel 5

That was a taste

The rest of 2 Samuel 5 is waiting in Favor

  • The stronghold of Zion
  • For his people Israel's sake
  • Asked twice, answered two ways
  • Chronicles tells it again
  • The breach of waters
  • Zion after this chapter
  • 12 questions as you read
  • 12 more Hebrew words
  • A short check at the end
  • Your notes, saved as you go
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The Hebrew word behind it

צִיּוֹןTsiyyonsay tsee-YOHN

Strong's: "Tsijon (as a permanent capital), a mountain of Jerusalem". Brown-Driver-Briggs gives it as a place name. "Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. This is David’s city" (5:7). It is the first time the Bible names Zion, and the only time 2 Samuel does; in Hebrew it is here first too, and 2 Samuel has it only here. The Hebrew word appears 153 times in the Hebrew Bible. The next book joins the two names of 5:7: Solomon brings up the ark "out of David’s city, which is Zion" (1 Kings 8:1).

For your group

2 Samuel 5 Bible study questions

  1. 1After a long war, the tribes came to David saying, "we are your bone and your flesh" (5:1). Who have you been on the other side from that you need to treat as family again?
  2. 2David grew greater because "the LORD, the God of Armies, was with him" (5:10). How do you tell the difference between success that is God's doing and success you are chasing yourself?
  3. 3David had won the first battle by going up, yet he asked the LORD again and was told to do something different (5:19, 5:23). Where are you tempted to repeat what worked last time instead of asking again?

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Questions

What is Favor?

Favor is a Bible study app that explains every chapter as you read: the Hebrew and Greek behind the words, the details most readers miss, and how each part of the Bible leads to Jesus. Read on your own, or start a Bible study with friends, family or your church.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Hebrew and Greek words are checked against the original-language texts and public-domain lexicons. What we believe · Favor home