Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Samuel 5

The chronicler adds some interesting details (compare 2 Samuel 12:23-40), describing how the various tribes from both sides of the Jordan came to Hebron to make David king and detailing the joyful festivities on that occasion.

The events that God's providence had been leading toward had now reached their consummation. Saul, Jonathan, Abner, and Ish-bosheth were dead; David was already the head of a large portion of Israel; and the Philistines, along with perhaps the remnant of the Canaanites, were restless and threatening.

It was therefore clearly in the Israelite nation's best interest to unite under the sovereignty of the valiant and virtuous son of Jesse—their former deliverer and the man designated by the word of God as their Captain and Shepherd. Accordingly, he was at once anointed king over all Israel (compare 2 Samuel 2:4 note).

Before the Lord - Abiathar and Zadok the priests were both with David, and the tabernacle and altar may have been at Hebron, though the ark was at Kirjath-jearim.

The timeline of David's life provides conclusive proof that the earlier years of Saul’s reign—during which Jonathan grew up to be a man—are passed over in silence. It also shows that the events narrated from 1 Samuel 13 to the end of the book did not occupy more than 10 years.

If David was 20 years old at the time he killed Goliath, his four years in Saul’s service, four years of wandering from place to place, one year and four months in the country of the Philistines, and a few months after Saul’s death would make up the 10 years necessary to bring him to the age of 30.

Immediately after being anointed king of Israel, David probably wished to mark his accession with an exploit that would be popular with all Israel, and especially with Saul’s tribe, Benjamin. He recognized the importance of having Jerusalem for his capital, both because it belonged as much to Benjamin as to Judah and because of its strong position.

Except thou take away the blind ... — Rather, the Jebusites spoke to David, saying, "You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will repel you"; that is, you are so far from taking the stronghold from us that the lame and blind are sufficient to defend the place.

The stronghold of Zion—or castle (1 Chronicles 11:5, 7). The ancient Zion was the hill on which the temple stood, and the castle seems to have been immediately to the north of the temple. The modern Zion lies to the southwest of the temple.

This is the city of David—the name afterward given to it (2 Samuel 5:9), and by which it was known in the writer’s time.