1 And all Israel assembled themselves to David to Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
And Laban said to him, Thou art indeed my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him a month's time.
And they went up by the south, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were there. Now Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.
"Say in the ears of all the citizens of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubba'al rule over you, or that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh."
And it came to pass after this that David inquired of Jehovah, saying, Shall I go up into one of the cities of Judah? And Jehovah said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Even aforetime, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel. And 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. David was thirty years old when he began to reign; he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they spoke to David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither, but the blind and the lame will drive thee back; as much as to say, David will not come in hither. But David took the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David. And David said on that day, Whoever smites the Jebusites and gets up to the watercourse, and the lame and the blind hated of David's soul ...! Therefore they say, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house. So David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from the Millo and inward. And David became continually greater; and Jehovah the God of hosts was with him. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom because of his people Israel. And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he had come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. And these are the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet.
And Absalom sent emissaries into all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, ye shall say, Absalom reigns in Hebron.
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh; and why will ye be the last to bring back the king? And say to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually instead of Joab.
And this is the number of the men equipped for military service, who came to David to Hebron, to transfer the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Jehovah. The children of Judah that bore shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred, equipped for military service. Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for war, seven thousand one hundred. Of the children of Levi four thousand six hundred. And Jehoiada the prince of Aaron, and with him were three thousand seven hundred; and Zadok, a valiant young man, and his father's house two and twenty chief men. And of the children of Benjamin, the brethren of Saul, three thousand; but hitherto the greater part of them had adhered to the house of Saul. And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valour, men of name in their fathers' houses. And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were expressed by name, to come and make David king. And of the children of Issachar, who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their bidding. Of Zebulun, such as went forth in the host, armed for war with all weapons of war, fifty thousand, keeping rank without double heart. And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear. And of the Danites armed for war twenty-eight thousand six hundred. And of Asher such as went forth in the host, to set themselves in battle array, forty thousand. And from the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of weapons of war for battle, a hundred and twenty thousand. All of them men of war, keeping rank in battle array, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brethren had prepared for them; and those too that were near them, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen; provisions of meal, fig-cakes and raisin-cakes, and wine and oil, and oxen and sheep, abundantly; for there was joy in Israel.
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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 11 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 11
This chapter treats of David's being anointed king by all Israel, 1 Chronicles 11:1, which agrees with 2 Samuel 5:1 See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:1 See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:2 See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:3 and of his taking Jerusalem from the Jebusites, 1 Chronicles 11:4 the account of which we have 2 Samuel 5:6. See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:6 See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:7 See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:8 See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:9 See Gill on 2 Samuel 5:10 only here we are told, that it was Joab that smote the Jebusites first, and so was made chief captain according to David's promise; and that he also repaired the rest of the city David built round about; perhaps the fortifications demolished in taking it, 1 Chronicles 11:6 or rather, as others give the sense, he "saved alive"F2יחיה את שאר "vivas conservavit urbis reliquias", Junius & Tremellius; Strigelius in Poli Synops. in loc. those that remained in the city, after he had slain the lame and the blind; though a learnedF4Dr. Kennicot's State of the Hebrew Text, dissert. 1. p. 54. writer conjectures it should be read, "and Joab יהיה was made שר the governor of the city"; and the Targum is,"Joab governed the rest of the city.'And then follows an account of David's mighty men and worthies, 1 Chronicles 11:10 of whom see the notes on 2 Samuel 23:8, 2 Samuel 23:9, 2 Samuel 23:10, 2 Samuel 23:11, 2 Samuel 23:12, 2 Samuel 23:13, 2 Samuel 23:14, 2 Samuel 23:15, 2 Samuel 23:16, 2 Samuel 23:17, 2 Samuel 23:18, 2 Samuel 23:19, 2 Samuel 23:20, 2 Samuel 23:21, 2 Samuel 23:22, 2 Samuel 23:23, 2 Samuel 23:24, 2 Samuel 23:25, 2 Samuel 23:26, 2 Samuel 23:27, 2 Samuel 23:28, 2 Samuel 23:29, 2 Samuel 23:30, 2 Samuel 23:31, 2 Samuel 23:32, 2 Samuel 23:33, 2 Samuel 23:34, 2 Samuel 23:35, 2 Samuel 23:36, 2 Samuel 23:37, 2 Samuel 23:38, 2 Samuel 23:39 and others are added here, 1 Chronicles 11:42 of whom we know no more than their names.