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.

2 SAMUEL 5:3KJV
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2 Samuel 5:3 (KJV)

What does 2 Samuel 5:3 mean?

2 Samuel 5:3 describes how all the leaders of Israel gathered at Hebron, where King David made a formal agreement with them before God, and they officially anointed him as king over all Israel. This verse marks the moment when David is recognized as the ruler by the entire nation, not just a single tribe.

The elders (leaders) of Israel came to David, who was already reigning in Hebron, to make a covenant with him in the presence of the LORD. The act of anointing David with oil was a public and sacred way to confirm his kingship. This event unites the twelve tribes under David’s rule, ending years of division and conflict following Saul’s death.

The Hebrew behind 2 Samuel 5:3

  • בְּרִית (berit, H1285) — "league" or "covenant": This word means a formal, binding agreement. Here, it highlights that David’s kingship was not just a political move but a solemn commitment between him and the people, made before God.
  • מָשַׁח (mashach, H4886) — "anointed": To anoint (pour oil on) someone was a symbolic act showing God’s choice and blessing. This public anointing confirmed David’s role as king in a way everyone could see.
  • לִפְנֵי (lifnei, H6440) — "before": This word means "in the presence of." The covenant and anointing happened openly before the LORD, stressing that God was witness to this agreement and David’s new role.

Why 2 Samuel 5:3 matters

  • This verse clarifies that David’s kingship was accepted by all the elders of Israel, not just his own tribe of Judah, showing a united nation.
  • The mention of a covenant "before the LORD" emphasizes that David’s rule was meant to be under God’s authority, not just a human arrangement.
  • The public anointing at Hebron connects David’s kingship to earlier traditions, linking him to Israel’s religious and national identity.

Where else these words appear

“Hebron” Hebrew H2275 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 13:18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.
  • Joshua 21:11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
  • 2 Samuel 5:13 And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

“anointed” Hebrew H4886 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
  • Numbers 6:15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
  • 1 Kings 1:39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.