Commentary - 2 Samuel 5:6-12

Bird's-eye view

In this portion of 2 Samuel, we see the consolidation of David's kingdom, not by political maneuvering, but by divine establishment. Having been anointed king over all Israel, David's first order of business is to take the strategic and symbolic high ground: Jerusalem. This is not merely a military campaign; it is a theological declaration. The capture of the fortress of Zion from the Jebusites is a pivotal moment in redemptive history. It is the place where God will put His name. The passage is structured to show us David's action, the Lord's blessing, and David's understanding of that blessing. He takes the city, he grows in stature, and he recognizes that his exaltation is not for his own sake, but for the sake of God's people, Israel. This is kingship rightly understood, a foreshadowing of the Son of David who would establish His kingdom not for Himself, but for His people.

The narrative is rich with typological significance. The taunts of the Jebusites, the overcoming of obstacles, the establishment of a capital, the building of a house, and the recognition of God's hand in it all point us forward to Christ and His church. This is not just ancient history; it is gospel truth in story form. God establishes His king, in His chosen city, for the good of His chosen people, despite the mockery of His enemies. This is the pattern of the cross and the crown that follows.

Outline

The Blind and the Lame

The Jebusites' taunt about the "blind and lame" is a piece of high-handed pagan arrogance. They are essentially saying that their fortress is so impregnable that even their most disabled citizens could successfully defend it against David's army. It is a boast rooted in the strength of their walls, not in the strength of their God. This kind of hubris is always a prelude to a fall in Scripture. They believe their physical position makes them secure, and so they mock the anointed of Yahweh.

David's response is fascinating. He turns their taunt on its head. He says that to conquer the city, his men must go after "the lame and the blind, who are hated by David's soul." Some have stumbled over this, thinking it shows a prejudice in David. But that is to misread the situation entirely. David hates what the Jebusites have put forward as their confidence. He hates their idols, their proud taunts, and the disabled people they have propped up as a living insult to the armies of the living God. He is not hating disabled people in general; he is hating these specific individuals as representatives of Jebusite scorn. The resulting proverb, "The blind or the lame shall not come into the house," likely became a saying in Israel to denote that the house of God is no place for the proud, the mocker, or those who trust in the flesh. It is a place for those who know their own weakness and trust in God's strength, the very opposite of the Jebusite mindset.

Verse by Verse Commentary

v. 6 Then the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, “You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away”; thinking, “David cannot enter here.”

David, now king over a united Israel, immediately moves to secure a capital. He doesn't choose a city within Judah or one of the northern tribes, which might have caused political strife. He chooses Jerusalem, a pagan enclave on the border between Judah and Benjamin. This is a stroke of political genius, but more than that, it is an act of faith. This city, also known as Salem in Abraham's time, has a redemptive history that predates the Jebusites. David is reclaiming it for Yahweh.

The Jebusites are cocky. Their confidence is in their geography, in their high walls and fortifications. Their taunt is dripping with contempt. They believe their stronghold is so secure that their most vulnerable citizens, the blind and the lame, could fend off David's seasoned warriors. This is the pride of man, trusting in brick and mortar, in human ingenuity. They think, "David cannot enter here." Whenever men say "cannot" in the face of God's anointed purposes, they are setting themselves up for a fall. Their boast is a direct challenge not just to David, but to David's God.

v. 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, that is the city of David.

The word "nevertheless" is a beautiful gospel word. The world says "cannot," but God says "nevertheless." The enemies of God boast in their strength, "nevertheless," God's purposes roll on. Despite the taunts, despite the fortifications, despite the enemy's confidence, David took the fortress. The narrator states it simply and decisively. The pagan hubris is met with swift, effective action. What man deemed impossible, God's anointed accomplished.

And notice the renaming. It was the fortress of Zion, but now it is "the city of David." This is what God does. He conquers, and then He re-brands. He takes what belonged to the enemy and puts His own name on it. This is what He does with us in salvation. We were strongholds of sin, fortresses of rebellion. But Christ, the greater David, captured us. And now we are no longer our own; we are His. He has named us for Himself.

v. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike down the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” Therefore they say, “The blind or the lame shall not come into the house.”

Here we see the tactical detail. How did they do it? Through the water tunnel. This was likely the city's weak point, its water source. David's men, led by Joab (as 1 Chronicles 11 tells us), exploited this vulnerability. Faith is not opposed to shrewd strategy. David trusted God, and he also used the means God provided, including military intelligence and tactical audacity.

David's hatred for "the lame and the blind" must be understood in the context of the Jebusites' taunt. He is not expressing a general disdain for people with disabilities. He is expressing a holy hatred for the symbols of the enemy's pride. The Jebusites put these people forward as their champions, as their living idols of defiance. David's soul hates this mockery of God. He hates the proud use of weakness to defy the Almighty. The resulting proverb is not a building code for handicap accessibility. It is a spiritual principle: those who, like the Jebusites, trust in their own supposed strength (even by paradoxically boasting in their weakness) have no place in the house of God. The house of God is for the humble, for those who know they are spiritually blind and lame and cry out for mercy.

v. 9 Then David lived in the fortress and called it the city of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.

Possession is followed by occupation and development. David moves in, solidifying his claim. He doesn't just conquer; he inhabits. He makes the enemy's stronghold his own home. This is the nature of Christ's victory. He has not just defeated sin and death from a distance; He has come to dwell in us by His Spirit. David then begins to build, to fortify, to improve. He takes the raw materials of his conquest and begins to shape them into a glorious capital. The "Millo" was likely some kind of terrace or fortification. The point is that David is establishing a center for his kingdom, a place of strength and order and governance under God.

v. 10 And David became greater and greater, and Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.

This is the key to the whole passage. Here is the cause-and-effect relationship that the world gets backward. The world thinks that if a man becomes great, then perhaps a god will be with him. The Bible teaches that if Yahweh, the God of hosts, is with a man, then he will become truly great. David's success was not the result of his own cleverness or military prowess alone. His greatness was a direct consequence of God's presence and favor. "Yahweh, the God of hosts", the Lord of the armies of heaven, was his ally. With such a friend, how could he fail? This is the secret to all spiritual success. It is not about our striving, but about His presence. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. With Him, we become "greater and greater" in the things that matter.

v. 11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and craftsmen of wood and craftsmen of stone walls; and they built a house for David.

God's favor is not limited to the spiritual realm. Here we see it overflowing into geopolitics and international trade. Hiram, a pagan king from Tyre, recognizes what God is doing with David and wants to get in on it. He sends not just congratulations, but the very best materials, cedar from Lebanon, and skilled labor to build David a palace. Notice that David doesn't have to go groveling for this. It comes to him. When God blesses His people, even the unbelieving world is compelled to take notice and, in many cases, to contribute to the project. The wealth of the nations is brought to Zion. This is a foretaste of that great reality described in Isaiah, when the kings of the earth will bring their glory into the city of God.

v. 12 Thus David knew that Yahweh had established him as king over Israel, and that He had lifted up his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

This final verse gives us a window into David's heart, and it is the theological climax of the passage. David perceives the hand of God in all these events. The victory over the Jebusites, his growing influence, the palace from Hiram, he rightly interprets these as signs of God's covenant faithfulness. He "knew that Yahweh had established him." His throne was not built on popular opinion or military might, but on the unshakeable foundation of God's decree.

But the insight goes deeper, and this is crucial. He understood the purpose of his exaltation. God had lifted up his kingdom, not for David's personal glory, not to make him comfortable in a cedar palace, but "for the sake of His people Israel." This is the heart of a true servant king. He understands that his authority is a stewardship, a gift to be used for the good of those under his care. This is the opposite of Saul, who used the kingdom for his own aggrandizement. And this, supremely, points us to Jesus. The Lord Jesus was exalted to the highest place, given the name above every name, not for His own sake, but for ours. He is the king who reigns for the sake of His people, that He might bless them, protect them, and bring them into His glorious kingdom.

Application

First, we must see that God's kingdom advances against the proud taunts of the world. The world, like the Jebusites, trusts in its own fortifications, its intellectual systems, its political power, its cultural dominance. And from those walls, it mocks the people of God. But the story of David taking Zion is the story of the gospel in miniature. The world says "cannot," but Christ the conqueror says "nevertheless." We should not be intimidated by the enemy's boasts, but rather trust in the power of our King who has already secured the decisive victory.

Second, we must understand the nature of true greatness. David became great because the Lord was with him. Our ambition should not be for greatness itself, but for the presence of God. When we walk in fellowship with Him, when we are obedient to His word, He establishes the work of our hands. True influence, true success, is a byproduct of faithfulness.

Finally, we must learn the lesson of David's theological insight. Whatever authority, influence, or blessing God gives us, it is not for our own sake. It is for the sake of His people. A father's authority is for the sake of his family. A pastor's authority is for the sake of his flock. A magistrate's authority is for the sake of the people he governs. All authority is a stewardship, given by God to be leveraged for the good of others and the glory of His name. Like David, we must perceive God's hand in our lives and understand that we are blessed in order to be a blessing. This is the way of the cross, the way of our King, and it is the only path to a life that is truly great.