David, reign of

David reigned over Judah for seven and a half years and over all Israel for 33 years. He extended the kingdom to the boundaries promised by God to Joshua.

David reigned over Judah in Hebron

2 Samuel 2:4 See also 2 Samuel 2:8–11, 2 Samuel 3:1, 2 Samuel 3:12–21

Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

David reigned over Israel in Jerusalem

2 Samuel 5:3–10 parallel 1 Chronicles 11:1–9

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he became king, and 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. Now the king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you.” For they thought, “David cannot get in here.” Nevertheless , David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). On that day he said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must use the water shaft to reach the lame and blind who are despised by David.” That is why it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the palace.” So David took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built it up all the way around, from the supporting terraces inward. And David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of Hosts was with him.

David extended the boundaries of the kingdom

2 Samuel 8:6 See also 2 Samuel 5:17–25 parallel 1 Chronicles 14:8–17; 2 Samuel 8:1–14 parallel 1 Chronicles 18:1–13; 2 Samuel 10:1–19

Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

David's kingship

He ruled justly

2 Samuel 8:15 See also 2 Samuel 9:1–11, 2 Samuel 23:3–4

Thus David reigned over all Israel and administered justice and righteousness for all his people:

His problems with his children

2 Samuel 13:1–21

Absalom's conspiracy

2 Samuel 15:10 See also 2 Samuel 15:13–18, 2 Samuel 18:1–17, 2 Samuel 18:28–33, 2 Samuel 19:4–8; Psalm 3:1–8

Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”

David's mightiest warriors were called ``the Thirty''

2 Samuel 23:13–17 parallel 1 Chronicles 11:15–19 See also 2 Samuel 23:24–39 parallel 1 Chronicles 11:26–47; 2 Samuel 23:20–23 parallel 1 Chronicles 11:23–25; 1 Chronicles 12:4, 1 Chronicles 12:16–18, 1 Chronicles 27:5–6

At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead , he poured it out to the LORD, saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

The struggle against the northern supporters of Saul

2 Samuel 3:1

The revolt led by Sheba

2 Samuel 20:1–22

The census of Israel and Judah

See also 2 Samuel 24:1–17

Solomon succeeds David despite the claims of Adonijah

1 Kings 1:5–53

The death of David

1 Kings 2:10–12 parallel 1 Chronicles 29:26–28 See also 2 Samuel 23:1–7; 1 Kings 2:1–9

Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years — seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.