2 Samuel 5:4
in 2 Samuel 5David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
KJV
David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
⋯
This verse in 2 Samuel 5
Commentary
4 notes on this verseDavid was thirty years old when he began reign,.... Over Judah, which was the age of his antitype Christ, when he entered upon his public ministry, Luk 3:23, and he reigned forty years; and six months, as appears by 2Sa 5:5; but the months are not mentioned, only the round number of years given: two reasons the Jews (a) give for this; the one, that he fled six months from Absalom; the other is, that he was ill in Hebron so long, and therefore are not reckoned. (a) Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 77. I.
This site's exposition
thirty years old when he began to reign
on 2 Samuel 5:4-5
David is thirty when he begins to reign, the same age at which Luke says the Son of David entered his public ministry, a parallel Gill and Henry both draw without forcing it. Verse 5 breaks the round forty years of verse 4 into its own two halves, seven years and six months over Judah alone in Hebron, then thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah once the capital moves to Jerusalem. The months at Hebron are the residue verse 4 rounds away, a small honesty in the record before the larger reign begins.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
At that age the Levites were at first appointed to begin their administration, Num. iv. About that age the Son of David entered upon his public ministry, Luke iii. Then men come to their full maturity of strength and judgment.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The age of David is conclusive as to the fact that the earlier years of Saul’s reign (during which Jonathan grew up to be a man) are passed over in silence, and that the events narrated from 1 Sam. 13 to the end of the book did not occupy more than 10 years.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [was] a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים | sheloshim | thirty | H7970 → | 172 times |
| שָׁנָ֛ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| דָּוִ֖ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ | bemalekho | when became king he | H4427 → | 348 times |
| אַרְבָּעִ֥ים | ʾarbaim | forty | H705 → | 136 times |
| שָׁנָ֖ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| מָלָֽךְ׃ | malakh | he reigned | H4427 → | 348 times |
בֶּן־[was] a son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
שְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםthirty
sheloshimH7970 →172 times
שָׁנָ֛הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
דָּוִ֖דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
בְּמָלְכ֑וֹwhen became king he
bemalekhoH4427 →348 times
אַרְבָּעִ֥יםforty
ʾarbaimH705 →136 times
שָׁנָ֖הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
מָלָֽךְ׃he reigned
malakhH4427 →348 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Kings 2:11The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 5:4–5
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 2 Samuel 5:4–5
Through
1 Chronicles 29:27The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 2:11
The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 2:11
Through
Luke 3:23Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
it leads to
- Luke 4:22
All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
- Matthew 13:55
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
- John 6:42
They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
- Numbers 4:3
men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
- Luke 4:22
Through
1 Chronicles 26:31As for the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief of the Hebronites, according to the genealogies of his ancestors. In the fortieth year of David’s reign the records were searched, and strong, capable men were…
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 23:19
The sons of Hebron: Jeriah was the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
- 1 Chronicles 23:19
Through
1 Chronicles 3:4These six sons were born to David in Hebron, where he reigned seven years and six months. And David reigned in Jerusalem thirty-three years,
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 2:11
And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
- 2 Samuel 2:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.