2 Samuel 5:6
in 2 Samuel 5Now 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.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither.
KJV
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 5
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe king and his men went to Jerusalem - This city was now in the hands of the Jebusites; but how they got possession of it is not known, probably they took it during the wars between Ish-bosheth and David. After Joshua’s death, what is called the lower city was taken by the Israelites; and it is evident that the whole city was in their possession in the time of Saul, for David brought the head of Goliath thither, 1Sa 17:54. It appears to have been a very strong fortress, and, from what follows, deemed impregnable by the Jebusites.
This site's exposition
take away the blind and the lame
on 2 Samuel 5:6-7
The Jebusites trust Jerusalem's height and defenses enough to taunt David with the boast that even the blind and the lame could hold it against him, thinking David cannot come in hither. He proves them wrong, and verse 7 names what he took in four words that outlast the taunt: the strong hold of Zion, the same is the city of David. This is Zion's first appearance anywhere in Scripture, the name that will carry the temple, the psalms, and the prophets' hope, entering the record as a captured Jebusite fortress rather than anything grander.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem,....
They called their idols their Mauzzim, or strong-holds ( Dan. xi. 38 ) and as such relied on them. The name of the Lord is our strong tower, and his arm is strong, his eyes are piercing.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites--The first expedition of David, as king of the whole country, was directed against this place, which had hitherto remained in the hands of the natives.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
David immediately after being anointed king of Israel, probably wished to signalize his accession by an exploit which would be popular with all Israel, and especially with Saul’s tribe, Benjamin. He discerned the importance of having Jerusalem for his capital both because it belonged as much to Benjamin as to Judah, and on account of its strong position. Except thou take away the blind ... - Rather, “and (the Jebusite) spake to David, saying, Thou shalt not come hither, but the blind and the lame shall keep thee off,” i. e. so far shalt thou be from taking the stronghold from us, that the lame and blind shall suffice to defend the place.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| וַֽאֲנָשָׁיו֙ | vaanashav | and men his | H582 → | 566 times |
| יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | against | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַיְבֻסִ֖י | hayvusi | the Jebusite[s] | H2983 → | 41 times |
| יוֹשֵׁ֣ב | yoshev | [the] inhabitant[s] of | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| הָאָ֑רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and it said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְדָוִ֤ד | ledavid | to David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| לֵאמֹר֙ | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תָב֣וֹא | tavo' | you will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| הֵ֔נָּה | henah | here | H2008 → | 49 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| הֱסִֽירְךָ֗ | hesirekha | he will turn aside you | H5493 → | 299 times |
| הַעִוְרִ֤ים | haivrim | the blind [people] | H5787 → | 26 times |
| וְהַפִּסְחִים֙ | vehapischim | and the lame [people] | H6455 → | 14 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָב֥וֹא | yavo' | he will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| דָוִ֖ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| הֵֽנָּה׃ | henah | here | H2008 → | 49 times |
וַיֵּ֨לֶךְand he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
הַמֶּ֤לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
וַֽאֲנָשָׁיו֙and men his
vaanashavH582 →566 times
יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
אֶל־against
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַיְבֻסִ֖יthe Jebusite[s]
hayvusiH2983 →41 times
יוֹשֵׁ֣ב[the] inhabitant[s] of
yoshevH3427 →1079 times
הָאָ֑רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand it said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לְדָוִ֤דto David
ledavidH1732 →999 times
לֵאמֹר֙<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
תָב֣וֹאyou will come
tavo'H935 →2568 times
הֵ֔נָּהhere
henahH2008 →49 times
כִּ֣יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
הֱסִֽירְךָ֗he will turn aside you
hesirekhaH5493 →299 times
הַעִוְרִ֤יםthe blind [people]
haivrimH5787 →26 times
וְהַפִּסְחִים֙and the lame [people]
vehapischimH6455 →14 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָב֥וֹאhe will come
yavo'H935 →2568 times
דָוִ֖דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
הֵֽנָּה׃here
henahH2008 →49 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
Joshua 15:63But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the descendants of Judah.
it leads to
- Judges 1:21
The Benjamites, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the Benjamites.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Judges 1:8
Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.
- 2 Samuel 5:6–9
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…
- 1 Chronicles 11:4–8
Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land.
- Judges 1:21
Through
Judges 1:8Then the men of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.
it leads to
- Joshua 15:63
But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the descendants of Judah.
- Joshua 15:63
Through
Joshua 18:28Zelah, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities, along with their villages. This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 21:14
And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in Zela in the land of Benjamin, in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. After they had done everything the king had commanded,…
- Joshua 15:8
From there the border went up the Valley of Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem) and ascended to the top of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom…
- 2 Samuel 21:14
Through
Jeremiah 37:10Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire army of the Chaldeans that is fighting against you, and only wounded men remained in their tents, they would still get up and burn this…
it leads to
- Joel 2:11
The LORD raises His voice in the presence of His army. Indeed, His camp is very large, for mighty are those who obey His command. For the Day of the LORD is great and…
- Joel 2:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.