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2 Samuel 6:1

in 2 Samuel 6

David again assembled the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand in all.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And David again gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

KJV

Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

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This verse in 2 Samuel 6

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel--(See 2Sa 5:1). The object of this second assembly was to commence a national movement for establishing the ark in Jerusalem, after it had continued nearly fifty years in the house of Abinadab (see on 1Ch 13:1).

This site's exposition

all the chosen men of Israel

on 2 Samuel 6:1-2

David's first act after securing Jerusalem is to gather thirty thousand chosen men and go for the ark, which had rested at Kirjath-jearim, called here Baale of Judah, for nearly fifty years since the days of 1 Samuel 7, as Jamieson, Fausset and Brown reckon it. The full name given the ark, the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims, carries a title that first entered Scripture at 1 Samuel 1:3 and now returns with the ark itself toward the throne city. Barnes reads the gathering as part of the same consolidation that filled the two chapters before this one, a king moving to secure his capital's worship as he had already secured its walls.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

5 ); for, some think, it was done at one of the three great festivals. This would make a noble cavalcade, and would help to inspire the young people of the nation, who perhaps had scarcely heard of the ark, with a great veneration for it, for this was certainly a treasure of inestimable value which the king himself and all the great men waited upon, and were a guard to.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens

Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Thirty thousand - This is supposed to have been a new levy; and thus he augmented his army by 30,000 fresh troops. The Septuagint has 70,000.
Again - It should be, “and David again gathered,” etc., i. e. after the previous gathering, either for his election to the kingdom 2Sa 5:1-3 or for the Philistine war 2Sa 5:17-25, he assembled them again for the peaceful purpose of bringing up the ark to Mount Zion (see marginal reference). The whole narrative indicates the progressive consolidation of David’s power, and the settlement of his monarchy on strong foundations.

The words behind it

9 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • וַיֹּ֨סֶףand he gathered

    vaiyosefH622 →200 times

  • ע֥וֹדagain

    odH5750 →490 times

  • דָּוִ֛דDavid

    davidH1732 →999 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • כָּל־every

    kol-H3605 →5413 times

  • בָּח֥וּרchosen [man]

    bachurH977 →171 times

  • בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לin Israel

    beyisraelH3478 →2507 times

  • שְׁלֹשִׁ֥יםthirty

    sheloshimH7970 →172 times

  • אָֽלֶף׃thousand

    ʾalefH505 →505 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Chronicles 13:5So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.4 works1 Chronicles 13:1–4Then David conferred with all his leaders, the commanders of hundreds and of thousands.3 works1 Chronicles 13:6–14David and all Israel went up to Baalah of Judah (that is, Kiriath-jearim) to bring up from there the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim—the ark that is called by the Name.2 works1 Kings 8:1At that time Solomon assembled before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David.2 worksPsalms 132:1–6O LORD, remember on behalf of David all the hardships he endured,1 works2 Kings 23:1Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.1 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
2 Samuel 5:1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.0 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    2 Samuel 5:1

    Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.

    it leads to

    • 1 Chronicles 11:1–3

      Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.

    • 2 Samuel 19:13

      And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”

    • Genesis 29:14

      Then Laban declared, “You are indeed my own flesh and blood.” After Jacob had stayed with him a month,

  • Through

    1 Kings 8:1

    At that time Solomon assembled before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion,…

    it leads to

    • 2 Chronicles 5:2–10

      At that time Solomon assembled in Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City…

    • 1 Chronicles 15:25

      So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom.

    • 2 Samuel 6:12–17

      Now it was reported to King David, “The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark…

    • Isaiah 46:13

      I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor.

    • Joshua 23:2

      he summoned all Israel, including its elders, leaders, judges, and officers. “I am old and well along in years,” he said,

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 2 Samuel

David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
David Mourns the Death of Absalom, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
2 Samuel: the study guide →Read 2 Samuel 6 →

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; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 2 Samuel 6 →