Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(2 Samuel 5:1) Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, "Behold we, your bone and your flesh."
In the last chapter and post, Ishbosheth, the acting king of all Israel except for Judah where David was king, had been murdered, and David had the murderers executed for their crime. Now representatives of all the tribes of Israel came to David. They spoke to David and began by telling him they acknowledged that they were all part of the family of Israel.
(2) "Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were he who led out and brought in Israel, and the Lord said to you, 'You shall feed My people Israel, and you shall be a captain over Israel.'"
The reps told David that they realized that when Saul was king of all Israel, it had been David who led out the armies of Israel to fight against their enemies, obtained victories, and brought them home again. They also acknowledged that the Lord had said that David was to tend His flock, His people Israel, and that He was to reign over them. Once again, as in 2 Samuel 3:18, we have words quoted as the Lord's words of which we don't find in the Bible. The Lord probably did say those words at some point, and they had become known by the people.
(3) So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and King David made a league with them in Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
Then all the elders of Israel came to David at Hebron, and David made an agreement with them, surely promising to rule over all of Israel justly and righteously, and this he did before the Lord and in His name, I'm sure. So the elders anointed David king over all of Israel.
(1 Chronicles 11:1) Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, "Behold we, your bone and your flesh."
This same incident is recorded in 1 Chronicles 11. Representatives of all Israel, as all the people of Israel could not have all come, came to David acknowledging that they were all of one family of Israel.
(2) "And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, you were he who led out and brought in Israel, and the Lord your God said to you, 'You shall feed My people Israel, and you shall be ruler over My people Israel." (3) Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel.
As stated before, the reps acknowledged that even when Saul was king, it was David who had led the troops to victories and brought them home again. They also knew that the Lord had told David he was to rule over Israel. So the elders of Israel came to David, and David made a covenant with all Israel, and they anointed him king of all Israel as the Lord had determined when He spoke to the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 16:1).
(1 Chronicles 12:23) And these are the numbers of the bands ready armed for war who came to David to Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.
1 Chronicles 12 numbers the men who were able men of war who came to David in Hebron to make him king over all of Israel in the following verses.
(24) The children of Judah who bore shield and spear, six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed for war.
From the tribe of Judah that had already made David their king, 6800 armed men ready for war came to David.
(25) Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for war, seven thousand and one hundred. (26) Of the children of Levi, four thousand and six hundred.
From the tribe of Simeon, 7100 valiant men of war came to David. Even from the tribe of Levi, who were the priests and their attendants, 4600 men came to David.
(27) And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him, three thousand and seven hundred; (28) And Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father's house, twenty-two captains.
The Aaronites were Levites, but these would have been direct descendants of Aaron. Jehoiada was captain over that family, and he alone brought 3700 men with him. Also from the tribe of Levi came Zadok, a young man of valor, and 22 captains from his father's house.
(29) And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand (for until then the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul).
Only 3000 men came from the tribe of Benjamin, as it seems being of the family of Saul, most men maintained their allegiance to the house of Saul up to that point.
(30) And of the children of Ephraim, twenty thousand and eight hundred mighty men of valor, famous throughout the house of their fathers.
From the tribe of Ephraim, a whopping 20,800 famous men of valor came to David in Hebron.
(31) And of the half tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand who were expressed by name to come and make David king.
From the half tribe of Manasseh that was on the same side of the Jordan River, 18,000 men who were expressly named, either specifically called by name for the purpose, or by volunteering by name, came to David to make him king.
(32) And of the children of Issachar who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred, and all their brethren were at their command.
The men of the tribe of Issachar it seems had a unique understanding of the times to know what Israel should do. There were two hundred heads, and the rest were at their command, apparently having full confidence in their leaders' direction. Perhaps this meant only 200 went to David to make him king, but all the tribe would have been in agreement that he should be made king.
(33) Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand who could keep rank, not of double heart.
The tribe of Zebulun sent 50,000 men of war who were experts in all instruments of war and ready to organize and go to war if necessary. These men were steadfast in their loyalty to David.
(34) And of Naphtali, a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear, thirty-seven thousand.
The tribe of Naphtali sent 1000 captains and 37,000 armed men with them.
(35) And of the Danites, expert in war, twenty-eight thousand and six hundred. (36) And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.
From the tribe of Dan came 28,600, and from Asher, 40,000, all men expert in war.
(37) And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, a hundred and twenty thousand.
From the eastern side of the Jordan River came 120,000 men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the other half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war with them.
(38) All these men of war who could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel, and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.
All these mighty men of valor, well-disciplined and well able to organize for war, if necessary, came with a perfect heart and one mind to make David king over all of Israel. And it seems that by that time, all of Israel was unanimous in making David king, even the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's tribe.
(39) And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. (40) Moreover, they who were near them, even to Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel.
All these tens of thousands of men were with David for three days, celebrating, eating, and drinking, for their brethren who were near enough to them, even as far as the tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought huge amounts of food and wine on all animals that could carry it. There was great joy in Israel for the people were united again as one people Israel under King David. This map borrowed from Maps of the World shows the twelve tribes at this time:
(1 Chronicles 29:26) Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
From that point onward, David reigned over all of Israel.
(2 Samuel 5:5) In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
David had reigned over Judah in Hebron for seven years and six months. He was about to begin his reign over all of Israel which would last thirty-three years.
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