2 Samuel 5:6

Contextual Overview

⁶The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here."⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." ⁶Then the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away"; thinking, "David cannot enter here." ⁶ Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away"; thinking, "David cannot enter here."⁶ The king also and his men went to Hierusalem vnto the Iebusites the inhabitauntes of the lande, whiche spake vnto Dauid, saying: Except thou take away the blinde and the lame, thou shalt not come in hyther: For they said, Thou art not able to come in hyther. ⁶ The king and his men went to fight against the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites said to David, "You cannot come into our city. Even our blind and crippled people can stop you." (They said this because they thought that David would not be able to enter into their city. ⁶ And the king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, those dwelling in the land. And one spoke to David, saying, You shall not come in here except the blind and the lame will turn you away, saying, David cannot come in here. ⁶ And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jeb'usites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off" --thinking, "David cannot come in here." ⁶ The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here; thinking, David can't come in here. ⁶ And the king and his men went to Ierusalem, vnto the Iebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake vnto Dauid, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: Thinking, Dauid cannot come in hither.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jerusalem: Genesis 14:18, Joshua 10:3, Judges 1:8, Hebrews 7:1

the Jebusites: Joshua 15:63, Joshua 18:28, Judges 1:8, Judges 1:21, Judges 19:10-12

which spake: etc. Dr. Kennicott's amended translation is as follows: "Who spake unto David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither; for the blind and the lame shall drive thee away, by saying, David shall not come in hither" 2 Samuel 5:8. "And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, and through the subterraneous passage reacheth the lame and the blind, who hate the life of David - because the blind and the lame said, he shall not come into the house shall be chief and captain. So Joab, the son of Zeriah, went up first, and was chief."

Except: Jeremiah 37:10

thinking, David cannot: or, saying, David shall not, etc

Reciprocal: Judges 19:11 - the Jebusites 2 Samuel 2:23 - the fifth rib 1 Chronicles 11:4 - David Nehemiah 3:15 - the stairs Psalms 9:5 - rebuked Psalms 10:5 - he puffeth Jeremiah 21:13 - Who

Cross-References

Genesis 4:26
Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD .

Genesis 4:26
Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord .

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth, to him also, a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of Yahweh.

Genesis 4:26
To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 4:26
And vnto the same Seth also there was borne a sonne, and he called his name Enos: then began men to make inuocation in the name of the Lorde.

Genesis 4:26
Seth also had a son. He named him Enosh. At that time people began to pray to the Lord .

Genesis 4:26
To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.

Genesis 4:26
But also a sone was borun to Seth, which sone he clepide Enos; this Enos bigan to clepe inwardli the name of the Lord.

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth, to him also there was borne a sonne, and he called his name Enos: then began men to call vpon the Name of the LORD.

Genesis 4:26
And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem,.... Which, at least part of it, belonged to the tribe of Benjamin; and therefore until all Israel, and that tribe, with the rest, made him king, he did not attempt the reduction of it, but now he immediately set out on an expedition against it:

unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: who inhabited the country about it, and even dwelt in that itself; for the tribe of Judah could not drive them out at first from that part of it which belonged to them, nor the tribe of Benjamin from that part which was theirs; in short, they became so much masters of it, that it was called, even in later times, Jebus, and the city of the Jebusites; see Joshua 15:63 Judges 1:21;

which spake unto David; when he came up against them, and besieged them:

except thou take away the blind and lame, thou shalt not come in hither; which many understand of their idols and images, which had eyes, but saw not, and feet, but walked not, which therefore David and his men in derision called the blind and lame; these the Jebusites placed for the defence of their city, and put great confidence in them for the security of it, and therefore said to David, unless you can remove these, which you scornfully call the blind and the lame, you will never be able to take the place. And certain it is the Heathens had their tutelar gods for their cities as well as their houses, in which they greatly trusted for their safety; and therefore with the Romans, when they besieged a city, the first thing they attempted to do was by any means, as by songs particularly, to get the tutelar gods out of it b; believing otherwise it would never be taken by them; or if it could, it was not lawful to make the gods captives c: and to this sense most of the Jewish commentators agree, as Kimchi, Jarchi, Ben Gersom, and R. Isaiah, who take them to be images; some say, made of brass, which were placed either in the streets of the city, or on the towers: it was usual with all nations to place on their walls both their household and country gods, to defend them from the enemy d. A learned countryman of ours e is of opinion that these were statues or images talismanically made, under a certain constellation, by some skilful in astrology, placed in the recess of the fort, and intrusted with the keeping of it, and in which the utmost confidence was put: but it seems better with Aben Ezra and Abarbinel, and so Josephus f, to understand this of blind and lame men; and that the sense is, that the Jebusites had such an opinion of the strength of their city, that a few blind and lame men were sufficient to defend it against David and his army; and perhaps in contempt of him placed some invalids, blind and lame men, on the walls of it, and jeeringly told him, that unless he could remove them, he would never take the city:

thinking: or "saying" g; this was the substance of what they said, or what they meant by it:

David cannot come in hither; it is impossible for him to enter it, he cannot and shall not do it, and very probably these words were put into the mouths of the blind and lame, and they said them frequently.

b Vid. Valtrinum de re militar. Rom. l. 5. c. 5. c Vid. Macrob. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 9. Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 6. c. 4. d Cornel. Nepot. Vit. Themistocl. l. 2. c. 7. e Gregory's Notes and Observations, &c. ch. 7. f Antiqu. l. 7. c. 3. sect. 1. g לאמר "dicendo", Pagninus, Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 5:6. The 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, 2 Samuel 17:54. It appears to have been a very strong fortress, and, from what follows, deemed impregnable by the Jebusites. It was right that the Israelites should repossess it; and David very properly began his reign over the whole country by the siege of this city.

Except thou take away the blind and the lame — Scarcely a passage in the sacred oracles has puzzled commentators more than this. For my own part, I do not think that it is worth the labour spent upon it, nor shall I encumber these pages with the discordant opinions of learned men. From the general face of the text it appears that the Jebusites, vainly confiding in the strength of their fortress, placed lame and blind men upon the walls, and thus endeavoured to turn into ridicule David's attempt to take the place: Thou shalt not come in hither, except thou take away the blind and the lame; nothing could be more cutting to a warrior.

Dr. Kennicott has taken great pains to correct this passage, as may be seen in his First Dissertation on the Hebrew Text, pages 27 to 47. I shall insert our present version with his amended text line for line, his translation being distinguished by italics; and for farther information refer to Dr. K.'s work.

Ver. 2 Samuel 5:6. And the king and his men went to K. And the king and his men went to

Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants K. Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of

of the land: who spake unto David, saying, K. the land; who spake unto David, saying;

Except thou take away the blind and the K. Thou shalt not come in hither; for the blind

lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, K. and the lame shall drive thee away by saying,

David cannot come in hither. K. "David shall not come in hither."

Ver. 2 Samuel 5:8. And David said - Whosoever getteth K. And David said - Whosoever smiteth the

up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, K. Jebusites, and through the subterranean passage

and the lame and the blind, that are hated K. reacheth the lame and the blind who

of David's soul - Wherefore they said, The K. hate the life of David (because the blind and

blind and the lame shall not come into the K. the lame said, "He shall not come into the

house. * * * * * * * * K. house,") shall be chief and captain. So

* * * * * * * * * K. Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and

* * * * * * * * * K. was chief.