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At first glance, reading 2 Samuel 5:4 can be contextually interpreted to mean that David became king of Israel at 30 years old because he was anointed king of Israel in the previous verse.

However, the next verse states that he “reigned” over Judah seven years and six months before becoming king over all Israel and Judah. So does this mean that he became king of Judah at 30 and then became king of both Israel and Judah at 37, contradicting David’s Wikipedia page stating “…a 30-year old David is anointed king over all Israel…”?

agarza
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penguin108
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1 Answers1

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2 Sam 5:4, 5 says this:

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

There is a big difference between being anointed for a job and actually doing the job as these verse make clear.

It is true that David was anointed king over all Israel at the age of 30. BUT he did not reign over all Israel until the the king of non-Judah, Ish-bosheth, had been removed. The sequence of events was as follows:

  • Saul died (1 sam 31)
  • Ish-bosheth was anointed king over "all Israel", 2 Sam 2:9
  • Almost simultaneously, David is anointed king over Israel, 2 Sam 2, 4, 5:4, 5, but in reality, David only reigned over Judah
  • A civil war ensured, 2 Sam 2:12 - 2 Sam 4:12
  • Finally, Is-bosheth was murdered, 2 Sam 4:1-8
  • This left David free to begin his reign over all Israel, 7½ years later at the age of 37, 2 Sam 5:4, 5.
  • David moves his capitol from Hebron to Jerusalem after conquering Jerusalem, 2 Sam 5:6-11

In fact, the (arguablly) premature anointing of David as king over "all Israel" was merely a repetition and recognition of David's earlier anointing as the heir apparent by the prophet Samuel under God's direction as recorded in 1 Sam 16:1-13, and God's rejection of the king Saul and his subsequent dynasty in 1 Sam 15.

Dottard
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  • To clarify, I thought 2 Samuel 5:4 refers to 2 Samuel 2:4, where David, supposedly being 30 years old, first started as king and reigned. But contextually this seems to refer to his anointing, so I appreciate you clearing up this. – penguin108 Aug 06 '21 at 02:27
  • @penguin108 - the anointing occurs in 2 Sam 5:3. – Dottard Aug 06 '21 at 02:32
  • I know, but it only says in 2 Sam 5:4 that David "became king" instead of just being anointed. So when taking this verse alone, it could connect to 2 Sam 2:4 – penguin108 Aug 06 '21 at 02:37
  • @penguin108 - that is true - David became king over Judah but over all Israel only in anticipation just as the anointing by Samuel was as well. – Dottard Aug 06 '21 at 02:39
  • Sorry for my confusion, but according to Bible Tales Website, it states that David was 30 years old when he became King of Judah, confirming my interpretation that the words of "becoming king" in 2 Samuel 5:4 connects to David’s anointing and the start of reign of only Judah from 2 Samuel 2:4. – penguin108 Aug 06 '21 at 13:10
  • But if David then was only anticipated to be anointed for all Israel at 30, instead of only Judah, in 2 Samuel 5:4/2 Samuel 2:4 then wouldn't that make his age older than 30 (due to the 7 ½ years) when David would actually become anointed (not anticipated) for all Israel by the elders, mentioned in 2 Samuel 5:3? – penguin108 Aug 06 '21 at 13:10
  • To make my understanding and thought process clearer: 1. David was anointed and began his reign of King of Judah at 30 years old – 2 Samuel 5:4/2 Samuel 2:4 2. David then was anointed by Israel’s elders in 2 Samuel 5:3 (in this verse, David would now have to be older than 30 when he was actually anointed, not anticipated, for all of Israel because he was probably done with reigning Hebron for 7 ½ years, so 37?) 3. Therefore, David’s age is either unknown in 2 Samuel 5:3 or he was 37 when he was actually anointed (not anticipated) by Israel’s elders and all Israel – penguin108 Aug 06 '21 at 13:11
  • The problem with David being anointed over all Israel at 30 is that he actually technically wasn't anointed over all Israel yet but only of Judah by the people of Hebron. It would then be later, in 2 Samuel 5:3, when he was actually anointed by the elders and then all Israel. So really it can be argued when David was anointed over "all Israel" – penguin108 Aug 06 '21 at 13:51
  • @penguin108 - David was actually anointed three times: (1) by Samuel in 1 Sam 16 at about age 18 or 20(??), (2) by the elders at Hebron in 2 Sam 2 at age 30, (3) by the elders at Hebron in 2 Sam 5 at age 37. If you prefer I will add this to the answer above and update it. – Dottard Aug 06 '21 at 20:23
  • That's alright, that timeline is the way I understand it too but I'm saying that some could argue that the 2nd anointing by the elders at Hebron was not over all Israel yet, but only over Judah (which weren't Israel and Judah separated then?). Wikipedia states that at 30 he was anointed king over all Israel, instead of acknowledging that the anointing only was over Judah. – penguin108 Aug 06 '21 at 23:12