2 Samuel 5:13

5:11-16 David's house was not the worse, nor the less fit to be dedicated to God, for being built by the sons of the stranger. It is prophesied of the gospel church, The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee, Isa 60:10. David's government was rooted and built up. David was established king; so is the Son of David, and all who, through him, are made to our God kings and priests. Never had the nation of Israel appeared so great as it began now to be. Many have the favour and love of God, yet do not perceive it, and so want the comfort of it; but to be exalted to that, and to perceive it, is happiness. David owned it was for his people's sake God had done great things for him; that he might be a blessing to them, and that they might be happy under him.

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron,.... He had six when he was at Hebron, 2 Samuel 3:2 , and now he took more, which was not to his honour, and contrary to the law of God, Deuteronomy 17:17 ; the concubines were a sort of half wives, as the word may signify, or secondary ones, and under the others: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David; besides those in Hebron mentioned in 2 Samuel 3:2.

(13) More concubines and wives. —In Deuteronomy 17:17 , the law had been given for the future king, “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself.” David certainly came perilously near a violation of this law, although he did not, like his son Solomon, take wives and concubines in enormous number for the sake of having a great harem—an important element in the Oriental ideas of regal magnificence. Any possible ambiguity in the phrase “ out of Jerusalem” is removed by the expression in the parallel place ( 1Chronicles 14:3 ), “ at Jerusalem.” Altogether, here and in Chronicles, the names of nineteen sons are mentioned; those of the daughters are not given, although one, Thamar, is mentioned in the story in 2 Samuel 13.

2 Samuel 5:13 . David took him more concubines and wives — This may well be reckoned among David’s miscarriages, the multiplication of wives being expressly forbidden to the kings of Israel, Deuteronomy 17:17 . It may however be observed, perhaps in extenuation of this fault of David, that it has always been looked upon as a piece of political wisdom in princes to endeavour to have many children; that by matching them into potent families, they might strengthen their interest, and have the more supporters of their authority. And this seems to have been the reason why David took so many wives. Some of his first wives had no children, and he was induced to take others that he might obtain an issue, enlarge his family, and thereby strengthen his interest. But the many wives and concubines he took did not preserve him from coveting his neighbour’s wife. On the contrary, they inclined him to it; for men who have once broken the fence, will wander carelessly.

13 . took him mo concubines and wives ] In accordance with the general custom of Oriental monarchs. The law of the king in Deuteronomy 17:17 imposes some limitation on the practice. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 3:5 . Mo as the comparative of many is an archaism which has disappeared from modern editions of the Bible. It occurs frequently in Shakespeare, e. g. Richard II. , A. II. S. I. 239, “Many moe of noble blood.”

Verse 13. - David took him more concubines. Thus with increase of power came also the increased gratification of David's weakness and sin. Well for him would it have been if, like Saul, he had been content with one wife. But this enlargement of his harem was gradual, and the list includes all the sons born at Jerusalem. Of these four, namely, Shammuah, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. were his children by Bathsheba (see 1 Chronicles 3:5 , where the names are differently spelt). Besides a variation in the spelling, two sons are mentioned in Chronicles, Nogah and an earlier Eliphelet, whose names are not given here, perhaps because they died young. From 1 Chronicles 3:9 we learn that only the names of the sons of wives are given in these tables. 2 Samuel 5:13

This may well be reckoned amongst David’s miscarriages, the multiplication of wives being expressly forbidden to the king, Deu 17:17 . The use of it seems to have been his policy, that hereby he might enlarge his family, and strengthen his interest by alliances with so many considerable families. And the number of wives being not limited, Deu 17 , he might conceive this was no transgression of that law.

"And David perceived (sc., from the success of his enterprises) that Jehovah had firmly established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake," i.e., because He had chosen Israel as His people, and had promised to make it great and glorious. To the building of David's palace, there is appended in 2 Samuel 5:13-15 the account of the increase of his house by the multiplication of his wives and concubines, and of the sons who were born to him at Jerusalem (as in 1 Chronicles 14:3.). Taking many wives was indeed prohibited in the law of the king in Deuteronomy 17:17; but as a large harem was considered from time immemorial as part of the court of an oriental monarch, David suffered himself to be seduced by that custom to disregard this prohibition, and suffered many a heartburn afterwards in consequence, not to mention his fearful fall in consequence of his passion for Bathsheba. The concubines are mentioned before the wives, probably because David had taken many of them to Jerusalem, and earlier than the wives.

In the Chronicles the concubines and omitted, though not "intentionally," as they are mentioned in 1 Chronicles 3:9; but as being of no essential importance in relation to the list of sons which follows, because no difference was made between those born of concubines and those born of wives. "Out of Jerusalem," i.e., away from Jerusalem: not that the wives were all born in Jerusalem, as the words which follow, "after he was come from Hebron," clearly show. In the Chronicles, therefore, it is explained as meaning "in Jerusalem." The sons are mentioned again both in 1 Chronicles 14:5-7 and in the genealogy in 1 Chronicles 3:5-8. Shammua is called Shimea in 1 Chronicles 3:5, according to a different pronunciation. Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon were sons of Bathsheba according to 1 Chronicles 3:5.