The Meaning of 2 Samuel 5:3 Explained

2 Samuel 5:3

KJV: 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.

YLT: And all the elders of Israel come unto the king, to Hebron, and king David maketh with them a covenant in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anoint David for king over Israel.

Darby: And all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah; and they anointed David king over Israel.

ASV: So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah: and they anointed David king over Israel.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 5:3 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 5:1-12 - David King In Jerusalem
David was anointed thrice: by Samuel in his home, by the men of Judah, and here. So our Lord has been crowned in the Father's purpose and by his Church. There awaits another day, when he will be recognized as King by the entire universe, Revelation 11:15, etc. The reasons for David's coronation apply equally to our Lord: (1) kinship; (2) power to lead; (3) God's eternal purpose.
Because of its impregnable position, it was wise policy to secure Jerusalem as the site of the capital. Here was the beginning of new prosperity for Israel, and for Jerusalem as well, which was now to become "the joy of the whole earth." See 1 Chronicles 12:23, etc. David's influence increased by leaps and bounds, 2 Samuel 5:10. There broke on his mind a perception of the divine purpose, 2 Samuel 5:12. Often we are unable to descry this in the earlier stages of our life. We see no meaning, no purpose. But as year is added to year, God's great scheme begins to unfold. Only be sure that any position or opportunity is intended, not for us alone, but for his people's sake. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 5

1  The tribes come to Hebron and anoint David over Israel,
4  David's age
6  Taking Zion from the Jebusites, he dwells in it
11  Hiram sends to David,
13  Eleven sons are born to him in Jerusalem
17  David, directed by God, smites the Philistines at Baal-perazim
22  And again at the mulberry trees

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 5:3 mean?

Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king at Hebron and made with them King David a covenant at Hebron before Yahweh and they anointed - king over Israel -
וַ֠יָּבֹאוּ כָּל־ זִקְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֶל־ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ חֶבְר֔וֹנָה וַיִּכְרֹ֣ת לָהֶם֩ הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ דָּוִ֥ד בְּרִ֛ית בְּחֶבְר֖וֹן לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּמְשְׁח֧וּ אֶת־ לְמֶ֖לֶךְ עַל־ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל פ

וַ֠יָּבֹאוּ  Therefore  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
זִקְנֵ֨י  the  elders 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
חֶבְר֔וֹנָה  at  Hebron 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: חֶבְרֹון 
Sense: a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar.
וַיִּכְרֹ֣ת  and  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
לָהֶם֩  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
דָּוִ֥ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
בְּרִ֛ית  a  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
בְּחֶבְר֖וֹן  at  Hebron 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶבְרֹון 
Sense: a city in south Judah approx 20 south of Jerusalem and approx 20 miles (30 km) north of Beersheba and near where Abraham built an altar.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיִּמְשְׁח֧וּ  and  they  anointed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָשַׁח  
Sense: to smear, anoint, spread a liquid.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לְמֶ֖לֶךְ  king 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation