1 Kings 2:11 kjv
And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
1 Kings 2:11 nkjv
The period that David reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.
1 Kings 2:11 niv
He had reigned forty years over Israel?seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
1 Kings 2:11 esv
And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
1 Kings 2:11 nlt
David had reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
1 Kings 2 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 5:4-5 | "David was thirty years old... He reigned forty years. In Hebron... and in Jerusalem..." | Directly parallels David's reign duration. |
| 1 Chr 3:4 | "and these three were born to him in Hebron: Ben-Hanan, and Ben-Zur... " | Mentions David's time and family in Hebron. |
| 1 Chr 29:26-27 | "Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. And the days that he reigned over Israel were forty years..." | Confirms the forty-year reign. |
| Acts 13:36 | "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep..." | Reflects on David's completed life and reign. |
| 1 Kgs 11:42 | "The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years..." | Comparison to Solomon's forty-year reign. |
| Deut 2:7 | "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand... forty years the Lord your God has been with you..." | Forty years as a complete, God-guided period. |
| Num 14:34 | "According to the number of the days in which you searched the land, forty days, for each day a year, you shall bear your iniquity forty years..." | Forty years often signifies a period of judgment or completeness. |
| Gen 23:2 | "And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan..." | Hebron as an ancient, significant burial site. |
| 2 Sam 2:1-4 | "And it came to pass after this that David inquired of the Lord... So David went up, and his two wives with him... So all the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah." | David's initial anointing and reign in Hebron. |
| 2 Sam 5:6-9 | "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites... So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David." | Account of David capturing Jerusalem. |
| Psa 78:68 | "But he chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which he loved." | Jerusalem (Zion) chosen as God's dwelling place. |
| Psa 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with my chosen one... ‘Your offspring I will establish forever, and build up your throne for all generations.’" | Davidic covenant of an eternal throne. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David..." | Prophecy of Messiah's eternal Davidic reign. |
| Luke 1:32-33 | "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High... He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” | Angel Gabriel announcing Christ's eternal Davidic kingship. |
| 2 Tim 4:7-8 | "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness..." | Analogous completion of a servant's work. |
| Ecc 3:1 | "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven..." | Reflects on life's appointed seasons and times. |
| Prov 16:33 | "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord." | Underlines divine sovereignty in appointed times. |
| Dan 4:17 | "...the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes..." | Divine control over the rise and fall of kings. |
| John 18:36 | "My kingdom is not of this world... but now my kingdom is not from here.” | Distinction between earthly and heavenly rule, in contrast to David's earthly reign. |
| Rev 22:16 | "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." | Jesus identified as the ultimate Davidic King. |
| Zech 12:7 | "The Lord will save the tents of Judah first... So the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem..." | Highlights the future restoration tied to David and Jerusalem. |
1 Kings 2 verses
1 Kings 2 11 Meaning
This verse precisely states the duration and geographical breakdown of King David's reign over Israel. It details that his entire kingship spanned forty years: an initial period of seven years in Hebron, followed by thirty-three years ruling from Jerusalem. This chronological summary marks the close of his earthly rule, serving as a historical demarcation at the end of his life's account in this context.
1 Kings 2 11 Context
1 Kings 2:11 serves as a concluding summary to the detailed account of David's final instructions, his death, and the smooth transition of power to his son Solomon, as narrated in 1 Kings chapter 1 and the preceding verses of chapter 2. Specifically, it follows immediately after 1 Kings 2:10, which states, "So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David." This verse solidifies David's historical footprint, emphasizing the entirety of his rule after the narrative pivot from his anointing of Solomon to his passing. Historically, this period marks a critical juncture for Israel, moving from David, who established the united monarchy and made Jerusalem its capital, to Solomon, who would build the Temple and bring the kingdom to its zenith of prosperity before its eventual division. The precise chronological details underscore the historical accuracy and significance of David's forty-year reign, a benchmark often used to measure future kings.
1 Kings 2 11 Word analysis
- And the days that David reigned: This phrase emphasizes the completed duration of his rule. The Hebrew term for "days" (yāmîm - יָמִים) can refer to a period of years, especially when associated with a king's reign. It signifies the totality and specific boundary of his appointed time.
- David: (Dāwîḏ - דָּוִד). Beyond a mere name, "David" embodies the quintessential king of Israel, the one chosen by God (1 Sam 16:1-13). His name became synonymous with the ideal kingship and foundational for messianic prophecy, pointing to the greater Son of David, Jesus Christ.
- reigned: (mālak - מָלַךְ). This verb signifies active kingship, rule, and authority. It implies a divinely sanctioned exercise of power, especially in the context of Israelite monarchy where the king was God's vice-regent.
- over Israel: (ʿal Yiśrāʾēl - עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל). This denotes the extent of his dominion—the unified twelve tribes, establishing the geographical and national boundaries of his kingdom. It marks David as the king of all Israel, unlike Saul or initial anointings that focused on individual tribes or regions. "Israel" (Yiśrāʾēl) signifies "strives with God" or "Prince of God," underscoring the divine relationship.
- were forty years: This numerical specificity holds profound biblical significance. The number "forty" often represents a generation, a period of trial, testing, completion, or significant transformation (e.g., forty days of flood, forty years in the wilderness, forty days of Jesus' temptation, forty years of some judges' rule). Here, it signifies a complete and divinely appointed reign, marked by both triumphs and challenges.
- seven years reigned he in Hebron: This details the initial phase of David's rule. "Hebron" (Ḥeḇrôwn - חֶבְרוֹן) meaning "association" or "confederacy," was a very ancient city in Judah, known from Abraham's time (Gen 13:18). It was the ancestral seat of Judah and the first place where David was anointed king (2 Sam 2:4) and solidified his initial power base amongst his own tribe.
- and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem: This marks the longer and primary phase of David's kingship. "Jerusalem" (Yerûšālāim - יְרוּשָׁלַיִם), meaning "city of peace" or "foundation of peace," became David's capital after he conquered it from the Jebusites (2 Sam 5:6-9). This move transformed the city into the political and spiritual heart of Israel, establishing it as the City of David and, eventually, the location of the Temple. This shift symbolizes the consolidation of power and the unified nature of David's kingdom.
1 Kings 2 11 Bonus section
The number 40 in the Bible often represents a period of trial, purification, testing, or a complete generation. For David, his forty-year reign marked the pinnacle of Israel's national strength and unity before the later division of the kingdom. It signified a full, mature cycle of leadership. His seven-year reign in Hebron corresponds to a common biblical number symbolizing completeness or perfection, potentially indicating the complete establishment of his rule over Judah, preparing him for the wider leadership over all Israel from Jerusalem. The detailed chronological breakdown attests to the meticulous record-keeping during this period of the monarchy, reflecting its divine ordering and significance in redemptive history. David's life, ending here in summation, provided the blueprint for the coming Messiah's kingdom, one that would truly be everlasting (Isa 9:6-7, Lk 1:32-33).
1 Kings 2 11 Commentary
1 Kings 2:11 serves as a succinct historical record of David's impactful forty-year reign. This division into two distinct periods, seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem, encapsulates David's strategic and divinely guided consolidation of power. His initial rule from Hebron, a southern stronghold, cemented his tribal support in Judah. The subsequent capture and establishment of Jerusalem as the capital was a masterstroke, transforming a neutral, defensible city into the vibrant political and spiritual center of the unified monarchy. The consistency in reporting "forty years" for both David and Solomon (1 Kgs 11:42) highlights an ideal duration for an Israelite king, implying divine appointment and blessing. Ultimately, this verse confirms the complete fulfillment of David's divinely ordained purpose as a monarch (Acts 13:36) and sets the stage for the kingdom's future trajectory.