2 Samuel 3 5

2 Samuel 3:5 kjv

And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

2 Samuel 3:5 nkjv

and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

2 Samuel 3:5 niv

and the sixth, Ithream the son of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

2 Samuel 3:5 esv

and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron.

2 Samuel 3:5 nlt

The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David's wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.

2 Samuel 3 verses

2 Samuel 3 5 Meaning

2 Samuel 3:5 lists two more of David's sons born to him during his reign in Hebron, specifying their mothers. These are Shephatiah, born to Abital, and Ithream, born to Eglah, described as David’s wife. This enumeration highlights the growth of David's household and the legitimate establishment of his lineage as king in his early capital, reinforcing his claim to the throne through multiple heirs.

2 Samuel 3 5 Context

2 Samuel chapter 3 describes the period of civil war between the house of David and the house of Saul, led by Abner. David had been anointed king over Judah in Hebron, while Saul's son Ish-bosheth reigned over the rest of Israel. During this time, David's power was steadily increasing. Verses 2-5 provide a concise record of the six sons born to David by different wives during his seven-and-a-half-year reign in Hebron. This enumeration of legitimate heirs was crucial in ancient monarchies, signifying the king's growing strength, divine blessing through fruitfulness, and the established continuity of his royal line, particularly important as David was consolidating his new kingdom. Each son represented a branch of his burgeoning royal family, essential for the stability and future of the Davidic dynasty.

2 Samuel 3 5 Word analysis

• and Shephatiah (וּשְׁפַטְיָה, u-Shfatyah): The conjunction "and" links this name to the previous son, demonstrating a continuation of the lineage list. Shephatiah means "Yahweh has judged" or "Yahweh has decided." This theophoric name, common in Israelite society, suggests the parents' faith and acknowledgment of God's role in the birth, perhaps reflecting a belief that God had vindicated David or made a significant decree concerning his kingdom.
• the son of Abital (בֶּן־אֲבִיטַל, ben-Avital): "Son of" explicitly links the child to his mother, establishing her identity as a legal wife and his legitimacy as a royal heir. Abital means "my father is dew" or "father of dew." The imagery of dew can be associated with refreshing, blessing, or fruitfulness, signifying perhaps a hopeful name. Abital is noted as one of David's wives in Hebron.
• and Ithream (וְיִתְרְעָם, ve-Yitr'am): Another son's name, meaning "abundance of people" or "the kinsman will support/cleanse." This name also carries positive connotations related to fertility, numerical increase, or familial support, further underscoring the themes of multiplication and consolidation for David's royal house.
• the son of Eglah (בֶּן־עֶגְלָה, ben-Eglah): Establishes the maternity and legitimacy for Ithream. Eglah means "heifer" or "calf." While potentially sounding unusual as a personal name today, in ancient contexts, names drawing from animal imagery were not uncommon and could symbolize traits like youth, beauty, or fecundity.
• David’s wife (אֵשֶׁת דָּוִד, eshet Dawid): The singular "wife" (אֵשֶׁת, ishet, construct form of אִשָּׁה, ishah) applies directly to Eglah, but by implication validates the status of all the named mothers (Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah) as David's legitimate wives. This phrase emphasizes the legality of the sons as royal princes, despite David having multiple wives, a practice accepted culturally for kings in that era for establishing strong alliances and multiple lines of succession, although it diverged from God's ideal of marriage set forth in creation and later warned against for kings.

2 Samuel 3 5 Bonus section

The detailed enumeration of David's sons in Hebron, consistently recorded across both 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, underscores a biblical principle where the strength and legitimacy of a dynasty were often evidenced by its progeny. While the number of sons was significant for a king, establishing the right of succession and preventing internal power struggles were key. Although the Bible lists multiple sons from David, only one (Solomon, born later in Jerusalem, not mentioned in 2 Sam 3) would ultimately sit on his throne, emphasizing that the chosen heir was by divine providence, not merely by birth order or multitude of wives. The listing also tacitly reminds the reader of the challenges inherent in large royal families, which later contributed to intrigues and conflicts over succession, as seen with Absalom and Adonijah from this very list of Hebron-born sons.

2 Samuel 3 5 Commentary

2 Samuel 3:5 completes the vital listing of the six sons born to David during his foundational years in Hebron. This register of heirs serves a crucial purpose: it legally solidifies David's claim to the kingship over Judah by demonstrating a secure and burgeoning royal line. In ancient Near Eastern monarchies, the number of sons was often directly related to a king's perceived strength, divine favor, and the potential for a stable succession. While culturally accepted, David's polygyny, though sanctioned by societal norms, stood apart from God's original marital ideal (Gen 2:24) and Moses' warning against multiplying wives for a king (Deut 17:17). Nevertheless, these children were recognized as legitimate. The names of the sons, such as Shephatiah ("Yahweh has judged") and Ithream ("abundance of people"), carry implicit meaning that might reflect David's aspirations or acknowledge God's hand in establishing his family. This verse contributes to the larger narrative of David's ascent to full kingship, rooted in divine blessing and consolidated through his burgeoning royal family.