2 Samuel 5 4

2 Samuel 5:4 kjv

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

2 Samuel 5:4 nkjv

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

2 Samuel 5:4 niv

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

2 Samuel 5:4 esv

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

2 Samuel 5:4 nlt

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all.

2 Samuel 5 verses

2 Samuel 5 4 Meaning

The verse states that David was thirty years old when he began his reign, and he reigned for a total of forty years. This acts as a concise summary statement about David's kingship, inserted at the point where he becomes king over all Israel, signifying the totality of his leadership from its beginning until its end.

2 Samuel 5 4 Context

This verse is placed in 2 Samuel chapter 5 immediately after the elders of Israel have gathered in Hebron and anointed David as king over all Israel (2 Sam 5:1-3). Prior to this, David had reigned as king only over the tribe of Judah from Hebron for seven and a half years (2 Sam 2:4; 5:5). The historical context reveals that Israel had been divided, with Ish-bosheth (Saul's son) ruling over the northern tribes. David's ascension to kingship over all Israel marks the long-awaited unification of the kingdom under a divinely appointed leader. This verse acts as a retrospective summary, providing crucial biographical data about David's age at the onset of his full kingship and the ultimate duration of his reign, even though his accession over all Israel happened when he was around 37.5 years old. The text positions this summary here to emphasize the beginning of David's complete, comprehensive leadership.

2 Samuel 5 4 Word analysis

• David (דָּוִד, Dāviḏ): The second and most significant king of Israel. His name means "beloved" or "darling." He is central to Israel's history and messianic expectations, serving as the prototype for the coming Messiah King, Jesus Christ, who is often called the "Son of David."
• was thirty years old (בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה, ben-shəlōšîm shānāh): Literally, "son of thirty years." In ancient Near Eastern cultures and biblical tradition, the age of thirty often marked maturity and readiness for significant public service or leadership. For instance, Levites typically began their full service at the Tabernacle at age thirty (Num 4:3), and Jesus began his public ministry around this age (Luke 3:23). This highlights David's seasoned readiness for his weighty responsibilities as king.
• when he began to reign (בְּמָלְכ֑וֹ, bəmolḵō): The Hebrew literally means "in his becoming king" or "upon his reigning." This refers to the commencement of his entire royal career, which started in Hebron when he was anointed king over Judah (2 Sam 2:4), not specifically his accession over all Israel, which occurred 7.5 years later (when he would have been ~37.5). The statement in 2 Sam 5:4 is a parenthetical overview of his whole reign, given its pivotal nature.
• and he reigned (וְאַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה מָלָךְ, wəʾarbāʿîm shānāh mālāḵ): This indicates the duration of his total reign. 'Forty' is a significant biblical number, often symbolizing a period of testing, purification, a generation, or completeness (e.g., forty years in the wilderness, forty days of rain). David's forty-year reign represents a complete and substantial period of establishing the united kingdom and solidifying its foundation.

• "David was thirty years old when he began to reign": This phrase serves as a personal historical marker for David's accession to the throne, underscoring his age of maturity and preparedness, aligning him with other key figures in biblical history who commenced significant work at thirty.
• "and he reigned forty years": This clause provides the grand total of David's reign, signaling a complete and divinely ordered period of rule. It encapsulates his time as king over Judah alone (7.5 years) and his subsequent rule over all Israel from Jerusalem (33 years), rounding the combined 40.5 years down to a significant 'forty'.

2 Samuel 5 4 Bonus section

• Significance of Ages and Durations: The precise mention of David's age (30) at the start of his rule over Judah, and the total reign (40 years), underscores the divinely appointed timing and comprehensive nature of his leadership. Such specificity in biblical narrative often carries theological weight, signifying God's sovereign control over history and leadership.
• The Reign as a Standard: David's forty-year reign became a benchmark for future kings in Israel and Judah, an ideal duration signifying a successful and divinely blessed kingship. While some kings reigned longer or shorter, the reign of David remained the golden standard.
• Type of Christ: David, with his specific age at kingship and the full duration of his reign, is seen as a type of Christ, the ultimate King who would sit on David's throne eternally. Jesus too began his public ministry around the age of thirty, indicating a pattern of divine maturity for the Lord's chosen vessels. The stability and expansion of the kingdom under David's leadership also foreshadow the eternal and universal reign of Christ.

2 Samuel 5 4 Commentary

2 Samuel 5:4 offers a succinct summary of King David's reign, detailing his age at accession and the total duration of his kingship. This factual statement is strategically placed as David is crowned king over all Israel, providing a retrospective glimpse at the totality of his impactful rule. The "thirty years old" speaks to David's maturity and readiness, mirroring the age when other significant biblical figures commenced their key roles, such as the Levites' service or Jesus' public ministry. The "forty years" is a standard biblical measurement denoting a generation or a significant, often complete, period of time, emphasizing the long and impactful tenure that brought stability and strength to Israel's nascent monarchy under divine guidance.