2 Samuel 5 9

2 Samuel 5:9 kjv

So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.

2 Samuel 5:9 nkjv

Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward.

2 Samuel 5:9 niv

David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces inward.

2 Samuel 5:9 esv

And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward.

2 Samuel 5:9 nlt

So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward.

2 Samuel 5 verses

2 Samuel 5 9 Meaning

2 Samuel 5:9 marks a pivotal moment in David's reign, solidifying his authority and establishing Jerusalem as the enduring capital of the united Israel. It details David's settlement within the captured Jebusite stronghold, his renaming of this fortified area to "the City of David," and his immediate commencement of construction and fortification, specifically building "round about from Millo and inward." This act transforms a foreign bastion into the heart of God's chosen nation, making it the future political and spiritual center for generations.

2 Samuel 5 9 Context

The events of 2 Samuel 5 occur immediately after David's anointing as king over all twelve tribes of Israel at Hebron (2 Sam 5:1-3), marking the unification of the kingdom previously divided between David's rule over Judah and Ish-Bosheth's over Israel. Following this crucial political move, David’s first strategic objective was to capture Jerusalem, a fortified Jebusite stronghold (known as Jebus). Jerusalem was a militarily formidable, neutral city located at the border between Judah and Benjamin, making it an ideal choice for the capital of the newly united kingdom. The preceding verses (2 Sam 5:6-8) describe David's conquest of this seemingly impregnable fortress, mockingly referred to by the Jebusites as conquerable only by the "blind and the lame." David, through Joab's clever tactic of scaling the water shaft (or tsinnor), succeeded where others failed, seizing the stronghold. Verse 9 then describes the immediate aftermath of this capture, focusing on David’s quick actions to establish the city as his new seat of power, laying the foundation for Jerusalem’s lasting legacy as God's chosen city.

2 Samuel 5 9 Word analysis

• So David dwelt: Implies a definitive and permanent relocation of David's royal residence from Hebron to Jerusalem. It signifies not just occupation, but establishment.
• in the fort: Hebrew: bim'tsudah (בַּמְּצֻדָה). Metsudah means a stronghold, fortress, or castle, often built on a natural eminence. It specifically refers to the citadel David had just captured from the Jebusites, high on the hill of Zion. This was the defensive core of the city.
• and called it: An act of authority and ownership. Renaming was a common practice by victors to assert their dominion and stamp their identity on a place, symbolically reclaiming it from its former occupants and purposes.
• the city of David: Hebrew: Ir David (עִיר דָּוִד). This renaming established a direct, personal link between the king and the city. It was not merely a military acquisition but David’s new administrative and spiritual home. It becomes a permanent designation, later signifying Jerusalem, and spiritually, even Bethlehem (Luke 2:4, 11) as Jesus' birthplace.
• And David built: Hebrew: wayyiben (וַיִּבֶן). Indicates a rapid and active building program. This was essential for expansion, fortification, and preparing the city to house a growing royal administration and later the Ark of the Covenant. It denotes an investment in infrastructure for stability and future growth.
• round about from Millo: Hebrew: missviv miMillô (מִסָּבִיב מִמִּלּוֹא).
  • Missviv: "around, all around." Suggests comprehensive construction to fortify and expand the captured stronghold.
  • Millo (הַמִּלּוֹא): This term likely refers to a key structural feature of Jerusalem, probably a large terraced earthwork, a rampart, or a retaining wall system built into the steep eastern slope of the City of David. Its name possibly derives from a root meaning "filling," indicating filled-in ground or a mound. It formed a crucial part of the city's defenses and was probably vulnerable or an area needing expansion for support, indicating the scale and defensive intent of David's building project. It connects the central fort to other parts of the settlement.
• and inward: Hebrew: wa-baytah (וָבָּיְתָה). Literally "homeward" or "within," "into the house." This signifies that David built not only externally from the Millo but also extended constructions into the existing Jebusite stronghold itself, improving its internal structures, connecting the outer defenses to the central citadel, and creating the infrastructure necessary for a royal capital. This shows a complete and integrated development of the city.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David": This phrase encapsulates the decisive political act. By dwelling in the captured metsudah, David formally seized control. The renaming to "City of David" signified his absolute proprietorship and his intent to make it the central hub of his kingdom, effectively erasing its Jebusite past and branding it with Israel's new identity. This also implicitly ties David's personal kingship to the national identity of Israel.
• "And David built round about from Millo and inward": This phrase describes David's immediate practical efforts to secure and develop the new capital. The direction "from Millo and inward" indicates strategic construction, starting from an external, critical defensive/structural feature (Millo) and extending the fortifications and residential/administrative buildings inwards towards the citadel, making the whole city a coherent and highly fortified complex. It reveals David's focus on both security and internal development, transforming a conquered stronghold into a functional, defensible, and growing capital.

2 Samuel 5 9 Bonus section

• Archaeological Insights: Excavations in Jerusalem, particularly in the City of David area (Ophel and near the Gihon Spring), have unearthed significant terracing and massive stone structures attributed by some scholars to the Davidic and Solomonic periods. These discoveries provide strong contextual evidence for the existence of structures like the "Millo," supporting the biblical description of David's extensive building activities to secure and expand his new capital. The term "Millo" is found again in 1 Kings 9:15, 24 and 1 Kings 11:27, indicating ongoing development, with Solomon rebuilding it, suggesting it was a crucial, perhaps continuously problematic, defensive or structural component.
• Theological Implications of Renaming: The renaming of Jebus to "City of David" wasn't merely a political rebranding; it foreshadowed a profound theological truth. Just as David became God's anointed king in this city, establishing a physical throne, Jerusalem (Zion) eventually became associated with the spiritual throne of God (Jer 3:17) and the dwelling place of God’s Spirit (Ps 132:13-14). This established a lineage and a locale that would be crucial to messianic prophecies, culminating in Bethlehem (also called "city of David") as the birthplace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and ultimately in the heavenly Jerusalem.
• Symbolism of "Building": Beyond literal construction, "David built" also symbolizes the strengthening and consolidation of his kingdom. It reflects a transition from a period of tribal rule and judges to a unified, centralized monarchy, established under God's providence. This building project was a visible testament to God's blessing on David and his efforts to provide a stable, enduring home for His people and, implicitly, for the Ark of the Covenant, which David would later bring into this new capital (2 Sam 6).

2 Samuel 5 9 Commentary

2 Samuel 5:9 presents the foundational moment of Jerusalem's enduring significance for Israel. David's choice of the captured Jebusite stronghold was strategic: its natural defenses and neutral tribal affiliation made it an ideal, unburdened capital for the united kingdom. By renaming it "the City of David," he personalized its identity, embedding his legacy into its very name, but also foreshadowing its later, grander theological role as the place from which God's chosen king, the Messiah, would ultimately come.

The detail of David's immediate building project, "from Millo and inward," demonstrates his sagacious leadership and foresight. He was not merely occupying but transforming. "Millo," a substantial defensive structure, implies David’s understanding that Jerusalem’s strength depended on comprehensive fortification, integrating existing and newly constructed elements. This foundational building work was crucial, setting the stage for future architectural endeavors, including the construction of Solomon's Temple, which would elevate Jerusalem to an unparalleled religious status, further tying God's presence to this chosen city. Thus, 2 Samuel 5:9 is more than a record of building; it's an account of establishing a divinely appointed kingship in a divinely ordained city, laying the groundwork for its role as the center of Israel's national and spiritual life, culminating in its New Testament fulfillment as the site of Christ's passion, resurrection, and the birth of the Church.