2 Samuel 2:7

2Sa 2:7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

Ver. 7. And be ye valiant.] Heb., Be ye sons of valour: and if ye like to be my liege-people - as the tribe of Judah now are - I will be your liege-lord, as Saul sometime was; that is, we will be mutually bound each to other.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:7 David’s anointing by the people of Judah provided the legal basis of his kingship, just as it had for Saul (1 Sam 11:15). He had been anointed by the prophet Samuel years earlier (1 Sam 16:13).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

So that you shall not want a Captain and a defender.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 7. Now let your hands be strengthened] David certainly wished to attach the men of Jabesh to his interest; he saw that they were generous and valiant, and must be of great service to him whose part they espoused; and he was no doubt afraid that they would attach themselves to the house of Saul, in consideration of the eminent services Saul had rendered them in rescuing them from Nahash, king of the Ammonites.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7. be ye valiant] The following clause, which might be rendered “for though your master Saul is dead, yet the house of Judah, &c.,” makes it plain that David hoped the men of Jabesh would join him, and hold the land of Gilead against the Philistines until he could come to their aid. As however Gilead became the head-quarters of his rival Ish-bosheth, it does not appear that the embassy was successful.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now therefore let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant,.... And not be afraid of the Philistines, who might resent their conduct in taking away from them the bodies of Saul and his sons, whom they had hung up in triumph; and these men might fear they would bring their armies against them, and destroy them; but David bids them be of good heart and courage, and not be afraid of them:

for your master Saul is dead; or rather "though" (a) he is dead; for that he was dead they knew full well, having buried him, and needed no information of it; but being dead, they might be discouraged, as having none to protect and defend them, or come to their relief as he did, should they be attacked:

and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them; or "for even", or "notwithstanding" (b); and this therefore being the case, he would take their parts, and help and assist them; and which he suggests to them, to invite them to own him as their king also, and put themselves under his protection.

(a) "licet enim", V. L. "quamvis", Piscator. So Pool and Patrick. (b) "tamen", V. L. "nam similiter", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

King. He invites them to concur with the men of Juda, hoping that all Israel would be influenced by their example. But his hopes proved abortive, as Abner caused Isboseth to be proclaimed king in the vicinity at Mahanaim.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Be ye valiant; be not afraid lest the Philistines should punish you for this fact, but take good courage, I will defend yon.

For your master Saul is dead, or

though your master Saul be dead, and so your hearts may faint within you, as if you were now sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7. Your master Saul is dead — And therefore ye are without a king unless ye acknowledge me, as the house of Judah have done. Surely they could not misunderstand his wishes, but the presence of the Israelitish army under Abner in Gilead made it imprudent and hazardous for the single town of Jabesh to declare for David.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Be valiant - Be not afraid lest the Philistines should punish you for this fact, but take good courage, I will defend you. For, &c. - Or, though your master Saul be dead, and so your hearts may faint, as if you were now sheep without a shepherd.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.