2 Samuel 5:13

ELEVEN SONS BORN TO HIM. (Sa2 5:13-16)

David took him more concubines and wives--In this conduct David transgressed an express law, which forbade the king of Israel to multiply wives unto himself (Deu 17:17).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Sa 5:13 And David took [him] more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

Ver. 13. And David took him more concubines.] Directly against God’s commandment, {Deu 17:17} and his own practice in other points. {Psa 23:5-6} Apprehensions of mercy in God should work resolutions of obedience in us. David was afterwards punished in these concubines, and made to vomit up that again which now he swalloweth down with so much delight. See 2Sa 20:3. They who would excuse him herein, say that he did it to strengthen himself in his kingdom by new friends and allies. But it is no good policy to leap the pale of God’s precepts upon any pretence.

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.

2Sa 5:13. David took him more concubines and wives — This may well be reckoned among David’s miscarriages, the multiplication of wives being expressly forbidden to the kings of Israel, Deu 17:17. It may however be observed, perhaps in extenuation of this fault of David, that it has always been looked upon as a piece of political wisdom in princes to endeavour to have many children; that by matching them into potent families, they might strengthen their interest, and have the more supporters of their authority. And this seems to have been the reason why David took so many wives. Some of his first wives had no children, and he was induced to take others that he might obtain an issue, enlarge his family, and thereby strengthen his interest. But the many wives and concubines he took did not preserve him from coveting his neighbour’s wife. On the contrary, they inclined him to it; for men who have once broken the fence, will wander carelessly.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5:13-16 The expansion of David’s family reflected his growing success and power as Israel’s king. Solomon was David’s most important Jerusalem-born son (see 12:24-25).

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

Verse 13. David took him more concubines] He had, in all conscience, enough before; he had, in the whole, eight wives and ten concubines. That dispensation permitted polygamy, but from the beginning it was not so; and as upon an average there are about fourteen males born to thirteen females, polygamy is unnatural, and could never have entered into the original design of God.

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

(13) More concubines and wives.—In Deu_17:17, the law had been given for the future king, “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself.” David certainly came perilously near a violation of this law, although he did not, like his son Solomon, take wives and concubines in enormous number for the sake of having a great harem—an important element in the Oriental ideas of regal magnificence. Any possible ambiguity in the phrase “out of Jerusalem” is removed by the expression in the parallel place (1Ch_14:3), “at Jerusalem.” Altogether, here and in Chronicles, the names of nineteen sons are mentioned; those of the daughters are not given, although one, Thamar, is mentioned in the story in 2 Samuel 13.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. took him mo concubines and wives] In accordance with the general custom of Oriental monarchs. The law of the king in Deu_17:17 imposes some limitation on the practice. See note on ch. 2Sa_3:5.

Mo as the comparative of many is an archaism which has disappeared from modern editions of the Bible. It occurs frequently in Shakespeare, e. g. Richard II., A. II. S. I. 239, “Many moe of noble blood.”

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.

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron,.... He had six when he was at Hebron, Sa2 3:2, and now he took more, which was not to his honour, and contrary to the law of God, Deu 17:17; the concubines were a sort of half wives, as the word may signify, or secondary ones, and under the others:

and there were yet sons and daughters born to David; besides those in Hebron mentioned in Sa2 3:2.

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

David took more concubines and wives of Jerusalem. Not harlots, but wives of an inferior condition: for such in Scripture are styled concubines. (Challoner) --- He had in all eight wives, and ten whom he married with less solemnity. He might desire to attach the principal families of the nation, as well as some foreign princes, to his interests. Moses forbids a king to have too many wives, Deuteronomy xvii. 17. (Calmet) --- But David is never blamed for the transgression of this precept. See chap. iii. 1. (Menochius)

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).

This may well be reckoned amongst David’s miscarriages, the multiplication of wives being expressly forbidden to the king, Deu 17:17. The use of it seems to have been his policy, that hereby he might enlarge his family, and strengthen his interest by alliances with so many considerable families. And the number of wives being not limited, Deu 17, he might conceive this was no transgression of that law.

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

13. More concubines and wives — “He had, in all conscience, enough before; he had, in the whole, eight wives and ten concubines. True, that dispensation permitted polygamy, but from the beginning it was not so; and as upon an average there are about fourteen males born to thirteen females, polygamy is unnatural, and could never have entered into the original design of God.” — Clarke.

Out of Jerusalem — That is, in or at Jerusalem, as appears from 1Ch_14:3.

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

David took him more concubines. Thus with increase of power came also the increased gratification of David"s weakness and sin. Well for him would it have been if, like Saul, he had been content with one wife. But this enlargement of his harem was gradual, and the list includes all the sons born at Jerusalem. Of these four, namely, Shammuah, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. were his children by Bathsheba. (see 1Ch_3:5, where the names are differently spelt) Besides a variation in the spelling, two sons are mentioned in Chronicles, Nogah and an earlier Eliphelet, whose names are not given here, perhaps because they died young. From 1Ch_3:9 we learn that only the names of the sons of wives are given in these tables.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

David took, &c. - This may well be reckoned amongst David's miscarriages, the multiplication of wives being expresly forbidden to the king, Deut. xvii, 17. It seems to have been his policy, that hereby he might enlarge his family, and strengthen his interest by alliances with so many considerable families. But all these did not preserve him from coveting his neighbour's wife. Rather they inclined him to it: for men who have once broke the fence, will wander carelesly.

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

Shammua ... Shobab ... Nathan ... Solomon ... Ibhar ... Elishua ... Nepheg ... Japhia ... Elishama ... Eliada ... Eliphelet

These are the names of David's sons. (See: How to Translate Names)

more sons and daughters were born to him

This can be stated in active form. AT: "he had more sons and daughters" or "they bore him more sons and daughters" (See: Active or Passive)

who were born to him

This can be stated in active form. AT: "that his wives bore for him" or "he had" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

concubine

Jerusalem

name

Solomon

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.