David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
Parallel Translations
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David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
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David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
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David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (5)
Passages linked to 2 Samuel 5:4 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Chronicles 29:27 The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
- 1 Kings 2:11 The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
- 1 Chronicles 26:31 Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was the chief, even of the Hebronites, according to their generations by fathers’ households. They were sought for in the fortieth year of the reign of David, and mighty men of valor were found among them at Jazer of Gilead.
- Luke 3:23 Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- 1 Chronicles 3:4 six were born to him in Hebron; and he reigned there seven years and six months. He reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem;
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (11 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Sa 5:4 David [was] thirty years old when he…
2Sa 5:4 David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign, [and] he reigned forty years.
Ver. 4. David was thirty years old.] So was Christ when he entered upon his kingdom, which he hath twofold: 1. Patientiae; of patience. 2. Potentiae, of power. {Luk 3:22-23}
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And he reigned forty years.] Which consisting of four tens, signifieth the fulness of times, and perfection of things, saith Angelomus: wherein also David was a type of Christ.
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.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain And some odd months, as it follows.
And some odd months, as it follows.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain David was thirty years old when he began reign,....…
David was thirty years old when he began reign,.... Over Judah, which was the age of his antitype Christ, when he entered upon his public ministry, Luk 3:23,
and he reigned forty years; and six months, as appears by Sa2 5:5; but the months are not mentioned, only the round number of years given: two reasons the Jews (a) give for this; the one, that he fled six months from Absalom; the other is, that he was ill in Hebron so long, and therefore are not reckoned.
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(a) Hieron. Trad. Heb. in lib. Reg. fol. 77. I.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Sa 5:4-5. David was thirty years old when he…
2Sa 5:4-5. David was thirty years old when he began to reign — At this age the Levites were at first appointed to begin their ministrations, Num 4:3. About this age the Son of David entered upon his public ministry, Luk 3:23. And it is the age when men come to their full maturity of strength and judgment. In Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years — By this it appears it was immediately after his third unction that he made the attempt upon Jerusalem, mentioned in the next verse, otherwise he could not have reigned there so long.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The age of David is conclusive as to the…
The age of David is conclusive as to the fact that the earlier years of Saul’s reign (during which Jonathan grew up to be a man) are passed over in silence, and that the events narrated from 1 Sam. 13 to the end of the book did not occupy more than 10 years. If David was 20 years old at the time he killed Goliath, four years in Saul’s service, four years of wandering from place to place, one year and four months in the country of the Philistines, and a few months after Saul’s death, would make up the 10 years necessary to bring him to the age of 30.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Forty, a round number, as another half year is…
Forty, a round number, as another half year is specified below; (Calmet) or Solomon might be crowned at the expiration of the 40th year. (Du Hamel)
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).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 4. Thirty years — Age of full maturity, at…
4. Thirty years — Age of full maturity, at which priests were consecrated. Num_4:3; Luk_3:23.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 4. thirty years old] The prime of life: the…
4. thirty years old] The prime of life: the age at which the Levites entered upon their duties (Num_4:3): at which young men commenced to take part in public business in Greece: at which Joseph was made ruler over Egypt (Gen_41:46): at which Jesus Christ was “anointed with the Holy Ghost” in His Baptism, and began His public ministry (Luk_3:23).
4, 5. The compiler of Chronicles omits these verses here, but inserts the substance of them in 1Ch_29:27.
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.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (4) Thirty years old.—This statement of the age and…
(4) Thirty years old.—This statement of the age and of the length of the reign of David (which is repeated in 1Ch_29:26-27, at the end of the history of David’s life) shows us approximately the length of time since the combat with Goliath as some ten or twelve years. It also proves that the greater part of Saul’s reign is treated very briefly in 1 Samuel, and further shows that David was seventy years old at his death.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain David was thirty years old. As David was probably…
David was thirty years old. As David was probably about eighteen or nineteen years of age at the time of his combat with Goliath, the events recorded in 1Sa 17-31, must have occupied about ten or eleven years.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 5:4-5 Hebron: See study note on 2:1.
5:4-5 Hebron: See study note on 2:1.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.