2 Samuel 5 · Verse 6

2 Samuel 5:6

And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.

2 Samuel 5:6, King James Version

2 Samuel 5:6 in other translations

BSB	Now the king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you.” For they thought, “David cannot get in here.”
WEB	The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “The blind and the lame will keep you out of here,” thinking, “David can’t come in here.”
ASV	And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither; thinking, David cannot come in hither.
YLT	And the king goeth, and his men, to Jerusalem, unto the Jebusite, the inhabitant of the land, and they speak to David, saying, ‘Thou dost not come in hither, except thou turn aside the blind and the lame;' saying, ‘David doth not come in hither.'
DARBY	And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land; and they spoke to David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither, but the blind and the lame will drive thee back; as much as to say, David will not come in hither.
BBE	And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the people of the land: and they said to David, You will not come in here, but the blind and the feeble-footed will keep you out; for they said, David will not be able to come in here.
Webster	And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: who spoke to David, saying, Except thou shalt take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.

What does 2 Samuel 5:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites--The first expedition of David, as king of the whole country, was directed against this place, which had hitherto remained in the hands of the natives. It was strongly fortified and deemed so impregnable that the blind and lame were sent to man the battlements, in derisive mockery of the Hebrew king's attack, and to shout, "David cannot come in hither." To understand the full meaning and force of this insulting taunt, it is necessary to bear in mind the depth and steepness of the valley of Gihon, and the lofty walls of the ancient Canaanitish fortress.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem - This city was now in the hands of the Jebusites; but how they got possession of it is not known, probably they took it during the wars between Ish-bosheth and David. After Joshua's death, what is called the lower city was taken by the Israelites; and it is evident that the whole city was in their possession in the time of Saul, for David brought the head of Goliath thither, 1Sam 17:54. It appears to have been a very strong fortress, and, from what follows, deemed impregnable by the Jebusites. It was right that the Israelites should repossess it; and David very properly began his reign over the whole country by the siege of this city. Except thou take away the blind and the lame - Scarcely a passage in the sacred oracles has puzzled commentators more than this. For my own part, I do not think that it is worth the labor spent upon it, nor shall I encumber these pages with the discordant opinions of learned men. From the general face of the text it appears that the Jebusites, vainly confiding in the strength of their fortress, placed lame and blind men upon the walls, and thus endeavored to turn into ridicule David's attempt to take the place: Thou shalt not come in hither, except thou take away the blind and the lame; nothing could be more cutting to a warrior. Dr. Kennicott has taken great pains to correct this passage, as may be seen in his First Dissertation on the Hebrew Text, pages 27 to 47. I shall insert our present version with his amended text line for line, his translation being distinguished by italics; and for farther information refer to Dr. K.'s work. 2Sam 5:6. And the king and his men went to And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: who spake unto David, saying, the land; who spake unto David, saying; Except thou take away the blind and the Thou shalt not come in hither; for the blind lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, and the lame shall drive thee away by saying, David cannot come in hither. "David shall not come in hither." 2Sam 5:8. And David said - Whosoever getteth And David said - Whosoever smiteth the up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, Jebusites, and through the subterranean passage and the lame and the blind, that are hated reacheth the lame and the blind who of David's soul - Wherefore they said, The hate the life of David (because the blind and blind and the lame shall not come into the the lame said, "He shall not come into the house. house,") shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was chief.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 5:6-10

The enemies of God's people are often very confident of their own strength, and most secure when their day to fall draws nigh. But the pride and insolence of the Jebusites animated David, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. Thus in the day of God's power, Satan's strong-hold, the human heart, is changed into a habitation of God through the Spirit, and into a throne on which the Son of David rules, and brings every thought into obedience to himself. May He thus come, and claim, and cleanse, each of our hearts; and, destroying every idol, may he reign there for ever!

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 5:6 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּ֨לֶךְvai.Ye.lekhand he wentH1980

הַמֶּ֤לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428

וַֽאֲנָשָׁיו֙va.'a.na.Shavand men hisH582

יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םye.Ru.sha.LimJerusalemH3389

אֶל\־'el-againstH413

הַיְבֻסִ֖יhay.vu.Sithe Jebusite[s]H2983

יוֹשֵׁ֣בyo.Shev[the] inhabitant[s] ofH3427

הָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzthe landH776

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand it saidH559

לְדָוִ֤דle.da.Vidto DavidH1732

לֵאמֹר֙le.Mor<to> sayingH559

לֹא\־lo'-notH3808

תָב֣וֹאta.Vo'you will comeH935

הֵ֔נָּהHe.nahhereH2008

כִּ֣יkithatH3588

אִם\־'im-exceptH518

הֱסִֽירְךָ֗he.si.re.Khahe will turn aside youH5493

הַעִוְרִ֤יםha.'iv.Rimthe blind [people]H5787

וְהַפִּסְחִים֙ve.ha.pis.Chimand the lame [people]H6455

לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559

לֹֽא\־lo'-notH3808

יָב֥וֹאya.Vo'he will comeH935

דָוִ֖דda.VidDavidH1732

הֵֽנָּה\׃He.nahhereH2008

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 5:6

Judges 1:8
Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
Joshua 18:28
And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Joshua 15:63
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.
Judges 1:21
And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.
Jeremiah 37:10
For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.
1 Chronicles 11:4-9
And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David. And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief. And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. …
Judges 19:10-12
But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him. And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it. And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will pass over to Gibeah.
Hebrews 7:1
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Genesis 14:18
And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jerusalem.
Ge 14:18; Jos 10:3; Jud 1:8; Heb 7:1
the Jebusites.
Jos 15:63; 18:28; Jud 1:8,21; 19:10-12
which spake, etc.Dr. Kennicott's amended translation is as follows: "Who spake unto David, saying, Thou shalt not come in hither; for the blind and the lame shall drive thee away, by saying, David shall not come in hither." ver. 8. "And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, and through the subterraneous passage reacheth the lame and the blind, who hate the life of David, (because the blind and the lame said, he shall not come into the house,) shall be chief and captain. So Joab, the son of Zeriah, went up first, and was chief."
Except.
Jer 37:10
thinking, David cannot. or, saying, David shall not, etc.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

2 Samuel 5:5
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
2 Samuel 5:6
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.
2 Samuel 5:7
Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.

Read all of 2 Samuel 5

2 Samuel 5:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Entonces el rey y los suyos fueron á Jerusalem al Jebuseo que habitaba en la tierra; el cual habló á David, diciendo: Tú no entrarás acá, si no echares los ciegos y los cojos; diciendo: No entrará acá David.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et le roi alla avec ses hommes à Jérusalem contre les Jébusiens, habitants du pays; et ils parlèrent à David, disant: Tu n’entreras point ici; mais les aveugles et les boiteux te repousseront; – pour dire: David n’entrera pas ici.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und der König zog mit seinen Männern nach Jerusalem wider die Jebusiter, die Bewohner des Landes. Und sie sprachen zu David und sagten: Du wirst nicht hier hereinkommen, sondern die Blinden und die Lahmen werden dich wegtreiben; sie wollten damit sagen: David wird nicht hier hereinkommen.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et abiit rex, et omnes viri qui erant cum eo, in Jerusalem, ad Jebusæum habitatorem terræ: dictumque est David ab eis: Non ingredieris huc, nisi abstuleris cæcos et claudos dicentes: Non ingredietur David huc.