I Chronicles 11:1 "Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, "Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh."

I Chronicles 11:2 "And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord thy God said unto thee, "Thou shalt feed My People Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over My People Israel.' "

I Chronicles 11:3 "Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel."

I Chronicles 11:4 "And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land."

This is recorded in 2 Samuel 5:1-4, the coronations of David over all the tribes of Israel, for the nation of Israel had not been split into two nations of houses yet, for that separation will come following the death of David's son Solomon.

I Chronicles 11:5 "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."

2 Samuel 5:6-8 is supplemental to this naming of Jebus or Jerusalem as the "city of David".

2 Samuel 5:5, 6 "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." [5] "And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, and inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, "Except thou take away the blind and the lame, you shalt not come in hither:" thinking,. David cannot come in hither." [6]

David gave the Jebusites a choice before the went to war to take the city of Jebus, which would later be changed to Jerusalem. The people that lived in Jebus, or "Jebez" are called the Jebusites, a very wicked people. They founded the city of Jerusalem many centuries before, and built and fortified this walled city. The walls made it almost impossible to enter the city, so what these verses are saying, is the repeating of what the Jebusites were saying; They stated that they all could leave the city and leave only the lame and blind behind to defend the city, and still David and his men could not enter into the city. It's like they were rubbing David the wrong way and making a challenge to him and his men.

2 Samuel 5:7, 8 "Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David." [7] "And David said on that day, "Whatsoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the jebusites, and the lame and blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain." Wherefore they said, "The blind and the lame shall not come into the house." [8]

David's command here is to get back at the Jebusites insult of both David and the Israelites. In the phrase "to the gutter", which in the Hebrew rest reads, "by or through the zinnor". The "zinnor" was a rock cut passage from the lower Gihon, or En-rogel (today called "the Virgin's fount on the east of Ophel") This was the water supply to the city of Jerusalem, and even a siege could not stop the water supply from flowing. The walls were too high a barrier, but David and his men would enter through the underground water supply.

This verse has nothing to do with the lame and blind for it is only in reference to the strength and protection of the city of Jerusalem [Jabez] itself. These Jebusites really thought they could defend their city against any attack from the outside world.

2 Samuel 5:9 "So David dwelt in the fort and called it the city of David, and David build around about from Millo and inward."

Once David and his men took the city of Jabus, he extended the walls of protection far beyond the city to Millo, this was an outside wall to protect the city along with the existing wall that the Jebusites had built.

I Chronicles 11:6 "And David said, "Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain." So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and saw chief."

I Chronicles 11:7 "And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David."

I Chronicles 11:8 "And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city."

I Chronicles 11:9 "So David waxed greater and greater: for the Lord of hosts was with him."

2 Samuel 5:11 "And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they build David an house."

Don't overlook this verse, for once David was established as the king with the strength of his nation. Here came Hiram, the Kenite, king of Tyre to get on the good side of David, and build him a house. From this point on, we see that the Kenites grow closer and closer to David and the Israelites, to where by the time Judah came out of Captivity, even the prophets could not see that these people were not of the house of Judah.

2 Samuel 5:12 "And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake."

David knew the blessed promises that God gave to Abraham, that was passed down through Isaac and Jacob and to the rest of the tribes. David knew that it was God that established him king over Israel, and this started with the prophet Samuel anointing David as King of Israel. The problem that Saul had as king of Israel, was that he thought that the land and people and all the wealth of the people were there for his personal satisfaction. David knew that every good thing that was in the land, as well as the people, were there to glorify YHVH our heavenly Father; the creator of all things.

I Chronicles 11:10 "These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the world of the Lord concerning Israel."

These mighty men of David, heads of his army were listed at the end of David's reign in 2 Samuel 23:8-39. Of all the mighty men of war that fought with David, in his last days there were three that were the greatest, that David talks about on his deathbed. These three were Joab, the son of Zeruiah, David's sister; Jashobeam a Hachmonite, who fought and killed three hundred Philistines with his spear, and Eleazar, the son of Dodo, who was afraid of nothing, in following the orders of David.

I Chronicles 11:11 "And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite,, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time."

I Chronicles 11:12 "And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties."

I Chronicles 11:13 "He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the People fled from before the Philistines."

I Chronicles 11:14 "And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance."

I Chronicles 11:15 "Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim."

I Chronicles 11:16 "And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Beth-lehem."

I Chronicles 11:17 "And David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate!"

I Chronicles 11:18 "And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord."

I Chronicles 11:19 "And said, "My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blod of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it." Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest."

I Chronicles 11:20 "And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three."

I Chronicles 11:21 "Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three."

I Chronicles 11:22 "Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day."

I Chronicles 11:23 "And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptians hand, and slew him with his own spear."

I Chronicles 11:24 "These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties."

I Chronicles 11:25 "Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard."

I Chronicles 11:26 "Also the valiant men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem."

I Chronicles 11:27 "Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,"

I Chronicles 11:28 "Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,"

I Chronicles 11:29 "Sibbecai the Hushathite, Itai the Ahohite,"

I Chronicles 11:30 "Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,"

I Chronicles 11:31 "Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,"

I Chronicles 11:32 "Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,"

I Chronicles 11:33 "Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,"

I Chronicles 11:34 "The sons of Heshem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,"

I Chronicles 11:35 "Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,"

I Chronicles 11:36 "Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,"

I Chronicles 11:37 "Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,"

I Chronicles 11:38 "Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hafferi,"

I Chronicles 11:39 "Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,"

I Chronicles 11:40 "Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Irhrite,"

I Chronicles 11:41 "Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,"

I Chronicles 11:42 "Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenite, and thirty with him."

I Chronicles 11:43 "Hanan the son of Maachah, and Josaphat the Mithnite,"

I Chronicles 11:44 "Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,"

I Chronicles 11:45 "Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,"

I Chronicles 11:46 "Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,"

I Chronicles 11:47 "Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite."