2 Samuel 5:8 Meaning and Explanation
“And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the 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.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →David answers the Jebusites' taunt by promising leadership to whoever scales the watercourse and takes the city.
What Does 2 Samuel 5:8 Mean?
The Jebusites had mocked David with their "blind and lame" upon the walls, and David turns their own taunt back against them. He offers command to whoever will climb up through the water shaft and strike the city, overturning the defenders who had so scorned him.
The verse records the rough speech of an ancient siege and the saying it left behind. Even here the narrative does not glory in cruelty but in the undoing of pride. The mockers are silenced and the city is won, a reminder that the boasts raised against God's chosen purposes are not the final word, and that what men despise the LORD can lift up.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 5:8
What does 2 Samuel 5:8 mean?
David answers the Jebusites' taunt by promising leadership to whoever scales the watercourse and takes the city.