2 Samuel 5:3 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

King David made a league with them It is not said what the contents of this league or covenant were. The Jews think it was an act of oblivion and indemnity for all injuries done on either side, whether of Judah against the other tribes, or of all the other tribes against Judah. But in that case the league would rather have been between the tribes than with the king. It is therefore probable that it included a great deal more, and that David obliged himself to rule them according to God's laws, and that the people promised obedience to him agreeably to the same; and that both the king and the people ratified their engagements by solemn sacrifices, and appeals to God for the sincere performance of them. All this, being done as in the presence of Him who fills heaven and earth, and to whose all-seeing eye the hearts and ways of mankind are without a covering, is properly said to have been before the Lord, although it was not before the ark, that symbol of the divine presence, for that certainly was not now at Hebron. They anointed David king over Israel That is, they desired the high- priest to anoint him, whose office it was; and thereby expressed their consent that he should reign over them. David was anointed in all three times; first by Samuel in his father's house, 1 Samuel 16:13; then when the tribe of Judah owned him for their king, 2 Samuel 2:4; and now, when all Israel did the same.