What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 5:14? Shammua • 2 Samuel 5:14 begins by saying, “These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua….” David had reigned in Hebron for seven and a half years, but Shammua is the first son named after the king transferred his throne to Jerusalem (compare 2 Samuel 5:5; 5:13–16; 1 Chronicles 3:5). • Shammua’s birth signals that the Lord’s promise to plant David and his house securely in Zion is already taking shape (2 Samuel 7:10–11). • Every child in this list is proof that God is blessing David’s new capital and fulfilling His covenant purpose to raise up offspring after him who will continue the royal line (2 Samuel 7:12). Shobab • Listed next is “Shobab,” the second son born in Jerusalem. Scripture provides no exploits of Shobab, yet his inclusion matters (see 1 Chronicles 14:4). • The simple record of his birth underlines that God is filling David’s house with sons, multiplying the king’s heritage just as He multiplied Jacob’s sons to form the tribes of Israel (Genesis 35:22–26). • Even unnamed deeds can serve God’s grand design; Shobab’s life contributed to the fullness of the royal family through whom the Messiah would eventually come (Isaiah 11:1). Nathan • Third in the verse is “Nathan.” Though less famous than Solomon, Nathan’s significance stretches far into the New Testament: Luke traces Mary’s lineage through this very son (Luke 3:31), showing that Jesus is physically descended from David. • By recording Nathan here, the Spirit prepares readers for a dual witness to Christ’s right to David’s throne—legal succession through Solomon (Matthew 1:6–16) and bloodline through Nathan. • Nathan’s appearance in both genealogies reveals God’s precision: He safeguards the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:13–16) while also bypassing later royal curses (Jeremiah 22:30) by routing the Messiah’s human ancestry through Nathan rather than through the later, disqualified kings. Solomon • Finally, “Solomon” stands out as the heir God specifically chose to follow David (2 Samuel 12:24–25). His reign brings Israel to its historic zenith in peace, prosperity, and temple worship (1 Kings 4:20–34; 8:1–21). • Solomon embodies the immediate fulfillment of God’s word that a son would build “a house for My name” (2 Samuel 7:13), foreshadowing Christ who builds a greater, living temple (John 2:19–21; Ephesians 2:19–22). • The presence of Solomon in this short list assures readers that God’s covenant plan is on course: from David to Solomon, and ultimately to “great David’s greater Son” (Acts 13:22–23). summary 2 Samuel 5:14 isn’t a throwaway line; it records the first four sons David fathered in Jerusalem, each birth testifying that God’s promise to establish David’s house is already unfolding. Shammua marks the fresh start in Zion, Shobab adds to the multiplying royal family, Nathan secures the Messianic bloodline, and Solomon anticipates the temple-building king—and, beyond him, the everlasting King, Jesus Christ. |
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