2 Samuel 2:3
ESV
And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron.
NIV
David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.
NASB
And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household; and they settled in the cities of Hebron.
CSB
In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
NLT
and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron.
KJV
And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
NKJV
And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
What does 2 Samuel 2:3 mean?
David fled from Saul's murderous wrath with nothing but Goliath's sword, a couple of loaves of bread, and the clothes on his back (1 Samuel 21:6, 9). He first hid in the Philistine city of Gath, but the servants of the king recognized him. Next, David fled to a cave in the wilderness. Before long, his brothers joined him. Then people from everywhere who were in distress or debt gathered around him. David tucked his parents away with the king of Moab, but before long, he was responsible for 600 fighting men and their families, not to mention his two wives (1 Samuel 21:10—22:4; 23:13).These people have been with David the entire time he evaded Saul. They've stood by while David spared Saul's life twice (1 Samuel 24:1–7; 26:6–12). They've followed him back to Gath and have been a hair's-breadth from joining the Philistine army against the Israelites (1 Samuel 27, 29). And they've rescued their families from the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30).
Now, Saul is dead, and they're finally safe in Israelite territory, in Judah. Soon, David will be king of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4). Their peace is relative; they will still fight other nations, but at least they have a home. In five years, Saul's former commander Joab will install Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king of the rest of Israel. David's men will fight in a civil war for two years before David becomes king of all Israel (2 Samuel 5:1–5).
Hebron, at that time, sat along a ridge in an area rich with more than twenty freshwater springs. Hebron will remain David's home base and capital until he conquers Jerusalem and makes it the capital of the unified Israel (2 Samuel 5:1–10).
