שמואל ב, פרק י״ט, פסוק י״ב

Following the end of the rebellion, the entire nation agrees to restore David to the throne, yet no one takes practical steps to make it happen. Aware of the public mood, the king understands that the people are scattered and require clear leadership to take charge of the mission. Consequently, he reaches out to the elders of his own tribe, Judah, asking them to spearhead the movement so that the rest of the nation will follow. He delivers this message through the priests Zadok and Abiathar.

In his message, David questions why his own tribe should be the last to act. Since it is obvious that he will ultimately be restored to power, there is no reason for the elders of Judah to hesitate and allow the other tribes to precede them [מצודת דוד]. A delay on their part could result in the other tribes renewing the kingship first, which risks sparking political tension between Judah and the rest of the nation [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

David's request to the elders involves two distinct actions. First, they must officially align with the rest of the nation regarding the restoration of his rule. Second, they must physically bring him back to his home in Jerusalem, a step that requires the elders of Judah to actively travel out to meet him [מלבי״ם].

The detail that the rest of the nation's intentions had already reached the king is not merely a background note; rather, it is a direct part of the message David instructs the priests to relay to the elders [רש״י]. The primary approach among commentators is that this signifies that the broad consensus and desire of all the tribes to restore the king has already reached David's ears. Because this nationwide agreement is a known fact, David argues that the elders of Judah possess both the right and the obligation to take command and lead him home [מלבי״ם].