מלכים א, פרק ב׳, פסוק י״א

The close of a historic reign naturally invites a look back at the ruler's lifelong journey. A final summary of King David's time in power provides a complete overview of his leadership. Even though the length of his rule was already recorded earlier in the Book of Samuel when he first took the throne, these figures are repeated at the end of his life, following the common biblical practice of summarizing a leader's years upon his death [אברבנאל]. Based on these accounts, David began his rule at thirty years old and passed away at seventy [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The timeline of his leadership is divided into two distinct phases. Initially, David spent seven years ruling from Hebron. During this time, his authority was only partial, as he governed solely over the tribe of Judah while surrounded by conflict. It was only later, during his thirty-three years in Jerusalem, that his rule became complete and united all the tribes of Israel and Judah [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אלשיך, אברבנאל].

A careful comparison with the earlier records in the Book of Samuel reveals a slight difference, noting that the time in Hebron actually lasted seven years and six months. Commentators offer several ways to understand why these extra six months are missing from the final count. One approach suggests that this is simply standard biblical style, which often rounds numbers to full years and leaves out partial months [אברבנאל]. A historical view argues that these six months were left out on purpose. This period represents the time David was forced to flee from his son Absalom, and days spent in exile and on the run are not counted as official time on the throne [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Another tradition suggests these missing months account for a time when David was struck with leprosy following the events involving Bathsheba and Uriah, though some commentators reject this explanation entirely, arguing it does not align with reality [אברבנאל].

Detailing the struggles and separate stages of David's reign also creates a sharp contrast with the rule of his son. While David had to build his kingdom slowly and fight through years of division, Solomon was able to step right onto a secure and ready throne. Solomon's immediate success and stability were due to the hard work of his father, who built the foundation from the ground up. This was a luxury David never had, as he did not inherit a royal seat from his ancestors and had to establish the kingdom entirely on his own [מלבי״ם, אלשיך].