The City of David

David captures a hill and names it after himself. But there were some strongholds more difficult to conquer.

The city of David. David's City.

Davidstown. Davidsville. Davidsburg.

You get the idea. David, who had ruled over Judea for about seven years, has recently been anointed king over all of Israel. This is possible because of the death of Saul (see 1 Samuel 31). Now David moves his headquarters from Hebron to the Jebusite city of Jerusalem -- the leaders of which taunt David by saying that even the blind and the lame would repel his troops.

David takes the stronghold and promptly names it after himself. It becomes known as the "City of David."

He owns this town.

Everything changes.

David puts his larger-than-life stamp on this stronghold, names it after himself, and it is from this site that the greatest king in Israel's history will reign.


There's something impressive about a town that bears your name! It's possible that David's gesture was the first occasion of an eponymous city in the Bible. Perhaps the only one.

But we're quite familiar with the practice. Consider --

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