2 Samuel 5:16
“Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.”
What does 2 Samuel 5:16 mean?
This is simply a list of three sons born to David while he was king in Jerusalem. The verse concludes a longer passage naming David's children born during his reign in the capital city, after he had moved the ark of the covenant there and established his kingdom more firmly. These names are easy to skim past, but they remind us that behind David's famous stories of military victories and his deep faith, he was also building a family and a household. Even in the midst of great responsibility, his life included the everyday reality of raising children. It's a small detail that humanizes the biblical figures we often know only through their most dramatic moments.