We ended last week with the tragic death of King Saul and three of his sons. (see: King Saul Keeps David on the Run).
David and his ‘Mighty Men’ (personal army), lamented over their deaths. The loss of the lives of Saul and his son Johnathan were especially egregious to David.
An Amalekite (pagan enemy of Israel) came to David with King Saul’s crown. He told David that he was on the battlefield and saw the king trying to fall on his sword instead of being tortured by the Philistines. According to this Amalekite, Saul asked for his help to finish his suicide attempt.
He knew this man was trying to garner his favor. The Amalekite got the surprise of his life:
David said to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?”David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” So he struck the Amalekite and he died. David said to the [fallen] man, “Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’” 2 Sm.1:14-16. Amp
Then, David wrote and sang a funeral song for King Saul and Johnathan.[1]
Civil War:
David prayed to God for guidance in what to do next. He told David to move his new headquarters to the city of Hebron, 20 miles from Jerusalem and rule from there.
With the death of King Saul, the commander of his army, Abner, took control of Saul’s government, and anointed Ish-bosheth, another son of Saul’s, as the rightful king of the north. He would reign for two years, while ‘King David’ ruled southern Israel (Judah) from Hebron.
The house of David would battle the house of Saul. One skirmish saw the house of Saul in retreat from the house of David, that was led by David’s nephews: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel.
Abner was fleeing but Asahel was in quick pursuit. He tried to talk Asahel into standing down, but to no avail. The general had far more combat experience and he lethally dispatched David’s nephew.
And he was wise enough to make peace with the house of David and returned to the house of Saul.
There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; but David grew steadily stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker [to the point of being powerless]. 2 Sm. 3:1 AMP
Six sons were born to David.
Abner was consolidating his power. He and Ish-bosheth have words over Abner sleeping with Saul’s concubine. Angry, Abner goes to David to form a pledge with him and returns to David his prior wife Michal, whom Saul took from David and gave to another man.
There was a feast to celebrate this pact, but David didn’t want any fighting between the two factions, so he sent Abner home. Unbeknownst to King David, Joab chased after him, and killed him for the death of his brother Asahel.
When David found out, he put a curse on Joab’s house, and he mourned over the death of Abner.
Two of Ish-bosheth’s soldiers decided to kill him and take his head to David to endear themselves to him. However, David interprets this as murder of his former king’s son, and has the men executed.
Crowning of King David
All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. Even previously when Saul was king, you were leading Israel out to battle and bringing us back. The Lord your God also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over my people Israel.’”
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the Lord’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel, in keeping with the Lord’s word through Samuel. 1 Ch. 11:1 – 3. CSB
King David mustered all of Israel to attack the city of Jerusalem, (which was inhabited by Jebusites, a pagan Canaanite tribe whom the Israelis could not drive out during Joshua’s reign).
And take it, he did:
Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You shall not enter here, for the blind and the lame [even the weakest among us] will turn you away”; they thought, “David cannot come in here [because the walls are impenetrable].” Nevertheless, David captured the stronghold (fortress) of Zion, that is, the City of David. Then David said on that day, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him go up through the [underground] water shaft to strike the lame and the blind, who are detested by David’s soul [because of their arrogance].” 2 Sm. 5:6 – 8. AMP
David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts (armies), was with him. 2 Sm. 5:10 AMP
Feeling the threat of the ascendant King David, the Philistines show up for battle. David consults Jehovah, who assures his victory, and the battle is won.
The Philistines come back! God has a different plan:
“Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines… 2 Sm. 5:23 – 25. NLT
King David decides to rally Israel around its faith, by bringing the Ark of the Covenant from where it was stored throughout Saul’s reign. Unfortunately, God is very specific about who can transport it and how.
It can only be handled by a Levite. It can only be upheld by poles of acacia tree. Well, they ignored all that. They placed it on an oxcart and one of the oxen stumbled, and a man (not a Levite) tried to stabilize the ark and God struck him down.
The second attempt got the job done. David was both angry at God for killing the man, and afraid because he knew he had not shown Him the reverence that He demands.
David forms a formal procession with music and dancing (with David dancing with all his might), following the Ark. His wife Michal saw him and ‘despised’ him for his actions. Jehovah rendered her infertile.
The King composes a psalm of gratitude.[2]
He wants to build a house for God, but He denies David the privilege, because his son Solomon will be the one to build His Temple. What He does do for King David, however, is enter into a very special Davidic covenant, built upon the Abrahamic one, that He sends to David through the prophet Nathan:
‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make your name like the name of the great ones of the earth. I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be moved again [nor tremble with fear]; and the wicked will not waste (persecute) them anymore, as formerly, since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will humble and subdue all your enemies.
“Furthermore, I tell you that the Lord will build you a house (a blessed posterity). And it shall come to pass that when your days are completed and you must go to be with your fathers [in death], I will raise up one of your descendants after you, one of your own sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My steadfast love and mercy away from him, as I took it from him (King Saul) who was before you. But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forevermore.”’” According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. 1 Ch. 17:7 – 15. AMP
The only reference it must be, is to King David’s eternal lineage leading to Christ.
Finally, David has numerous victories in enemy battles, which include the Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, Arameans and Hadadezer (Syrians).
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Goodnight and God bless.
[1] 2 Sm. 1:17 – 27.
[2] 1 Ch. 16:7 – 36.