In chapters 5-10 we have a short record of the next period of David’s reign. His successes are recorded in these chapters but, following these in chapters 11-20 we read of his failures, sins, sorrows and disasters.
All the tribes of Israel came to David and anointed David as their king. Isn’t it sad that they didn’t acknowledge the fact that it was the LORD who said that David was going to be shepherd and prince over Israel right from the word go? Had they been persuaded otherwise by Abner simply because they were led to believe that Saul’s successor must come from his family? (v1-3)
“David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.” (v4,5)
It is difficult to believe that the people of Israel should choose Saul’s family over David when David had showed such superior qualities to Saul. One would have thought they had known that Samuel had anointed David as the future king. After all he went and fought Goliath when neither Saul nor anyone else had offered to do so. Surely, they had known that David was on the run from Saul when Saul had no good reason to want him dead. And yet it isn’t such a strange phenomenon because it still happens today. People follow the bad and reject the good. People still call good evil and evil good. They speak with ‘forked tongue’ in that in effect they say, ‘we really wanted you all the time! You are The LORD’s anointed, and even when Saul was king, it was you who led us into battle.’
People rejected Jesus even though He had gone about doing good and sadly, they still do. The people had seen David’s ability as a leader, just as the Bible shows great David’s Greater Son, Jesus’ qualities as a leader, even to the extent of laying down His life to save sinners but He is still rejected by many.
1 Chronicles 12:23-40 tells us of the great assembly that gathered in Hebron to anoint David as king over all Israel. The army numbered 340,000 men. “All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king. And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them…. For there was joy in Israel.” (1 Chronicles 12:38-40.)
David wasthirty years old when he began to reign, andhe reigned forty years (v4).
David reigned over Judah in Hebron, seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah (v5)
One writer says, ‘This is a very interesting chronological statement. “This proves that the earlier years of Saul’s reign (during which Jonathan grew up to be a man) are passed over in silence, and that the events narrated in 1 Samuel 13 to the end of the book did not occupy a period of more than ten years. If David was twenty years old at the time he slew Goliath, four years in Saul’s service, four years wandering from place to place, one year and four months in the country of the Philistines, then a few months after Saul’s death would bring him to the age of thirty.”’
It is thought by some that David was only a teenager when he fought Goliath. David spent at least 10 years in preparation for the throne of Israel. Patience waiting for God’s time. A lesson to us all that if God has a plan for us, we must wait His time. He will bring it to pass right on time, not a moment too soon, nor a moment too late.
It is said that at this time Jerusalem was still in Canaanite hands and was a small city. David and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites (v6-8). The Jebusites were the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They opposed David entering their city and went to so far as to say that “…. the blind and the lame will repel you.” They were confident that David could not go in there. It is not easy to understand what they meant, and some scholars suggest that the meaning is lost in translation from Hebrew. They were really mocking David and his army. In their self-confidence, they were boasting that they could repel any attack by David by the blind and the lame manning their fortifications. Jerusalem was indeed strong and an easily defended city. Jerusalem, however, was dividing his kingdom in two, thus it would be an important capture.
Maybe they considered that David would not come against them. Probably they either thought he will take pity and not attack the blind or the lame, or they were not worth taking, or because the blind and the lame were not allowed into the house, he might consider them repellent. It isn’t clear whether this was ‘a ruse’ or genuine. Nevertheless, David took the city of David which was the stronghold of Zion on the eastern side of Jerusalem, probably just by the wall on that side. David built up and around and he became great (v10) and most important – “The LORD of hosts was with him.” That was said of David way back when we first met him (1 Samuel 16:18) when Samuel had anointed him king and Saul’s servant was searching for someone to comfort Saul.
Jerusalem had a water supply that went down to a spring at the eastern foot of the ridge on which the city was built. It was called the water shaft and David overcame the city by sending his men up the shaft and he challenged his men that whoever climbs up by the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites shall be chief and captain.
Jerusalem became David’s capital city. It became known as The City of David. David built the city, and he became greater and greater for The LORD of Hosts was with him. Note that he became great because ‘The LORD was with him.’ (v9-10)His greatness had come through much suffering and often that will be the case with anyone, but the most important factor is that The LORD is with us. We must make sure of that.
Alan Redpath stated – “On the same principle, King Jesus conquers old strongholds when he becomes king over our life. Territory that should have been given to Him long ago is now conquered. “I want to say to you in the name of the LORD Jesus that there is no habit that has gone so deep but that the power of the blood of Jesus can go deeper, and there is no entrenchment of sin that has gone so far but the power of the risen LORD, by His Holy Spirit, can go further.””
May it ever be so with us, that it is evident that ‘The LORD is with us.’ May we never go anywhere or do anything without remembering and recognizing, and it being obvious that The LORD is with us.
The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 11:4-9 “David said, “Whoever smites the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.”
There is some disagreement among scholars as to when this took place, but the bottom line really is that we don’t know for sure, and maybe it is not that important. One writer says, “If the exact time had been of any great importance, surely the sacred writer would have informed us.”
It certainly was a significant place to make his capital for ever since through history, Jerusalem has been called the spiritual capital of the world, underlined by the judgment of the United Nations’ resolution of 1947, designating it as an international holy city, held in honour by Moslems, Jews and Christians alike. To Christians it was the place from which the “Word of the LORD went forth,” the scene of Our LORD’s earthly ministry, especially the place where he made Atonement for the sins of mankind in his vicarious Death upon Calvary and his Resurrection from the dead.
David’s fame spread and Hiram, king of Tyre sent messengers to David. Not only was David a warrior leader, but he was also a great politician, and he could see how God was blessing him. God’s blessings were directed to the good of His people Israel, and eventually to the salvation of all mankind. The king of Tyre did him great favours by sending wood and skilled workmen, who provided for and built him a house of cedar. Hiram honoured David and recognised the importance of diplomacy. (v11-12)
It is said that cedar wood is the most desirable wood to use to build a house. It is resistant to all kinds of insects and long lasting.
One writer says that it seems strange that even though God was blessing him, he should think of building his own house before thinking of building God’s house. I think it might be a bit hard on him because it was Hiram, the king of Tyre, who sent wood and craftsmen to do this for David. We are not told that it was at David’s request. It was said that these men were craftsmen and that no-one could cut timber like they could. (1 Kings 5)
You may recall that later, Solomon sent a request to Hiram for cedars of Lebanon for the building of the temple.
David acknowledged that it was God who raised him up and he knew that it was for the good of Israel. He realised how important it was to create good relations wherever possible with neighbouring nations and live at peace.
It is the same with us. We should strive to be peacemakers. It is not always possible but that should be our aim but not at any price. We need to be faithful to our God and not be guilty of compromise.
David built outwards, all around and inwards.
Whatever one may think about David housebuilding, it must be said that he was disobedient in another matter for we read here that he took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem (v13-16). This was in direct contradiction to God’s word in Deuteronomy 17:17 “Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart be turned away.” And, inevitably more sons and daughters were born. They are listed here – Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Lishua (Elishua (1 Chronicles 14:4-6)), Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada (Beeliada (1 Chronicles 14)) and Eliphelet, Nogah and Japhia.
Many would think that these actions were God’s continued blessing, but we shall see that most of his trouble comes from his relationships and children. It is assumed that the children named are only the sons (see 1 Chronicles 3:1-9) as he had a daughter Tamar who is not included (except in 1 Chronicles 3). One must remember that the status of women was quite low in their society, and this may be why they are not mentioned. He, therefore, had nineteen sons in all.
In all, David had about twenty wives and concubines which was obviously a bad example to his son Solomon who subsequently, had many more and sadly didn’t know when to stop.
On hearing that David had been anointed king over Israel, the Philistines went up, in full force to search for him. They spread out in the valley of Rephaim. David did what Saul did not do, he inquired of The LORD whether he should go against the Philistines. The LORD answered, “Go up for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.” That was assurance for you! “Doubtless”. David needed no more, he went and defeated them at Baal-perazim (which means ‘Master of Breakthroughs’. What a phrase that is? ‘God The Master of Breakthroughs’. There are some wonderful titles for God in the Old Testament, but I had never seen that one before, but how tremendous it is. (v17-20)
Do we need ‘breakthroughs’ in our lives or experience? I’m certain we often do. Well, God is The Master of them.
The Philistines left their idols (false gods) there and David’s men carried them away (v21). The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 14:12 states that they burned the idols with fire upon David’s command. It is evident that the Philistines brought their idols with them thinking that they would give them victory, but needless to say they didn’t.
God honours David by his reliance on Him and gives him victory.
However, in v22 the remaining Philistines regrouped and came again to the valley of Rephaim. They weren’t going to give in so easily. That’s the way Satan works against us, he will keep coming.
David could quite easily have said, “I have fought them once and defeated them, I can do it again” But again David inquired of The LORD, and this time The LORD gave different instructions, (v23,24) “You shall not go up; circle around behind them and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. And it shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall advance quickly. For then the LORD will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”
One writer says that the big thing here is that God Himself achieved this victory over the Philistines. The noise of marching in the tops of the (mulberry) balsam trees probably threw a great panic into the hearts of the Philistines, just as the sound of many trumpets had done for the enemies of Gideon in his victory over the Midianites (Judges 7:15-23).
God is not limited as to how He can give us victory. Paul says in Ephesians (3:20), “Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think….”
We cannot limit God. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. Declares The LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8,9) “Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.” (Isaiah 40:28)
David did as The LORD commanded and he smote the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer (a distance of about 15 miles) (v25).
