Lord’s Day, Vol. 12 No. 23
Opening the Book of 2 Samuel
David gathered the twelve tribes of Israel into a United Kingdom of Israel after the death of Saul. He reigned for 40 years and six months.
2 Samuel 5:5 (KJV) In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
This was the account leading to the unification in 2 Samuel 5:1-4 (KJV) Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
He established Jerusalem as the capital of Israel – 2 Samuel 5:7 (KJV) Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. … 2 Samuel 5:9-10 (KJV) So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
It was at that time that the Philistines who were disturbing the peace of Israel since the days of Samson and Saul gathered all their forces against Israel – 2 Samuel 5:17 (KJV) But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold.
David did not go to battle without first seeking the LORD’s counsel as was his practice when he was fighting the battles for Saul and as a fugitive running from Saul – 2 Samuel 5:18-19 (KJV) The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
The LORD gave Israel victory over all of Israel’s external enemies especially the Philistines and eventually subdued them and also the Moabites (2 Sam. 8:2) and the Syrians and the Ammonites (2 Sam. 8:3-12) and the Edomites (2 Sam. 8:14) – – 2 Samuel 8:1 (KJV) And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: …
Israel’s kingdom under David was established – 2 Samuel 8:15 (KJV) And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
He had the burden to build God’s house (2 Sam. 7) having brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6). This task will be assigned by the LORD to David’s son Solomon (predicted) – 2 Samuel 7:12-13 (KJV) And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
God promised David three things in what‘s known as the Davidic Covenant – (1) a land forever (2 Sam. 7:10), (2) an unending dynasty (2 Sam. 7:11, 16), (3) an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam. 7:13, 16).
2 Samuel 7:10-11 (KJV) Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. … 2 Samuel 7:13 (KJV) He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. … 2 Samuel 7:16 (KJV) And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
David’s reign was one of unification and development of the kingdom. He brought the tribes together, established an efficient government, organized the priesthood, and maintained an army that scarcely lost a battle. He inherited a divided, war-torn land and, when he died, left an empire. David was not only the strongest king Israel ever had. He was the measure of others. To be a king like David came to be the highest accolade a successor could have. [Leon J. Wood]
David’s commended deeds were his kindness to Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s lone surviving son) (2 Sam. 9) and returning justice to the Gibeonites (2 Sam. 21:1-11) whom Saul slayed.
His condemned deeds were his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:1-12:25) and sin in numbering the people of Israel (2 Sam. 24:1-25 cf. 1 Chronicles 21).
But it was his sin of taking the life of Uriah the Hittite by sending him to die in battle so that he could have his wife, Bathsheba, that was a blemish in the sight of the LORD – 1 Kings 15:5 (KJV) Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
David repents for his sin with Bathsheba and the taking of Uriah’s life when confronted by Nathan the prophet – 2 Samuel 12:9 (KJV) Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
God’s judgment upon David was to be upon his household – 2 Samuel 12:10-12 (KJV) Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
Four of David’s sons will die as a result of God’s judgment – the unborn child with Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12:15-18), Ammon murdered (incest in David’s house – 2 Sam. 13), Absalom killed (in a revolt against David – 2 Sam. 18 – and Adonijah (put to death for revolt against Solomon – 1 Kings 2:13-25).
David’s final folly concerns the purpose of numbering Israel and Judah so that he might know the exact fighting strength of his people. David later acknowledged that he had sinned greatly and God’s judgment was a pestilence where 70,000 in Israel died – 2 Samuel 24:10 (KJV) And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly. … 2 Samuel 24:17 (KJV) And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.
Finally, David was called the sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam. 23:1) who wrote a psalm of thanksgiving recorded in 2 Sam. 22 cf. Psalm 18 – 2 Samuel 22:47 (KJV) The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee