We left off last time and David was going out and conquering the lands and enemies round about Israel. David was having a series of very important military victories of which the above passage continues the narrative.
I don't know where Zobah was located. Biblical commentators are not much help, but Wikipedia's entry on the city may be of some use to those of you interested, though its entry does not give a conclusive location. It appears to be somewhere in Syria that was not part of the Syrian kingdom. What David did here would make the animal rights people shudder. But he did not kill the horses, but rather lamed them. How badly we don't know, but clearly enough so that would not be fit for war.
But he did keep back a few and probably used them himself perhaps for war, perhaps to haul or carry baggage. These foes of David trusted in chariots (see Psalms 20:7; see also Deuteronomy 17:15-16). It is not clear to me exactly how these chariots were used and if David had any in his army; probably not. But the sight of so many facing any army had to be a frightful sight. Yet David won the battle.
We must not try and judge men from those times by the ethics and morality of ours. David was a man of his times, not ours. This is a big problem today as many wish to judge people from the past by the different standards of today. This was war and it was often fought on a very primitive level. There was no Geneva Convention and no Red Cross to make sure prisoners were well treated. Sometimes, the best a prisoner could hope for was that he was sold off on some slave market and find a decent master. But a defeated foe on the battlefield can often expect to be killed in defeat, if he did not escape first. War in those days was a life and death thing. Far more so than today where often nations 'play' at war.
I often think this is one reason why there are so many of them or what we call 'low intensity conflicts' today. The horrors of war today indeed have been dulled yes, but to such a degree that often many see it as being 'acceptable'. Me? I hate war, big ones and small ones, though I do know that there are times war is necessary. I am not any kind of classic pacifist, just a person who thinks peace is better than war and that war should not be played at or toyed with. But if it is going to be fought, then fight it without trying to put too much 'perfume' on the methods needed to win. The horrors of war, when fully felt I think are often the best deterrent to a future one. But anyone who looks at the world today can see my view is very much in the minority.
Back to 2 Samuel.
And when the Syrians of Damascus
came to succor Hadadezer king of Zobah,
David smote of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.
Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus;
and the Syrians became servants to David,
and brought tribute. And Jehovah
gave victory to David whithersoever he went.
(2 Samuel 8:5-6 - ASV).
So the Syrians now move in to reinforce the King of Zobah. David defeated them as well. These men became servants of David. They also paid David tribute, which was common for the vanquished in those times.
God was with David. When a man is truly walking with God, the Lord will watch over that person. A person in any kind of ministry and has a job to do can know that God will work things out so that he can fulfill their ministry. David had a ministry as King.
But we must not mistake that men in such ministries will see endless successes and no set backs. Some of God's ministers are indeed slated to be persecuted, even killed. But for some, their death and martyrdom is indeed part of their ministry, their witness. Think about God's two witnesses in the last days. They have a ministry to fulfill. They have been given great power while their ministry is in effect. Then when they are finished, they are to be martyred.
And I will give unto my two witnesses,We are dealing with the same basic principle in a very important ministry. David's in establishing Israel's monarchy on the foundation of God and these two witnesses who prophecy in the last days in preparation for both the Judgment upon the earth and the return of the Messiah who comes out of the Davidic line, Jesus Christ (see Revelation 22:16). These two witnesses shall have enormous power from God to reinforce their ministry and the words of their prophecy. These will be times, more and more like today when people no longer believe or listen to words, but rather deeds and won't learn from anything other than from the long, tedious and repeated lessons that come from being strapped into the student's chair at the school of negative experiences.
and they shall prophesy a thousand
two hundred and threescore days,
clothed in sackcloth. These are the two
olive trees and the two candlesticks,
standing before the Lord of the earth.
And if any man desireth to hurt them,
fire proceedeth out of their mouth
and devoureth their enemies;
and if any man shall desire to hurt them,
in this manner must he be killed.
These have the power to shut the heaven,
that it rain not during the days of their prophecy:
and they have power over the waters
to turn them into blood, and to smite
the earth with every plague,
as often as they shall desire.
And when they shall have finished their testimony,
the beast that cometh up out of the
abyss shall make war with them,
and overcome them, and kill them.
(Revelation 11:3-7 - ASV)
Let me say this. Let us all emphasize, but not over emphasize God's mercy. It's not eternal to the unrepentant and his grace for the recalcitrant really does one day, run out. When that happens God moves in ways that would and should terrify us all - saved or unsaved.
And David took the shields of gold
that were on the servants of Hadadezer,
and brought them to Jerusalem.
And from Betah and from Berothai,
cities of Hadadezer, king David took
exceeding much brass.
(2 Samuel 8:7-8 - ASV)
This passage is rather interesting for it appears that with some of the soldiers, their shields were made of gold. These may have been soldiers or some kind of ornamental military 'guard' that surrounded the King; ornamental in that their main purpose may not have been necessarily to defend, but to display the King's wealth and pomp.
And when Toi king of HamathSo here the King of Hamath sent his son to David and honor him. King Toi had had wars with Zobah so he was probably quite pleased to see someone had taken care of his problem for him. This visit was probably also done to ensure there were good relations with David as he probably did not want any suspicion or bad blood between him and king David - why make an enemy when you can make a friend instead? His son also brings David gifts to seal their friendship. Hamath appears to have been both the name of the city and the kingdom and is located some hundred or so miles north of Damascus. It is still a city today called Hama.
heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer,
then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David,
to salute him, and to bless him, because
he had fought against Hadadezer and smitten him:
for Hadadezer had wars with Toi.
And Joram brought with him vessels of silver,
and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
these also did king David dedicate unto Jehovah,
with the silver and gold that he dedicated
of all the nations which he subdued; of Syria,
and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon,
and of the Philistines, and of Amalek,
and of the spoil of Hadadezer,
son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
(2 Samuel 8:9-12 - ASV)
The gifts given to David along with the spoils appear to have been quite significant. But David did not take them for himself, he dedicated them to the Lord.
This I think was key to David's success. He was not doing this for himself, but had dedicated his work and all the spoils of his victories to God.
Working for God is work. It can be time consuming and with David, grueling, driving hard work - war is no picnic - it's blood, sweat and tears.
When we do our job for God, do we expect a brand new luxury car or a Mansion? A yacht or massive bank account? No. We are servants - SERVANTS of the Lord and should not expect some giant pot of gold after we fulfill our ministries.
Even so ye also,When we put God and his Kingdom first, this attitude kind of becomes second nature... just show me what to do Lord and I will do it... and let God take care of the rest.
when ye shall have done all the things
that are commanded you, say,
We are unprofitable servants;
we have done that
which it was our duty to do.
(Luke 17:10 - ASV)
We will continue our look at 2 Samuel next week, God willing!
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We left off last time with Nathan the prophet telling David that he could build a house for the Lord. But he should not have as we see below, God had a different plan which is given to us in the following passages.
And it came to pass the same night,
that the word of Jehovah came unto Nathan, saying,
Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah,
Shalt thou build me a house for me to dwell in?
for I have not dwelt in a house since the day
that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt,
even to this day, but have walked
in a tent and in a tabernacle.
In all places wherein I have walked with all
the children of Israel, spake I a word with
any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded
to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying,
Why have ye not built me a house of cedar?
Now therefore thus shalt thou
say unto my servant David,
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts,
I took thee from the sheepcote,
from following the sheep, that thou shouldest
be prince over my people, over Israel;
and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest,
and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee;
and I will make thee a great name,
like unto the name of the
great ones that are in the earth.
And I will appoint a place for my people Israel,
and will plant them, that they may
dwell in their own place,
and be moved no more; neither shall the
children of wickedness afflict them any more,
as at the first, and as from the day that
I commanded judges to be over my people Israel;
and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies.
Moreover Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah
will make thee a house. When thy days are fulfilled,
and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,
I will set up thy seed after thee,
that shall proceed out of thy bowels,
and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name,
and I will establish the throne
of his kingdom for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son:
if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him
with the rod of men, and with the stripes
of the children of men; but my lovingkindness
shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul,
whom I put away before thee.
And thy house and thy kingdom
shall be made sure for ever before thee:
thy throne shall be established for ever.
According to all these words,
and according to all this vision,
so did Nathan speak unto David.
(2 Samuel 7:4-17 - ASV)
The prophet here gets a word from the Lord before David could go ahead with his plans to build the temple. The Lord basically is telling David that he did not ask for such a house and that he has up until now, moved about in a tent, clearly referring to the Ark.
But also in this passage the Lord is showing the great favor he has for David and his coming offspring and how he will establish David's kingdom. This is a powerful word and like a true prophet of the Lord, Nathan gives David a glimpse of the future and relays the word of the Lord fully and faithfully. I won't comment much more on this passage as it is self explanatory.
Then David the king went in,
and sat before Jehovah; and he said,
Who am I, O Lord Jehovah, and what is my house,
that thou hast brought me thus far?
And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes,
O Lord Jehovah; but thou hast spoken
also of thy servant's house for a great while to come;
and this too after the manner of men,
O Lord Jehovah! And what can David say more unto thee?
for thou knowest thy servant, O Lord Jehovah.
For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart,
hast thou wrought all this greatness,
to make thy servant know it.
(2 Samuel 7:18-21 - ASV)
Here we get David's reaction to the word of the Lord. He is clearly humbled that such a powerful word was meant for him. He was also humbled that the Lord told him as much. This was indeed a very powerful word but remember, David and been 'through it' - many ups and downs; many troubles and wars, but he survived them all and was still standing and kept faith with his God. Moreover, once he was on top, the first thing he wanted to do was to honor God with a temple. This, I think really touched God's heart and shows us what David was really all about.David continues his psalm/prayer of praise to the Lord who had given him such a wonderful word. Through all the trials David had been through, I suspect this much he knew, God could do anything and was humbly grateful for what he had done, making a shepherd a king and now giving him all of these wonderful promises. The Lord had spoken these words and when God does that, those words come to pass - God's word was enough for David. It should be enough for us too.
Wherefore thou art great, O Jehovah God:
for there is none like thee, neither is there
any God besides thee, according to all that
we have heard with our ears. And what one nation
in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel,
whom God went to redeem unto himself for
a people, and to make him a name, and to
do great things for you, and terrible things
for thy land, before thy people, whom thou redeemedst
to thee out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
And thou didst establish to thyself thy people Israel
to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, Jehovah,
becamest their God. And now, O Jehovah God,
the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant,
and concerning his house, confirm thou it for ever,
and do as thou hast spoken. And let thy name be
magnified for ever, saying, Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel;
and the house of thy servant David shall be
established before thee. For thou, O Jehovah of hosts,
the God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying,
I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy
servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
And now, O Lord Jehovah, thou art God, and thy
words are truth, and thou hast promised this good
thing unto thy servant: now therefore let it please
thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may
continue for ever before thee; for thou, O Lord Jehovah,
hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the
house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
(2 Samuel 7:22-29 - ASV)
So here we see how David's constant faith brought him a great blessing, though not without having gone through the 'fire' first. Again, this is a lesson for us all.
When was the last time you stopped and really praised God for what he has done and promised you? Has God given you a word? Then thank God for it. God likes to be appreciated and know that we appreciate what he has and will do for us. Ingratitude is something that should never be in the Christian's life or mind, when it comes to the Lord, his gifts and promises.
And after this it came to pass,
that David smote the Philistines,
and subdued them: and David took the bridle
of the mother city out of the hand of the Philistines.
And he smote Moab, and measured them
with the line, making them to lie down on the ground;
and he measured two lines to put to death,
and one full line to keep alive. And the Moabites
became servants to David, and brought tribute.
(2 Samuel 8:1-2 - ASV)
David's time of rest is over and it's back to the business of subduing Israel's enemies. First it was the Philistines, who had long given Israel trouble as we saw in 1Samuel. He took the key city Methegammah, which is translated above as the bridle of the mother city.
Once he was done there, he went to Moab. David's actions here were particularly brutal. He divided them into three parts, slew two and kept one alive as servants. We don't know why he was so brutal here, or even what the cause of the dispute was, as Moab was previously friendly to David. As an aside, one of David's ancestors was from Moab (Ruth).
There are some theories as to why he was so brutal and they are just that - theories. Some think that when David sent his parents to live in Moab (1Samuel 22:3-4), they were later killed. Others think David may have been betrayed by Moab on some earlier battlefield. Other commentators think this is some kind of metaphor for David subduing Moabite cities, rather than an actual slaughter.
I suspect this was probably due to some previous treachery during David's wars. This kind of treatment of the those who had broken their pledge was not uncommon. Julius Caesar did such a thing in his wars in Gaul during his campaign involving Ariovistus. During a truce, Caesar was attacked. Caesar was merciless in his retribution. In fact, the Roman Senate was so taken aback with what he had done, they wanted to start an investigation into whole affair, as it even offended the sensibilities of the war-like Romans.
We will continue our look at 2Samuel, next week, God willing!
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Yes, it's true, this site is 25 years old! I registered this Domain name (markswatson.com) and started this site back in February of 2000! Hard to believe, but it is true. I can tell you I can remember with clarity the day the Lord told me to write. It was clear and direct. Write! So that is what I have been doing. Did I ask for this job? No, but I have done it and know just how effective this site has been and in places that no one, including myself would ever have expected it.
I have had a long, most interesting and at times challenging, God directed journey that really re-started in the early 90's. I was in deep spiritual trouble - everything around me was fine, but spiritually I was in a crisis and God really had to shake me up to get my full and undivided attention. Strange things, miraculous things have occurred to and for me to guide me since then and to keep this little site going.
This I know, our little group of insiders has some special folks in it and when I post a prayer request, God hears us. I am a believer who knows the times, loves my God and seeks to do his will, as do all (as far as I know) of the small group of insiders I have here. But as I run the site, I have to do my best to keep the devil and his agents out, a serious problem I had about a decade ago.
But after coming back to the Lord, you know, one of the hardest lessons for me to learn and to internalize was? To not follow after the ways of what I will call 'Churchianity'. Having been cast out of Churches (so-called) before for the 'horrible crime' of showing up and sitting quietly in the pew, God really started to speak to me and it was clear as a bell - here is the gist of what he said - they don't want you there because they don't want me there.
Much (but certainly not all) of American Christendom has become what I will call the 'House of the Unsaved Christian', a topic I wrote about recently for Insiders, discussing how many folks in Church have never been born again, many not even believing in the Holy Spirit, whose work is absolutely essential in the work of salvation. Such church goers are not evil, bad people - just not saved. This is one, but only one reason why the change on this site came - more scripture, more 'old time' Bible and less of the political claptrap that is often mistaken for Christianity.
Now this is not said to denigrate or otherwise speak ill of hard working, truly saved pastors who have to deal with so many issues, challenges and changes in their congregations, local laws, Church hierarchy, societal changes, internal dissensions as well as day-to-day administration. I get it, being a real pastor is a very hard job in these trying times.
What's going on for insiders? I still do a lot of current affairs as it effects the walk of the true believer and Biblical prophecy. Things are happening just the way the Bible said they would and yet so very, very few mark it! It's amazing to me, it really is how so many so-called Christians, pastors wanna be prophets can miss so much and focus on politics and 'saving America', when in many cases, what needs to be attended to is saving souls, including in many cases, their own!
What kinds of issues do we talk about on the private page? The wars and the human cost and their place in the prophetic landscape, famines and refugees which number in the millions; from Sudan to Syria, the Congo to Gaza. There are many, many folks in dire need. We talk about technology, both prophetically and practically and why any true Christian needs to be careful when using it. We talk about diseases and pandemics. We also do economic updates from time to time. Yes, we talk about a great many things and events that are transpiring in our troubled times.
We also deal in the Bible. I recently finished a commentary on Elijah's ministry and am looking at Elisha's. So, yes I have been busy for small group of believers and prayer warriors. I spend usually several long (sometimes run-on!) paragraphs dealing with many important subjects and issues facing our times.
So this site has not gone away, but as I am under the Lord's command, I have to do things the way he tells me and right now, this is the way he wants it - Bible for the many, prophetic news and commentary for the few.
You may ask... do you agree with this? I can only say that it is not the way I would do it, but since I serve God, I have to do it the way he wants me to do it. This small little site has in the past come under very significant attack from the enemies of the gospel; from very powerful and well connected people. It is only by God's grace and protection that I am still here blogging.
When the devil fumes with hatred and anger, it's because you are doing what God wants. You have heard the saying, no good deed goes unpunished? Well, it's true. Do right and the devil will (not might) come after you, or at least try. Dealing with evil; men and spirits is part of walking with God. There is no way around it. Often those who come against you don't know why they do it, but they do.
So again, for those of you who wonder why I don't write the same way I did a few years ago, that is why. I am still writing, quite a bit. Not much has changed, just who gets to read it because I deal with some of the mysteries of the end times, unlocking some of the secrets that are in our Bibles that are only now being revealed as the prophetic clock ticks... for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.
Our Lord laid out these principles with this own disciples. There were some things that he revealed to those close to him that were hidden from others.
And he said,
Unto you it is given to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of God:
but to the rest in parables;
that seeing they may not see,
and hearing they may not understand.
(Luke 8:10 - ASV)
And he answered and said unto them,
Unto you it is given to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven, but to them
it is not given.
(Matthew 13:11 - ASV)
So as I said before, the Lord absolutely wanted me to cease sharing so much with those who are not ready to hear or may not be capable of hearing. They will only turn and attack a person for trying to help them. If I continued to go my own way, he might just let them have their way.
But I will share this with you.
The informational landscape is a battlefield. It's why we keep hearing the words information warfare. Another phrase would be propaganda wars, or another phrase I think more fitting - mendacity dominance - he who has the most effective lies, wins (or thinks he will).
But this kind of warfare is not just about information. It has taken the shape of censorship, takedowns, deplatforming, etc., even trying to criminalize truth-telling in some countries. On the international front even more methods can be employed. Journalists are indeed coming under assault, particularly the best kind of real journalist - the investigative reporter. Witness the number of journalists killed last year.
In these days of extreme politics with large swaths of people of questionable mental stability, these are not the times for fools or those who do not understand the rules in a game that is increasingly dangerous; that being telling the truth of any variety. Go and look at drug use statistics for diagnosed mental disorders as well as illegal recreational mind/emotional altering drugs in our nation. Then go and find those side-effects of some of those prescription drugs... if you can find those side effects listed in the results in a search engine.
Forget about the whole idea of free speech. The courts, while often well meaning are sometimes too timid to really take a hard stand against attempts to stifle it. Just know this - when the truth gets censored, the lie gets elevated.
Ask the Jews of Nazi Germany about the lies that were told about them and how anyone who contradicted those lies got censored at best or sent to a concentration camp at worst. Free speech is important because once the ovens and gas chambers are fired up, no one dare speak about the horrors transpiring. It is times like that when the truth becomes a criminal act and reality becomes 'disinformation'.
But that is just the way the devil wants things to be. There is a reason he is called the father of lies. How can you tell who his kids are? Those who tell, love and live lies.
Blessed are they
that wash their robes,
that they may have the right
to come to the tree of life,
and may enter in by the gates
into the city. Without are the dogs,
and the sorcerers, and the fornicators,
and the murderers, and the idolaters,
and every one that loveth
and maketh a lie.
(Revelation 22:14-15 - ASV)
I am struck by the prophet Daniel's prophecy about the 'little horn'. It had an important characteristic that I think many miss.
...and it cast down truth to the ground,
and it did its pleasure and prospered.
(Daniel 8:12b - ASV)
Casting truth down to the ground? (censorship, de-platforming, imprisoning or killing truth tellers). One may be fully convinced they are 'right' and feel they have a right to silence others. But so did all of those Germans who bought Hitler's lies - they were sure of their Aryan 'purity'. Why did they believe it? The government said it was so and anyone who said differently well... they got what they deserved, didn't they?... or so the thinking went at the time.
It's such a simple process that is effective because of its simplicity. Kill the guy who speaks the truth, reward the liar and repeat those lies from all over society so that it is believed. Keep in mind that while the gas chambers were operating, the people did not know - it was state secret. Yes, they should have known, but chose not to. Why? Willful ignorance was safer than believing the truth.
Brothers, in a time of almost universal deception, as described in our Bibles - the end times, the truth is going to be hard to find - very hard to find because so much effort even now is being expended to kill it and put forward narratives, ideas and policies that cannot stand if the truth be told in its entirety. Just try and get hold of this - the truth is the very definition of 'disinformation', in the devil's dictionary.
So I ask all of you who know the Lord (have been born again into God's kingdom and family, not just joined a 'church'), to consider carefully what I say here. The truth is valuable and like all things of value it can be rare and hard to obtain. You want truth? Be ready to fight the devil to get it and be warned, you may not come out unscathed from the battle. That is often the cost of looking for, finding and then living your life in light of the truth. In the final hour, the world is going to fall for the big lie in a big way as there will be a major spiritual power behind those lies (see Revelation 12:9; 13:14).
But I do thank my God that he has watched over me and I do hope that all of you who swing by the site from time to time are blessed by it.
God bless all who come by the site with the wisdom and grace that God gives those who earnestly seek him.
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We left off last time with David going to Obed-Edom's home and bringing the Ark back to the City of David. Here we get a look at what happened once there. David's wife Michal see's David dancing before the Lord and she does not like it, one little bit. David is overjoyed at the Ark's return, Michal does not seem to share David's joy. Why not? The passage here does not say exactly but in a following passage her own explanation is given. But remember, David and Michal were married when Saul, Michal's father was still alive and David got her as a wife after having beaten the Philistines in battle. David was a great war hero and I suspect his fame and glory probably made her young heart swoon at the very mention of his name. Now she was a little older and had been given away in yet another marriage when David and Saul fell out. She was returned to David again later as we already covered.
We should keep a couple of things in mind regarding her. First she was at one time devoted to David. If you remember earlier in this study she saved David's life (1 Samuel 19:11-17). But there is something that many people miss in that passage and is quite telling. She had a Teraphim, a kind of image that is associated with idolotry or magic. They were consulted like 'oracles' even as late as Zechariah's day (Zechariah 10:2). They were commanded put away during King Josiah's time (2 Kings 23:24). The point here is that Michal had at least one. This may show us something deeper into her character. She may have not liked seeing David dancing about because it lacked Royal dignity. But given the whole spiritual state of the House of Saul, it may have been something deeper, perhaps even a secret love of idols and some of the practices of those other nations around Israel. We cannot know for sure.
And they brought in the ark of Jehovah,
and set it in its place, in the midst
of the tent that David had pitched for it;
and David offered burnt-offerings
and peace-offerings before Jehovah.
And when David had made an end of offering
the burnt-offering and the peace-offerings,
he blessed the people
in the name of Jehovah of hosts.
(2 Samuel 6:17-18 - ASV)
This passage is self explanatory. David celebrates the return of the Ark of the Covenant. The key here I think is the complete difference between David and Saul. David honored the Lord and respected God and his priests/prophets. Saul slaughtered them at Nob (1 Samuel 22:18). The events described in the above passages marked a key positive turning point in Israel's spiritual history.
And he dealt among all the people,The celebration also includes the common people and they too received a gift from the hand of the King.
even among the whole multitude of Israel,
both to men and women,
to every one a cake of bread,
and a portion of flesh,
and a cake of raisins.
So all the people departed
every one to his house.
(2 Samuel 6:19 - ASV)
Then David returned to bless his household.
And Michal the daughter of Saul
came out to meet David, and said,
How glorious was the king of Israel to-day,
who uncovered himself to-day
in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants,
as one of the vain fellows
shamelessly uncovereth himself!
(2 Samuel 6:20 - ASV)
The celebration is over and he has to come home to his wife who gives him a tongue lashing over his dancing before the Lord. Everyone it seems is happy and full of thanksgiving and David came home to bless his household. But David's wife was ready to pick a fight. By implication, David's dancing could probably be taken as being rather crude and perhaps there were times a lot of raw 'body' was showing under his robes while dancing. Basically she thought what he did was totally undignified for the King. She may have been comparing David's behavior with that of the previous King her father.
And David said unto Michal,
It was before Jehovah, who chose me
above thy father, and above all his house,
to appoint me prince over the people of Jehovah,
over Israel: therefore will I play before Jehovah.
And I will be yet more vile than this,
and will be base in mine own sight:
but of the handmaids of whom thou hast spoken,
of them shall I be had in honor.
And Michal the daughter of Saul
had no child unto the day of her death.
(2 Samuel 6:21-23 - ASV)
David sets her right. What others were thinking was not of much importance to David at this time. He was going to give true, humble and total thanksgiving to the God whose Ark he was returning and who had made him King when he once was nothing more than a shepherd boy. So she should not expect him to change on her account, nor does he think his handmaids are nearly as concerned over this as she seems to think. Saul may not have honored the Lord, but David was going to, even with dancing before him.
Clearly the Lord heard this comment of Michal and was not pleased and so the Chronicler points out that Michal died childless. Another part of Saul's bloodline was going to die out. Childlessness was a particular shame to women in those days in that part of the world.
Brothers let me say this to you all. Never mock a servant of the Lord, particularly when in his or her ministry. Not a pastor, prophet or priest. Not an evangelist, healer or generous giver. All of these have their place in God's order and we would do well to honor, rather than mock, denigrate or otherwise abuse such men. The Lord will surly see how you treat them for good or ill - and remember it (see Mark 9:41-42).
And it came to pass,
when the king dwelt in his house,
and Jehovah had given him rest from
all his enemies round about,
(2 Samuel 7:1 - ASV)
The wars being over, David finally had some rest. He served the Lord honorably and now it was time to rest and focus on other things. What did David focus on? Taxing the people into poverty to fund new wars? Getting a batch of gorgeous new 'hotties' into a harem? Casting his eye on neighboring kingdoms in the hopes of obtaining war booty? Sending out assassins to kill off any possible rival to the throne?
No, none of these things.
that the king said unto Nathan the prophet,
See now, I dwell in a house of cedar,
but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
And Nathan said to the king,
Go, do all that is in thy heart;
for Jehovah is with thee.
(2 Samuel 7:2-3 - ASV)
No, the King's mind was turning to honoring the God who had so honored him by making him King. David was truly grateful, thankful and respectful of the Lord and wanted to do him honor. This was the first thing that comes to David's mind. He wanted the Ark to dwell in a temple, not a tent.
David's desire is an official one as he did not just mutter this to anyone, but made his desire plain to the Lord's prophet, Nathan.
Nathan gives him the OK.
But as we shall see in the next update, Nathan should not have.
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After what had happened to Uzzah, David was in a quandary as to what to do with the Ark. Clearly he was not going to carry it further and David may have been ignorant of some of the Levitical procedures that were to accompany the transportation of the Ark. It is not inconceivable that even those priests who were present may also have been ignorant. Remember, this was a time when there wasn't a Bible in every home and the priests were the ones responsible for carrying these things out. It is because they fell down in meticulously carrying out their duty (as described in Part 10) that I think is the cause Uzzah's death.
So David decides to leave it somewhere where it will be cared for. He leaves it with Obed-edom. His name is an interesting one and it means servant of Edom, though others have rendered it differently (see the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [1915]).
But he was a Levite and a descendant of Kohath (a Korahite). You can see 1 Chronicles chapter 26 to get his ancestry. His key duties seem to have been porter (see 1 Chronicles 15:18ff and 16:38), but may have also been musicians (1 Chronicles 15:16). So he did not just drop off the Ark at any old place, he kept in the charge of a Levite.
And the ark of Jehovah remained in the house
of Obed-edom the Gittite three months:
and Jehovah blessed Obed-edom, and all his house.
And it was told king David, saying,
Jehovah hath blessed the house of Obed-edom,
and all that pertaineth unto him,
because of the ark of God.
And David went and brought up the ark of God
from the house of Obed-edom
into the city of David with joy.
(2 Samuel 6:11-12 - ASV)
For Obed-edom, this was one of those totally unexpected blessings. He could not possibly have known that the Ark was going to lodge with his house, but it turned out to be a huge blessing.
Now this in my view is kind of interesting. David was a afraid of the Lord and the ark and up until know, it has often been associated with plagues and disasters upon those who showed it disrespect, even unwittingly. But far from being that, it turns out to be a big blessing to Obed-edom and his home. I suspect that he may have really done his best to find out how he should care for the ark and did so... most carefully.
In this whole episode we see both how severe and how good God can be.
This is one of those incidents that is easily missed. When God honors us with caring for anything of his, including a ministry, a ministering family member, a (truly anointed) traveling evangelist or prophet, God can bring great blessings upon that house. He often does. Our God indeed has asked us to be hospitable to strangers because sometimes they are angels and we are not aware of the fact.
Yet in our times, we have to be practical. There are many crooks and scamsters out there and the last thing you want to do is open up your house to such and wake up and find they have committed some horrible crime or depredation on your family and all your valuables gone and the cops casting a suspicious eye on you as to why you let a stranger in your home. So let us be wise... most wise and prayerful when considering doing such a thing in our twisted and perverted age. I think the key difference is that hospitality in the ancient world was almost a duty, culturally and socially and times have changed much since then.
Let the wise man understand what I am saying. The Christian who opens up his home to a true servant of God in ministry is one that will almost certainly receive a blessing.
The key in this lesson is this - that God blessed Obed-edom very much. Do God's will or do God a 'favor' and he does remember it. How can you do God a favor? By giving to the poor. That is right, if you do that you just 'loaned' some money to God.
He that hath pity upon the poor
lendeth unto Jehovah,
And his good deed
will he pay him again.
(Proverbs 19:17 - ASV)
Obed-edom did right by opening up his house to the Ark and not fearing it as he well could have done, given many of the things that were associated with it in the recent past.
David heard of these things and how he and all of his house was blessed so he then brought the ark from his house to the City of David (Jerusalem) with joy.
The book of 1 Chronicles gives us a little more detail.
And the children of the Levites
bare the ark of God upon their
shoulders with the staves thereon,
as Moses commanded according to the word of Jehovah.
And David spake to the chief of the Levites
to appoint their brethren the singers,
with instruments of music, psalteries
and harps and cymbals, sounding aloud
and lifting up the voice with joy.
So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel;
and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah;
and of the sons of Merari their brethren,
Ethan the son of Kushaiah; and with them
their brethren of the second degree,
Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth,
and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah,
and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Eliphelehu,
and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom,
and Jeiel, the doorkeepers.
(1 Chronicles 15:15-18 - ASV)
Now, I want you to note, not just the great joy and singing that took place but something that many miss. That is this - remember, when they moved the ark the first time, they put it on a new cart. This time, the Levites bore the ark on their shoulders, like the Mosaic law had commanded. In short, this time, things went right because they did right.
Lesson: God is a real stickler when it comes to holy things. Best we all keep that in mind.
And it was so, that,Clearly David had ceased to be afraid and upset with God and instead showed his joy in that the Ark came into the city. This was indeed a day of joy in the Lord. It's one thing to have a celebration, quite another to have a real celebration for God's purposes and in his honor.
when they that bare the ark of Jehovah
had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.
And David danced before Jehovah with all his might;
and David was girded with a linen ephod.
So David and all the house of Israel
brought up the ark of Jehovah with shouting,
and with the sound of the trumpet.
(2 Samuel 6:13-15 - ASV)
One day on the great day of our Salvation, we too who are among the redeemed by the blood of Christ, will leap for joy, sing and dance in the Lord, giving praise and thanksgiving for the fact that God had guided us safely into his kingdom and saying to ourselves and everyone around... we made it!
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After the victory of the Philistines, David decides to bring the honored and important men of Israel together again. This however is not like the previous gathering, which was to go to war (2 Samuel 5:1-3). This time it was to honor the God of Israel who gave them victory. This took place at Baale-judah. This appears to be Kiriath-jearim as it is related in the book of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 13:6, Joshua 15:9).
The whole purpose behind this gathering was to bring the key men together as one and bring up the Ark of the Covenant. The writer here is careful to mention the Ark with the greatest of respect as well as the name of God who sits above the cherubim. Perhaps one of the reasons for his care may become evident in the following passages.
And they set the ark of God upon a new cart,
and brought it out of the house
of Abinadab that was in the hill:
and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab,
drove the new cart. And they
brought it out of the house of Abinadab,
which was in the hill, with the ark of God:
and Ahio went before the ark.
(2 Samuel 6:3-4 - ASV)
So here we see the people are showing the ark considerable respect. They put it on, not some old rusty cart, but on a new one and took it out of the house of Abinadab, which is where it had been resting since the incidents in 1 Samuel, chapter 7.
The frightening things that have happened when the ark was at issue caused a lot of reverence and probably fear among those who were nearby. Ahio, was one of Abinidab's sons and he it was who was driving the cart (see 1 Chronicles, 13:7).
And David and all the house of Israel
played before Jehovah with all manner
of instruments made of fir-wood,
and with harps, and with psalteries,
and with timbrels, and with castanets,
and with cymbals.
(2 Samuel 6:5 - ASV)
David was making this a major celebration. This occasion was also a praise and worship occasion where these important people of Israel would sing and praise God.
This was a very wise move on David's part. After the disastrous reign of Saul and his slaughtering God's prophets (1 Samuel 22:18ff) and his constant rebellion against God's express commands as well as his constant murder attempts of David, this was a welcome change.
The king here I think wants to re-establish the religion of the Lord, which may have been slowly being abandoned or challenged by some of the surrounding deities of the region because of Saul's rebellion. This whole ceremony and the bringing up of the Ark was I think, to be a kind of national 'coming back to God' day.
The Lord had established David, just as he said he would and David was not going to forget it, nor let the people forget the name of the Lord God. I think as Israel's king, he wants to make sure that the religion of the Lord is firmly established.
And when they came to the threshing-floor
of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand
to the ark of God, and took hold of it;
for the oxen stumbled. And the anger
of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah;
and God smote him there for his error;
and there he died by the ark of God.
(2 Samuel 6:6-7 - ASV)
This is a passage that some people have difficulty with. Why did this happen? Why did Uzzah lose his life? On the surface, this is a difficult question. But those who really know and understand God and his holiness... they get it. What do I mean?
Well, first let's look at this passage and the ones preceding it. The ark was treated with great reverence and respect. They put it on a new cart to transport it and the men who were with it were of the priesthood (Levites). But on the way, somehow the cart that held the ark became unsteady, so Uzzah, not wanting it to fall over, steadies it with his hands. He died on the spot.
Why? This is the question many have. Well, I will give you my view on it as some commentators seem to miss it.
First and foremost, the Priests should have known better than to transport the Ark in the manner they did. In short, it was sacrilege. Yes, it was. Though clearly their intentions were good and did want to show it and God respect, it was still the wrong way. How was it to be carried?
And thou shalt make staves of acacia wood,
and overlay them with gold.
And thou shalt put the staves
into the rings on the sides of the ark,
wherewith to bear the ark.
The staves shall be in the rings of the ark:
they shall not be taken from it.
(Exodus 25:13-15 - ASV)
It appears from this passage that the Ark was to be born on two long poles by Priests who were to carry the ark. This was not done. The error of their doings is alluded to in 1 Chronicles 15:13.
Now given many of the things that happened with the Ark we have seen in the book of 1 Samuel, the plagues and troubles that happened to those who did not show it proper respect, the Priests should have taken greater care to carry the ark in the proper manner - it was part of their job, their ministry and calling.
What can we learn from this? I think it is something very important in this 'grace and forgiveness' obsessed age of ours. Yes, God is most gracious and forgiving. He really loves us and want us to come to him. But the other side of God's character is simply not taught today and is largely ignored. That being his holy character and his being very exacting when it comes to approaching God; we must do it on his terms. This is something that the author of the book of Hebrews was trying to make plain in that book.
A man that hath set at nought Moses' law
dieth without compassion on the word
of two or three witnesses: of how much
sorer punishment, think ye,
shall he be judged worthy, who
hath trodden under foot the Son of God,
and hath counted the blood
of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified
an unholy thing, and hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace? For we know
him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me,
I will recompense. And again,
The Lord shall judge his people.
It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God.
(Hebrews 10:28-31 - ASV)
Our God is a God of order and holiness. He has a set way of doing things and expects us to follow his instructions. This is particularly so for his Priests. But we who know Christ and have been born into his kingdom, we are to become Priests to the Lord (1 Peter 2:5; 2:9).
So passages like this may be confusing, but it should also do exactly what it did to David in verse nine of this chapter; give us serious pause and yes, a healthy amount of fear when dealing with the living God.
And David was displeased,
because Jehovah had broken forth upon Uzzah;
and he called that place Perez-uzzah,
unto this day. And David was afraid
of Jehovah that day; and he said,
How shall the ark of Jehovah
come unto me?
(2 Samuel 6:8-9 - ASV)
The passage here I think downplays just what David was feeling. In short, he was angry at the Lord over the death of Uzzah. The word in Strong's Hebrew Bible Dictionary (1890) is number 2734. So David was afraid of the Lord after this incident. He was at a loss as to what to do about moving it after this.
I wonder if David had inquired of the Lord about moving the ark before he did it. Did he consult a priest or prophet? The scriptures record him inquiring of them before, but this time such an inquiry is not recorded. A priest should have told David the proper way to carry the Ark and before they even thought about moving it, would have checked and double checked the proper method for doing so. There is no indication that this happened.
When we come to the Lord in prayer or worship, we should remember not just God's grace and mercy, but also this other side of his character. To come before him in a true state of deep reverence of his majesty, holiness and his power and his being a detail oriented God when it comes to his name, temple, worship and ways.
Carelessness by the Church could lead it to the fate of 'Uzzah'.
We will continue our look at 2 Samuel, next week, God willing!
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And David came to Baal-perazim,
and David smote them there; and he said,
Jehovah hath broken mine enemies before me,
like the breach of waters. Therefore he called
the name of that place Baal-perazim.
And they left their images there;
and David and his men took them away.
(2 Samuel 5:20-21 - ASV)
We left off last time with David inquiring of the Lord if he should go and attack the Philistines who were in the valley of Rephaim. The Lord gave him the go ahead. In the above passage, he comes to Baal-perazim (meaning the owner or place of breeches). He defeats them there and thus the name was given to the place for David had broken them like a breach of waters.
And they left their images there;
and David and his men took them away.
(2 Samuel 5:21 - ASV)
It was customary for nations to bring their gods with them into battle and the Philistines were no different. After the defeat, they left their gods behind. Here it is stated that Israel took the Philistine gods/images away. The book of Chronicles amplifies this and tells us that they were also (or later) burned with fire (1 Chronicles 14:12). It seems implied here and in the following passages that most of the Philistines escaped, probably in some haste and this prevented them from collecting their idols.
And the Philistines came up yet again,
and spread themselves
in the valley of Rephaim.
(2 Samuel 5:22 - ASV)
The Philistines it seems, were gluttons for punishment.
And when David inquired of Jehovah,
he said, Thou shalt not go up:
make a circuit behind them,
and come upon them over
against the mulberry-trees.
And it shall be, when thou hearest
the sound of marching in the tops
of the mulberry-trees,
that then thou shalt bestir thyself;
for then is Jehovah gone out before thee
to smite the host of the Philistines.
And David did so, as Jehovah commanded him,
and smote the Philistines from Geba
until thou come to Gezer.
(2 Samuel 5:23-25 - ASV)
David was careful and did not presume that it was OK to go up and attack them once again. Instead he does the right thing. He inquires of the Lord.
The Lord tells David that he is not to go up... at least not directly with a frontal assault. Then he lays out another plan of battle for David. He is to take his men to the rear of them. Then he is to wait for sounds from the treetops of the Mulberry trees, the sound of marching. The word translated Mulberry is actually the word Baka (1057 in Strong's Hebrew Bible Dictionary - 1890) and it is not 100% certain to me what kind of tree is meant.
Once he hears the sound, he is to get up and go fight. What was this sound he was to hear? I suspect that God allowed David to hear the sound of a host of Angels that God had commanded to be present to give David the victory. But he had to be obedient and wait for God's sign and their arrival.
David was obedient and gained a victory as promised by the God of Israel.
This kind of lesson is so key to each of us. We must do as the Lord commands, and not rush ahead of God in a dangerous situation or when problems presents themselves. Timing is often so very key when walking with God. He has his own way of doing things and demands that we get on his schedule and overall plan.
It may not have occurred to you, but the Philistines may have had a host of fallen spirits that were there to empower the Philistines and entrap David. David would not be able to see this, but God would and prepared a way for victory.
This is why it is always so very important to yield to God and his guidance and to not lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). What he asks us to do at times may not make much sense to us and our natural minds.
Can you imagine? Think about it and what some of David's commanders must have been thinking. "Is he really going to sit here and wait for the sound of troops on the treetops?".
But David knew his God and if the Lord said wait and listen for the sound of marching at the treetops, then that is what he was going to do. God often calls us to do things most unusual. He does it often I think to test our faith and our obedience. Sometimes we have to abide the jeers of other Christians or so-called Christians in the process.
I am often struck by the hard task God gave Hosea. He had to go and marry a prostitute. Now that had to be a hard thing to do and if Hosea was told to do this today, what would modern Christendom do or think? But God had a purpose in mind in that strange union. It was not really discernible to the natural mind.
But here we see that whatever it may have sounded like to others, David obeyed the Lord. He knew who was the source of all of his victories and if the Lord says wait and listen to the trees, then that is what he was going to do.
We left off last time with David requiring the blood of the two assassins who slew Ishbosheth. So here David gives the order of execution. Let us keep in mind that this was 'court' back in those days. Kings were given that kind of power. So they killed them and cut off their hands and feet.
Why the hands and feet? Commentators seem to think it was because their feet were swift to do mischief and their hands to shed innocent blood (see Proverbs 6:16-19). David then respectfully buries the head these two brought him in its proper grave.
So the original plan with Abner did have a purpose, to get both sides to come together and recognize David as King, though the plan did not go as originally intended.
David in many ways is a type of Christ. We see him in rejection, in troubles, making war (as Christ will do just before he returns) and reigning. The path to the crown is not an easy one for those who are beloved of God and are to be of real use to him. Saul had it all handed to him on a silver platter and look how he messed things up and eventually turned on the Lord. David's path was different and was marked by many trials and tribulations. For we Christians, there is no crown without tribulation, troubles and suffering.
David, after making his mistakes and being tempered in the fires of affliction now becomes King. But there is still work to be done.
After Ishbosheth's murder, the tribes come and pledge their loyalty to King David. Again, this seems to be pretty much the same arrangement that Abner had made, though that was done with some degree of disloyalty against his former master, Ishbosheth.
Now that one of the would-be kings is dead, David may now rule all of the people. So the elders come and offer them their loyalty. They remember that David that led the armies during wartime. They did not forget. Nor did they forget the Lord's promise to David and uttered this before the King. They then anoint him King. This was the secular 'confirmation' of what the Lord had already done many years before the battles and hardships via the prophet Samuel.
So now we see how long David reigned and we can also see from the text that it was probably written or complied after David's reign.
Let us never forget that David was God's choice to reign after the spiritual disaster of Saul. He had to do a lot of learning on the way and faced many a moment of discouragement and even panic, but David stayed the course and became King. He originally reigned in Hebron and just over the tribe of Judah and later he reigned in Jerusalem. Verse six begins to tell us how he came to eventually take the city of Jerusalem (Jebus, its earlier name).
David heads on to Jerusalem (Jebus) to fight the Jebusites. These were a people who still lived there that Israel was unable to fully conquer (see Joshua 15:63 and Judges 1:21). These were decedents of Canaan (see Genesis 10:15-16). David here was merely continuing something that Joshua had started in days long past. So now that he had all the tribes of Israel behind him, he could now muster a powerful military force to deal with them.
When he gets there, the Jebusites taunt David with one of those typical arrogant words men in war used in bygone days when they are getting ready to go to battle. The second part of verse six has puzzled many scholars over its meaning. This passage does not imply that David had some animosity to the lame or the blind but appears to be a taunt basically saying that they could defend the city with a host of the crippled. It may have been that they even put the blind and crippled on the city walls to taunt him saying something like it would be said today, 'my crippled, 100 year-old grandma is enough to defeat you and your host'.
Their boast was empty and David took the city. The stronghold mentioned in verse seven may have been a mount which in such times would have been a good fortification.
After the city was taken, David almost certainly remembering the taunt's of the Jebusites basically issues a 'no quarter' order. This I suspect, indicates that it may have also the blind and the lame who came out to mock David when he came against the city. Apparently this is the source of some proverb that was popular in those times and this shows where it came from.
So David moves into the city which was also a military stronghold. Apparently he built a wall around the city. The word Millo is not clear, some think it means a ditch (or mote) others think it may have been some kind of Jebusite shrine.
God was with David and the author correctly ascribes this fact with David's growing success. David had been through the fires of trials and now could enjoy the presence, promise and gifts of God that come when one continues to stand with God, despite what comes.
Hiram was clearly positively disposed to David and later his son Solomon. After the war and the need to build the city, Hiram sent David the necessary materials and workmen to get the job done. This may have been because after years of war, many of those skilled in these things were killed in the previous wars and battles. So Hiram's men build David his palace.
David here realized something important. It's something that many rulers, particularly autocrats forget. That is that he was made King for the nation's sake, and not vice versa. A good King and ruler is a servant of his people and nation and uses his power to their benefit rather than just for his own power and to their detriment. But we also need to keep in mind that while God had given him the promise of kingship, David clearly had periods of depression and doubt. But now it seemed clear to him that God had indeed established him king, fully and unquestionably, king.
But David in verse 13 clearly departs and disobeys the commandment of God in taking multiple wives (Deuteronomy 17:17).
This sin of David can cause significant problems from a purely practical/succession perspective. With this many sons coming out of his body, who will eventually reign when the King passes on? Such controversy often means civil war (think England's War of the Roses). The names above are just the sons born to David. You can get a more complete list of David's sons over in 1 Chronicles 3:1ff.
The Philistines hear of David's enthronement and were ready to go to war. David's military exploits were well known to the five cities of Philistia and David was even used by them by King Achish. David had become powerful and his victories particularly over Jebus (Jerusalem) was probably very noteworthy to the Philistines. They were probably moved with fear that he might become stronger. As the Lord was with him, David would indeed grow in strength.
This kind of military concern was not exclusive to those times. We see the same things today in our world. The US is concerned about China's rise to power as well as Russia's growing geopolitical prowess and seek to check that rise using the instruments of power for our times. In those days, there was only one real method of checking another power's rise and that was war.
Once this intelligence had reached David, he went into some kind of stronghold - perhaps a cave or fortified place. There we can extrapolate from the passage he sought the guidance of the Lord. The Philistines were in the valley of Rephaim or the Valley of the Giants. David seeks God's guidance and gets his answer and to summarize it was - yes, go and defeat them, for the Lord will deliver them into your hands.
Notice that it is God that brings the victory. As long as David walked the straight and narrow, God would be with him. We should note that David now inquires of the Lord before he makes a major move.
This is important both to David and to each of us as well. We should always seek God's guidance in any major decision in our life and yield humbly and gracefully to the guiding and powerful hand of God, who loves us and has not been taken by surprise by whatever it is we are facing.
Whatever it is he asks us to do, no matter how little sense it makes to us, we need to heed what the Lord tells us and not lean to our own understanding.
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And Ish-bosheth, Saul's son,
had two men that were captains of bands:
the name of the one was Baanah,
and the name of the other Rechab,
the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite,
of the children of Benjamin
(for Beeroth also is reckoned to Benjamin:
and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim,
and have been sojourners there
until this day).
(2 Samuel 4:2-3 - ASV)
We left off last time with the death of Abner and the collective mourning after it and the trouble that news caused Israel.
Ishbosheth had two captains and the names are given above. Albert Barnes (1798-1870), in his commentary (Albert Barnes Notes On The Bible) surmises that they may have actually been Canaanite by blood, though reckoned with Benjamin. The author of 2 Samuel does seem to want to make some kind of distinction clear with his explanation.
You can read a little more about the Beerothites in Joshua 9:17ff.
The passage here seems to want to determine how both the city and men were reckoned among the tribe of Benjamin. Verse three talks about how many of them fled. This may have been the result of Saul's death as many had abandoned their cities (1 Samuel 31:7). They were sojourners or people without a permanent home-city to dwell, perhaps living in semi-permanent camps in the wilderness.
Now Jonathan, Saul's son,
had a son that was lame of his feet.
He was five years old when
the tidings came of Saul
and Jonathan out of Jezreel;
and his nurse took him up, and fled:
and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee,
that he fell, and became lame.
And his name was Mephibosheth.
And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite,
Rechab and Baanah, went, and came
about the heat of the day
to the house of Ish-bosheth,
as he took his rest at noon. And they came
thither into the midst of the house,
as though they would have fetched wheat;
and they smote him in the body:
and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
Now when they came into the house,
as he lay on his bed in his bedchamber,
they smote him, and slew him,
and beheaded him, and took his head,
and went by the way of the Arabah all night.
(2 Samuel 4:4-7 - ASV)
Here we learn of the murder of Ishbosheth and who did it. It's hard to get a sense as to why the writer here goes into such detail about these two men being from Beeroth, but it may be that there was some kind of lingering resentment towards Saul's house and this particular king as a result of their people not having a permanent place to live.
Another reason here is that with Ishbosheth out of the way, there was no one really to wear the crown, only Mephibosheth, who was handicapped. As there was such confusion after Abner's removal and the deal that he and David struck was now moot, these two may have seen an opportunity to be the key to deliver the Kingdom to David and thus ingratiate themselves with him.
This is one of those really brutal murders we find so often in the days of Israel's kings. Reading of these kinds of things can often make us really recoil. But these were as I have said before, very brutal times and there was no such thing as a police force or Department of Justice. The king was the law and when the title of King was in dispute, well... people often made up their own law to suit their own purposes. Also remember this - this whole 'king' thing was not God's idea, it was the people who wanted it (see 1 Samuel 8:19) after being warned of just what it would mean.
But let me say this as well. We affluent westerners? Few of us understand what men are capable of when things are tough, hard and lawlessness abounds - I mean really understand. Certain ground warriors and foreign aid workers, they get it. But many westerners really just don't understand. Ask the Christians in Iraq when the Islamic State (Daesh) was running around loose. 'Understanding it' in a news clip or in a realistic movie is one thing, having to live it, day in and day out is quite another.
Hyper-sensitivity I think causes far too many modern westerners to recoil at even the most innocuous or uncomfortable truths leveled at them, sending some into an emotional tailspin. What in the world are these people going to do when things get really hard (see 2 Timothy 3:1ff)?
This is why I am not shocked by these kinds of things in the OT. I know what men are capable of. I am under no illusions - some men can be utterly depraved once the societal and legal curbs are taken off.
It is why I think so many Christians will fall away in the last days, when lawlessness abounds.
And because iniquity shall be multiplied,Yes, there will be a period of time of lawlessness, perhaps general anarchy. This may be what happens just before the man of sin is revealed and the mark of the beast is instituted. The devil's man I suspect, will claim to have many of the answers to the world's problems and he will deceive a great many.
the love of the many shall wax cold.
But he that endureth to the end,
the same shall be saved.
(Matthew 24:12-13 - ASV)
This is one reason I have said before and will say it again - we all need to toughen up, develop some thick skin, but never let our love of Christ or the brethren grow cold... remembering those who are in chains and are being persecuted or are having to make those tough decisions in their walk with Christ. Don't let the brutality and wickedness you may one day see around you send you into an emotional or spiritual tailspin.
And don't blame God if one day, some men begin to behave worse that the beasts of the field. He is not to blame. Men are responsible for their own actions and souls.
Back to the text.
And they brought the head
of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron,
and said to the king, Behold,
the head of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul,
thine enemy, who sought thy life;
and Jehovah hath avenged my lord
the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
And David answered Rechab
and Baanah his brother, the sons
of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them,
As Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed
my soul out of all adversity, when one told me,
saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking
to have brought good tidings,
I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag,
which was the reward I gave him for his tidings.
How much more, when wicked
men have slain a righteous person in his
own house upon his bed,
shall I not now require his blood of your hand,
and take you away from the earth?
(2 Samuel 4:8-11 - ASV)
This is all pretty self explanatory. These two murderers bring their gruesome prize to King David, thinking David would be pleased with it as this would make him undisputed King.
They were wrong.
David was most displeased. Here David recalls first how the God whom he served and who had delivered him out of all of his troubles, which we all have seen were many and significant; it is by this God he swears - that when faced with a similar situation at the death of Saul, David had the person who brought him the news killed.
If you remember this was in 2 Samuel 1:13ff. Weather or not these men knew of this, is not clear. What is clear is that David was consistent with those who slew God's anointed and it appears that Ishbosheth, while being a weak king, was not a wicked one; at least that is how David saw him (verse 11).
So what these men did was not going to get them on David's good side. Instead they wrote their own death warrant with the murder of Ishbosheth. So, yes, these two were going to get a reward - a hole in the ground, six feet deep.
This reminds of Caesar, when he was chasing after Pompey all the way to Egypt. The Egyptians thought that if they killed Pompey for Caesar, he would be pleased. He was not.
Any ruler with his salt would never accept such people into his service. If they could kill their former master, what do you think such men will do to in their service?
They had to go and go they shall and we will get to that soon, God willing!
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When we left off last time Joab had murdered Abner. David was innocent of this and here we find out what he does after he finds out what Joab had done. He was not happy about it and had to completely disassociate himself from this bloody act. David's words were probably in a public setting so that everyone of importance heard it and understood that there was no compact or conspiracy on his part in Abner's murder. Besides, he had nothing to gain and everything to lose by Abner's death for he was about to deliver up some of Israel's nobles to recognize him as King.
David had to nip this in the bud and let it be known that his reign is not going to be on based on assassinations and treachery.
He makes this clear by stating an oath that the recompense for this deed should fall upon Joab and his house. Now the phrases David uses here were strong. Quite strong. For example when it says 'let it fall' upon Abner the words here have the meaning of to writhe, to fall upon grievously or to be in pain. The word is 2342 in Strong's Hebrew Bible Dictionary (1890).
David's words were a horrible imprecation upon Abner and his whole house. It was basically a family curse that David laid upon Abner (and his house) for this act. The curse included leprosy, some kind of wasting disease (hath an issue, perhaps a sexual disease) or one that is crippled or blind (leaneth on a staff), dies in battle or is impoverished. This is a heavy curse. But this is the Old Covenant and such words were often spoken, usually by God's prophets or workmen. David, was acting as God's representative for he was the true, God anointed King and he was not at all pleased with this most foul revenge-murder.
The idea of these kinds of curses falling upon a bloodline is clearly marked out in the Old Covenant. If nothing else I think passages like this should remind us of one thing. Sin when unforgiven is never, ever forgotten by God. It will ever be before God unless he has forgiven that sin. Let no one ever make light of sin and evil - God really hates it. It is a measure of his love for us that he makes the offer of forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner,
because he had killed their brother Asahel
at Gibeon in the battle. And David said to Joab,
and to all the people that were with him,
Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth,
and mourn before Abner.
And king David followed the bier.
And they buried Abner in Hebron:
and the king lifted up his voice,
and wept at the grave of Abner;
and all the people wept.
(2 Samuel 3:30-32 - ASV)
David here does not take any kind of vengeance on Joab. One would think this would have been proper given what he had done, murdered a man and made the king look like a traitor (David gave Abner a kind of 'safe conduct' when he left). David did not do that. It could have meant more bloodshed and even another civil war. Remember, Joab was to be David's chief warlord and to put it bluntly, Abner would probably have stood in the way of that.
But David commanded Joab to morn Abner with all the people as well. This I think was a small piece of 'humble pie' David made Joab consume for clearly Joab was not displeased with Abner's death. It may have also been a small test of Joab's submission to the King's will.
Everyone was present at Abner's funeral as they buried him in Hebron, where the King's court currently was. David was there and makes his own eulogy over Abner which I will relate here without comment.
So ends David's lament.
And all the people came to cause David
to eat bread while it was yet day;
but David sware, saying, God do so to me,
and more also, if I taste bread, or aught else,
till the sun be down. And all the people
took notice of it, and it pleased them;
as whatsoever the king did pleased
all the people. So all the people
and all Israel understood that day
that it was not of the king
to slay Abner the son of Ner.
(2 Samuel 3:35-37 - ASV)
David was in mourning and fasting and the people wanted him to end his fast. But he would not. Now it's easy to see this as 'theater', but I don't think it was. I think David was genuinely sorry for Abner's death, the two seemed to get a long quite well before he was murdered.
But this worked in regards to averting suspicion away from David. Whatever suspicions the people may have once had, they had no longer.
And the king said unto his servants,
Know ye not that there
is a prince and a great man
fallen this day in Israel?
And I am this day weak,
though anointed king;
and these men the sons of Zeruiah
are too hard for me:
Jehovah reward the evil-doer
according to his wickedness.
(2 Samuel 3:38-39 - ASV)
So here we get a glimpse into David's heart. First, he lets his servants know that he really did view Abner as a great man. He may have once been on opposite sides, but that did not diminish David's respect for him.
But David could not move against Joab and in verse 39 he explains why - 'the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me', those sons being Joab and Abishai. The word 'hard' is the word 7186 in Strong's Hebrew Bible Dictionary (1890). It can mean obstinate, stiff-necked or cruel. David was still a politically weak ruler and not everyone was behind him. He just could not afford to deal with those two in the manner that he may have been inclined. So he handed it over to the Lord, not in the New Testament way, but in the Old Testament way.
And when Ish-bosheth, Saul's son,
heard that Abner was dead in Hebron,
his hands became feeble,
and all the Israelites were troubled.
(2 Samuel 4:1 - ASV)
Now the other king, the descendant of Saul hears of Abner's death who was his key warlord. He was understandably and deeply concerned; panic stricken may be a better word. The passage says his hands were feeble, but what is really meant here may be two fold; both physically and now also politically. Additionally, all of his kingdom (Israel) was also troubled by Abner's death. Abner clearly was well respected, but the people may have also feared more war as a result.
Abner's death created a major problem for David, but an even bigger one for Ishbosheth.
We will continue our look at 2 Samuel soon, God willing.
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We left off last time and David wanted his wife Michal back as a precondition for a compact with Abner, who was putting himself in the position of Kingmaker.
What is interesting here is that David directly sends messengers to Ishbosheth and does not entrust it to Abner. This may have not been because of any distrust of Abner, but may have been more convincing coming right from David - besides Ishbosheth would probably have smelled a rat right away if Abner brought the request.
Once the king got the request, Abner then could support it to the King. Keep in mind that any compact between David and Abner probably had to be kept secret. The foreskins of Philistines was clearly some kind reference to his previous payment for her when Saul was king (1 Samuel 18:25). David lays out powerful arguments that Michal was his by marriage and by rights. In short, David is saying, 'give me what is mine'.
Ishbosheth complies and takes her from her other husband, Paltiel.
And her husband went with her,Paltiel was clearly fond of his wife and was deeply moved when she was taken from him. Those of you who are divorced or in bad marriages know that such feelings of sadness accompanying the departure of a spouse are not universal (!). But Paltiel should have known better and that another man had rights to her when he married Michal. Matthew Henry (1662-1714) in his commentary implies that God in this episode, brought husband and wife back together again. Abner appears to be making sure things went ahead as planned and tells Paltiel to go on back home.
weeping as he went,
and followed her to Bahurim.
Then said Abner unto him, Go,
return: and he returned.
(2 Samuel 3:16 - ASV)
And Abner had communication
with the elders of Israel, saying,
In times past ye sought for David
to be king over you: now then do it;
for Jehovah hath spoken of David, saying,
By the hand of my servant David
I will save my people Israel
out of the hand of the Philistines,
and out of the hand of all their enemies.
(2 Samuel 3:17-18 - ASV)
Abner continues his little plot to create an insurrection against Ishbosheth the king, that he still at least in pretense, served. In short, he is calling on the elders to forsake his former master in favor of David. Abner now cleverly invokes the name of the Lord. Let us remember it was not from any respect for the Lord's word that made him go over to David, but an insult thrown at him by Ishbosheth. Abner is politicking; lobbying if you will now, for a change in dynasty.
And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin:
and Abner went also to speak in the ears
of David in Hebron all that seemed
good to Israel, and to the
whole house of Benjamin.
(2 Samuel 3:19 - ASV)
This was important because Benjamin was the tribe that Saul's house was from. Getting their support was crucial.
So Abner came to David to Hebron,
and twenty men with him.
And David made Abner and the men
that were with him a feast.
(2 Samuel 3:20 - ASV)
Abner does his part of the bargain, comes back to meet David and they celebrate Abner's efforts and almost certainly this new alliance.Joab got his payback for the death of his brother, via a cold blooded murder. Revenge may have been the key part of this, but some have surmised that there may have been politics also involved here. That if Abner turned out to be useful to David as top warrior, he might displace Joab.
And Abner said unto David,Abner is getting ready to put the capstone on his plan and have all come and acknowledge David as King and heads out to do just that.
I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel
unto my lord the king,
that they may make a covenant with thee,
and that thou mayest reign over all
that thy soul desireth.
And David sent Abner away;
and he went in peace.
(2 Samuel 3:21 - ASV)
And, behold, the servants of David and JoabEnter Joab, a man with a serious bone to pick with Abner. Remember, it was Abner who slew his brother, Asahel. Joab was a man who was not going to forget that. Joab was out on some kind of raid and had a lot of booty with him and just returned. David, may have arranged this task for Joab timed while Abner was coming, knowing Joab would not be pleased. He is told of Abner's arrival and departure in peace.... or so everyone thinks!
came from a foray, and brought
in a great spoil with them:
but Abner was not with David in Hebron;
for he had sent him away,
and he was gone in peace.
When Joab and all the host that
was with him were come, they told Joab,
saying, Abner the son of Ner
came to the king,
and he hath sent him away,
and he is gone in peace.
(2 Samuel 3:22-23 - ASV)
Then Joab came to the king, and said,Joab is not pleased at all by this, 'so Abner was here... come and gone you say?', seems to be the gist of this.
What hast thou done? behold,
Abner came unto thee;
why is it that thou hast sent him away,
and he is quite gone?
(2 Samuel 3:24 - ASV)
Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner,
that he came to deceive thee,
and to know thy going out and thy coming in,
and to know all that thou doest.
(2 Samuel 3:25 - ASV)
Abner is clearly displeased with this and now gives David advice which appears to be wholly self-interested, implying that Abner really is a spy, wanting to know his defenses. There appears to be no truth to Joab's accusation, which seems based upon his own bitterness regarding the death of his brother.
And when Joab was come out from David,
he sent messengers after Abner,
and they brought him back from the well of Sirah:
but David knew it not. And when Abner
was returned to Hebron, Joab took him
aside into the midst of the gate to speak
with him quietly, and smote him there
in the body, so that he died,
for the blood of Asahel his brother.
(2 Samuel 3:26-27 - ASV)
The whole thing appears to be deceitfully arranged. Abner probably figured David had a new message for him and it was delivered him by Abner and this is why he met with him as he did. Remember, David had let him depart in peace, so he had no reason to suspect treachery.
Joab was wrong on almost every count. First, his brother fell in battle and even then, Abner warned him to cease pursuing him. He refused. It was either Abner or Asahel's life and Abner merely acted in self defense. Such a death does not warrant revenge. The narrator here makes it clear that David had nothing to do with this foul deed. Clearly he did not, it was not in his interest to mess up the arrangements before they had been concluded.
These were brutal times. But royal politics throughout the ancient and even medieval world were no less violent. Even today, murder is often the weapon of choice in deep political intrigue. Men these days are just better at casting the blame on the innocent for their crimes and treachery (or create carefully choreographed 'accidents') and take great pains to arrange things to avoid any accountability. Men have been slaying one another since Cain slew Abel. It's the curse of sin and being held hostage, knowingly or unknowingly, to the devil.
We will look at how David reacts to this murder soon, God willing.
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In the last section we saw how one battle turned out. But that was hardly the end of the affair. This was a civil war and one that lasted for some time. As I have said before, civil wars are the very worst and can often be the most brutal. Private quarrels and feud's between people and families can often be created or exacerbated in such wars. The author here, not wanting to dwell on all of the various effects of civil war reduces much of it to a few passages.
This was probably mostly 'low intensity' conflict/warfare rather than an all out war. But the long and short of it was, David was winning.
In these passages, we get a look at David's wives, perhaps 'harem' would be a better word for it. He had at this point in time, six of them and listed above are the male children born of them. David's actions here were in clear contravention to the Mosaic law. Polygamy was forbidden for Israel's kings (see Deuteronomy 17:17). David's marital escapades will one day cause a lot of trouble in Israel and for himself, personally.
Of note here is that Absalom was the son of Maacah, who was the daughter of a King who was not an Israelite, but was of Geshur. Marrying foreign wives was frowned upon under the Old Covenant (Deuteronomy 7:3-4; 23:3-4), though the specific prohibition may not have applied to Geshur. Yet we shall see much later in this book, her offspring will cause one of the biggest problems for David later in his reign.
Yet David here may have only been doing what Kings have done throughout the ages, using marriage as a bond between nations and/or key power centers to cement positive relations and bolster their authority. All of these things took place in David's first capital, Hebron.
And it came to pass,
while there was war between
the house of Saul and the
house of David, that Abner
made himself strong
in the house of Saul.
Now Saul had a concubine,
whose name was Rizpah,
the daughter of Aiah:
and Ish-bosheth said to Abner,
Wherefore hast thou gone
in unto my father's concubine?
(2 Samuel 3:6-7 - ASV)
The war continues, but during it we see a serious controversy is arising between David's rival nominal 'king' and his military commander who seems to be the real 'prop' holding up his kingdom.
Ishbosheth accuses Abner of sleeping with Saul's concubine, Rizpah. We don't know if there was any truth to this or if someone had just whispered a rumor in the King's ear. But true or not, this was a very impolitic thing to do. It was like kicking a leg out from under a three-legged stool. Clearly Ishboseth was not 'king' material; one has to have strong sense of political survival and this, he clearly lacked.
Then was Abner very wroth
for the words of Ish-bosheth,
and said, Am I a dog's head
that belongeth to Judah?
This day do I show kindness
unto the house of Saul thy father,
to his brethren, and to his friends,
and have not delivered thee
into the hand of David;
and yet thou chargest me this day
with a fault concerning this woman.
God do so to Abner, and more also,
if, as Jehovah hath sworn to David,
I do not even so to him; to transfer
the kingdom from the house of Saul,
and to set up the throne of David
over Israel and over Judah,
from Dan even to Beer-sheba.
(2 Samuel 3:8-10 - ASV)
Abner is absolutely livid with this accusation and his words here and following actions I think mean that the charge was probably a false one. If it were true, his position within the kingdom would have probably withstood the accusation, but once this thing was charged at him I suspect he just kind of said (colorful paraphrasing)... You know what? I was doing all of this for your father sake, whom I served faithfully and wanted to see his bloodline keep the throne. I have worked tirelessly for you and your throne and now you going to accuse me and make an issue of this? Enough! I protected you from David and now, I am going over to his side and help make him King. King Ishboseth... you can take this job and put it with the part of the body that gets very little sunlight!
Yet some commentators think he may have been guilty because he did not deny the charge, but rather the idea was that this was a trivial matter, they were at war - it was not at time to concern oneself with such matters. I tend to disagree with this because Abner's retort about being a dog's head seems to indicate that only such a person would do that and that was not the kind of person he was. The charge was very offensive to him. My own view is that I think what really got him angry was the kings ingratitude.
In any event, Ishboseth had just committed political suicide and probably didn't realize it yet.
And he could not answerThe King was afraid of Abner and was speechless at Abner's words and anger. Abner had the military on his side and while he probably could remove him by force, that would almost certainly mean another war within the Saul faction, whose elders would probably not accept Abner as King after deposing Ishboseth.
Abner another word,
because he feared him.
(2 Samuel 3:11 - ASV)
And Abner sent messengers
to David on his behalf, saying
Whose is the land? saying also,
Make thy league with me,
and, behold, my hand shall be with thee,
to bring about all Israel unto thee.
And he said, Well; I will
make a league with thee;
but one thing I require of thee:
that is, thou shalt not see my face,
except thou first bring Michal,
Saul's daughter,
when thou comest
to see my face.
(2 Samuel 3:12-13 - ASV)
Abner was not just talking when he said he was going to switch sides to the king. He meant business and right away sets out to do exactly what his oath before the King entailed. Making a pact with David was a key part of that.
So he sends messengers to David, a kind of 'peace commission' to see how David reacts to an overture. Whose is the land? This phrase is not 100% clear as to its meaning. Some think it is Abner's confession that David is the rightful king, others seem to think it indicates that Abner was putting himself in the position of Kingmaker basically insinuating that he had the power to decide who would be King.
The two do make a league (an agreement) but David has one condition, that he brings his first wife Michal with him. David I think remembered his wife with real affection, for she had saved him once before, over the deep anger of her father, King Saul. That kind of loyalty is not always easy to find, particularly in Royal circles.
But David probably had other reasons as well. I think one key one was to put one of Saul's line as his wife and this might help bolster his claim to the throne and probably assuage some of the reservations those in Ishboseth's camp would have in accepting David. Moreover, being Saul's daughter, someone else might try and marry her and try to make a rival claim to the throne. Without Michal, there would be no pact.
I also suspect that David, while missing Michal, was also thinking ahead. Being King is not easy task. One has to always stay one step ahead of your enemies...
...and your friends.
We will continue our look at 2 Samuel soon, God willing.
Back To Contents27 Jan
We left off last time as Abner's attempt to set up a new King was going badly as did the 'games' that had been set up apparently to influence/determine the outcome of the succession.
The above passage describes three men who were related to David. Asahel here is noted as being exceptionally fast on foot. This was a very important trait for a warrior in those times. Asahel was chasing Abner and was doing it rather relentlessly. The passage seems to indicate that others who were with Abner could have been captured by him, but he was focusing in on Abner. They exchange words and clearly Asahel isn't going to give up the chase.
The passage about the armor? Abner may have been asking him to settle for some other 'war trophy' than seeking his life. My read of this passage was that Abner was genuinely concerned that if the two really came face to face, Abner knew that Asahel was no match for him and that his death was certain.
And Abner said again to Asahel,Abner warns Asahel about continuing and as we can see in continuing the pursuit, Abner kills him.
Turn thee aside from following me:
wherefore should I smite thee to the ground?
how then should I hold up
my face to Joab thy brother?
Howbeit he refused to turn aside:
wherefore Abner with the hinder end of
the spear smote him in the body, so that
the spear came out behind him;
and he fell down there,
and died in the same place:
and it came to pass,
that as many as came to the place
where Asahel fell down
and died stood still.
(2 Samuel 2:22-23 - ASV)
But Joab and Abishai pursued after Abner:This passage, like pretty much this whole chapter, is pretty self explanatory. Joab comes within communication distance of Abner and Abner basically says there has been enough bloodshed and any more of it and everyone will regret it.
and the sun went down when they were
come to the hill of Ammah,
that lieth before Giah
by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.
And the children of Benjamin
gathered themselves together after Abner,
and became one band,
and stood on the top of a hill.
Then Abner called to Joab, and said,
Shall the sword devour for ever?
knowest thou not that it will be
bitterness in the latter end?
how long shall it be then, ere thou bid
the people return from
following their brethren?
And Joab said, As God liveth,
if thou hadst not spoken, surely then
in the morning the people had gone away,
nor followed every one his brother.
So Joab blew the trumpet;
and all the people stood still,
and pursued after Israel no more,
neither fought they any more. And Abner
and his men went all that night
through the Arabah;
and they passed over the Jordan,
and went through
all Bithron, and came to Mahanaim.
And Joab returned from following Abner:
and when he had gathered
all the people together,
there lacked of David's servants
nineteen men and Asahel.
But the servants of David had smitten
of Benjamin, and of Abner's men,
so that three hundred and threescore men died.
And they took up Asahel, and buried him
in the sepulchre of his father,
which was in Beth-lehem.
And Joab and his men went all night,
and the day brake upon them at Hebron.
(2 Samuel 2:24-32 - ASV)
This is so very true of civil wars, the people whose blood one must shed is often ones friends, former allies and even family. Joab in essence agrees to a kind of 'truce'. So Abner and his men withdraw. All told, David lost 20 men; Asahel included, whereas Abner lost many more, 360. The city that Abner retreated to Mahanaim, is known as Two Camps and was known from Patriarchal times (Genesis 32:1-2).
Civil wars are the worst. They really are. I am a bit of an American Civil War buff and the stories I have read really makes me shudder at the loss of life, destruction and suffering that civil conflict engendered. I believe that our tragedy today in this country, is that our nation seems to have forgotten that war and its causes; the obvious as well as other underlying, but that were just as important ones. We had two opposing visions for the future, one slave based and the other one based on freedom and it led to the greatest conflagration on this hemisphere, even to this day.
Many of the themes are different, but the hazy battle lines between freedom and a kind of technological control (some call it slavery) are already looming upon us today. You may wish to do a cursory internet search on the terms - technology social control and see what you find.
I hope and pray that we never see violence used as the method for settling these and other troubling and increasingly divisive visions for the future.
I really, really do. But looking around the nation and the things that have been going on in it, such a tragic potentiality is not outside of the realm of possibility.
We will continue our look at the book of 2 Samuel soon, God willing!
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We left off last time with the death of Saul and Jonathan, with David's song remembering them.
After their tears and genuine sorrow where over, there was work to do. David seeks the Lord's council. What saith the Lord? This should always be what a saint says before he makes key decisions. David wants to know if he should go and to where. He gets positive answers in both instances. He was to go to Hebron. This was a city that was friendly disposed to David (1Samuel 30:31).
So David went up thither,So he gathered up his wives and his men and they went and lived in Hebron and this is key - according to the direction of the Lord. While there, he is anointed King. This is probably better seen as his crowning, not anointing because Samuel already anointed him back in 1Samuel 16:13. After his crowning/anointing he is informed of those who buried Saul.
and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,
and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
And his men that were with him did David bring up,
every man with his household:
and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
And the men of Judah came,
and there they anointed David king
over the house of Judah. And they told David,
saying, The men of Jabesh-gilead
were they that buried Saul.
(2 Samuel 2:2-4 - ASV)
And David sent messengersDavid is now acting like a king, he thanks those who buried Saul and does so in the name of the Lord but also reminds them of the facts. As they said in the olden days when the King died, 'The King is dead, long live the King!'. This is pretty much the gist of what David's message is, the old King is gone, I am king now... of Judah. But there is a problem and the following passages outline it.
unto the men of Jabesh-gilead,
and said unto them, Blessed be ye of Jehovah,
that ye have showed this kindness unto your lord,
even unto Saul, and have buried him.
And now Jehovah show lovingkindness
and truth unto you: and I also will requite
you this kindness, because ye have
done this thing. Now therefore let your
hands be strong, and be ye valiant;
for Saul your lord is dead,
and also the house of Judah
have anointed me king over them.
(2 Samuel 2:5-7 - ASV)
Now Abner the son of Ner,Abner was Saul's kin and thus it seems to me that what is happening is that Abner wanted to keep the royal line 'in the family', so to speak, so he chooses one of Saul's son to reign. His name gives us a hint as to where he was to take the nation.
captain of Saul's host,
had taken Ish-bosheth the son of Saul,
and brought him over to Mahanaim;
and he made him king over Gilead,
and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel,
and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin,
and over all Israel. Ish-bosheth, Saul's son,
was forty years old when he began
to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years.
But the house of Judah followed David.
(2 Samuel 2:8-10 - ASV)
The name bosheth (shame) was often used in place of the name Baal, which as you all know was an idol worshiped by many. His name as listed in Chronicles is Eshbaal (1Chronicles 8:33). That is right, his name means man of Baal or man of shame. How could a man name his son after such an idol? Let us never forget who it was who slaughtered all of the Lord's prophets.
Abner had considerable stature in the country and this looks like it was a kind of power grab in favor of Saul's house. Abner is going to be trouble. But power or the promise of it and wealth often reveals the true character of a person; that and the driving demons of personal ambition. Basically we have two kings, one ordained by God; the other, by Abner. Though it does seem clear that Judah was firmly behind David. Whenever God sets a person on high, the devil will always stir up opposition to him.
And the time that David
was king in Hebron over the
house of Judah was
seven years and six months.
And Abner the son of Ner,
and the servants of Ish-bosheth
the son of Saul, went out
from Mahanaim to Gibeon.
(2 Samuel 2:11-12 - ASV)
The dating here is a matter of some scholastic debate. I won't get into it here (see Adam Clarke's [1762-1832] Commentary on the Bible for comments on this). In verse 12 we see that Abner took Ish-bosheth's servants to Gibeon. This was seems to be a preparation for war and part of a struggle for the crown and to consolidate power under one king, Isbosheth.
And Joab the son of Zeruiah,
and the servants of David,
went out, and met them
by the pool of Gibeon;
and they sat down, the one
on the one side of the pool,
and the other
on the other side of the pool.
And Abner said to Joab,
Let the young men,
I pray thee, arise and play before us.
And Joab said, Let them arise.
Then they arose and went over by number:
twelve for Benjamin,
and for Ish-bosheth the son of Saul,
and twelve of the servants of David.
And they caught every one
his fellow by the head,
and thrust his sword
in his fellow's side;
so they fell down together:
wherefore that place was
called Helkath-hazzurim,
which is in Gibeon.
(2 Samuel 2:13-16 - ASV)
Joab is basically David's war chief and he goes out to meet this host. They sit down by some pool at Gibeon and have a chat. The idea here seems to be that the contest between the two armies will be 'fought' by this tournament. It is not clear to me if this was meant for harmless fun or if this was to be a contest of champions and the winning team of the contest wins the battle. This is hardly unheard of in ancient times. This view makes some sense as each side probably were not really ready to do the whole 'civil war' thing.
Israel had already had wars and lost their first king. Starting another one was probably not on either side's 'list of things to do today'. But this also just may have been some kind of treachery using 'games' that turned out badly during what should have been merely competitive games; or perhaps some kind of blood sport (ie, gladiatorial).
And the battle was very sore that day:It is hard to get a real sense of what all of this, but perhaps since the 'games' did not decide anything substantive, it appears that a general battle ensued and as we see, it did not go well for Abner and his men.
and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel,
before the servants of David.
(2 Samuel 2:17 - ASV)
Abner's power grab is going badly.
I think the lesson here for all of us is that even when we think we have 'arrived' at where God wants us to be, there are still going to be more 'dragons to slay', as the saying goes. Opposition does not mean we are outside of God's will, it can often mean were are right in the middle of it. This was God's will, David being king, but it was not a bed or roses for David. There were many problems that had to be dealt with and this rival claimant was one of them.
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And it came to pass after the death of Saul,On to the book of 2 Samuel.
when David was returned
from the slaughter of the Amalekites,
and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
it came to pass on the third day, that,
behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul,
with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head:
and so it was, when he came to David,
that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
(2 Samuel 1:1-2 - ASV)
This book according to some commentators is not separated from the first book of Samuel in some copies of the Hebrew Bible. In other words, there was just one book of Samuel, not the first and second as it was passed down to us in our Bibles, so this is why I will just pretty much continue on and treat this as one book.
In the above passage we find David at the 'hangout' that the ruler of the Philistines, Achish gave him. I say hangout because the Amalekites had previously burned the place down and they probably had little more than makeshift and very rudimentary accommodations there.
While there, on the third day after their return from getting their families back, a man comes into the camp with news or perhaps better said, a story. He comes before David and does him homage.
And David said unto him,
From whence comest thou?
And he said unto him,
Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped
And David said unto him, How went the matter?
I pray thee, tell me. And he answered,
The people are fled from the battle,
and many of the people also are fallen and dead;
and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
(2 Samuel 1:3-4 - ASV)
David wants to know who this person is who comes into his camp, or more specifically, where he comes from. Given the general situation - Israel at war and all, David having just rescued his wives and the families of his men, David has every right to be somewhat suspicious. So this man relays his version of events and starts off with what appears to be the at least in part, the basic facts. The key was that Saul and his sons were dead.
And David said unto the young manHere is where this Amalekite's story appears to veer off track. Saul took his own life (1 Sam 31:5).
that told him, How knowest thou
that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
And the young man that told him said,
As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa,
behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo,
the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
And when he looked behind him,
he saw me, and called unto me.
And I answered, Here am I.
And he said unto me,
Who art thou? And I answered him,
I am an Amalekite.
And he said unto me, Stand,
I pray thee, beside me, and slay me;
for anguish hath taken hold of me,
because my life is yet whole in me.
So I stood beside him, and slew him,
because I was sure that he could not live
after that he was fallen:
and I took the crown that was upon his head,
and the bracelet that was on his arm,
and have brought them hither unto my lord.
(2 Samuel 1:5-10 - ASV)
These passages seems to indicate that this man who reports of Saul's death was fully aware that David was set to be King thereafter. This man was an Amalekite and his story, while having some elements of truth to it, does have some serious problems with it. But we will get to that in a minute.
Then David took hold on his clothes,There appears to be genuine mourning here over the death of Saul. Outlaws and vagabonds some of them may have been, but they clearly had considerable 'patriotic' feelings for their fallen King and their nation. But there were others who were dead as well from the battle. Certainly brothers, fathers, other kin and friends as well had also fallen, for the battle appears to have been a rout.
and rent them; and likewise
all the men that were with him:
and they mourned, and wept,
and fasted until even,
for Saul, and for Jonathan his son,
and for the people of Jehovah,
and for the house of Israel;
because they were fallen by the sword.
(2 Samuel 1:11-12 - ASV)
And David said unto the young man that told him,
Whence art thou? And he answered,
I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.
And David said unto him,
How wast thou not afraid
to put forth thy hand
to destroy Jehovah's anointed?
And David called one of the young men,
and said, Go near, and fall upon him.
And he smote him, so that he died.
And David said unto him,
Thy blood be upon thy head;
for thy mouth hath testified against thee,
saying, I have slain Jehovah's anointed.
(2 Samuel 1:13-16 - ASV)
So he hears the story from this man and now wants to know more about who he is. A wise man always considers the source of any news and information he hears. As a future King, David is wise to interrogate this man who brought him this news (in our times of fake news, propaganda and false narratives - let the wise man beware). 'Who are you and where do you come from?', is the basic question and David once again, I think behaves with unnecessary rashness and violence. In his state of outrage, he slays this news bearer for bringing him this news.
Now granted, he testified against himself that he slew Saul the King, but it was hardly murder since according to his story, Saul asked for it - it was an 'assisted suicide' according to his version of events. But as we know, his story does not line up with what really happened. Saul's armor-bearer was asked by Saul to end his life and refused, so Saul took his own life.
Why did this Amalekite tell David such a tale? Who knows, but I suspect that he probably wanted to ingratiate himself with David, knowing he would be king (he did homage to him when he arrived), he probably figured that such a story would win him a reward with David in that he slew the obstacle to David's rise to the throne. David could not allow such a tale to gain weight with others, lest it be suspected that David had hired this man to do the deed and he was merely coming to David to get his blood money.
He would not want anyone thinking it was anything but the move of the God of Israel who put him on the throne. David as well had to ensure that others knew just what a serious matter it was to kill God's anointed. But David was clearly quite angry when this Amalekite did this deed or rather, told this tale.
His lie cost him his life. A lie or false report, particularly in a time of crisis or war can often have just that high a price tag.
And David lamented with this lamentationDavid sings his Psalm to the fallen king and his son Jonathan, with whom David was the best of friends. Albert Barnes (1798-1870) notes in his commentary that the name of the song is 'The Bow' as in bow and arrow. The reference to the Book of Jasher may not be about a particular song, but may be regarding a request that the people of Israel learn the bow (Jasher 56:9). Those of you interested can easily find a copy of the book on the net.
over Saul and over Jonathan his son
(and he bade them teach the
children of Judah the song of the bow:
behold, it is written in the book of Jashar):
Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places!
How are the mighty fallen! Tell it not in Gath,
Publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon;
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
Ye mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
neither fields of offerings: For there the shield
of the mighty was vilely cast away, The shield of Saul,
not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain,
from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan turned not back,
And the sword of Saul returned not empty.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided:
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet delicately,
Who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is slain upon thy high places.
I am distressed for thee,
my brother Jonathan: Very pleasant
hast thou been unto me:
Thy love to me was wonderful,
Passing the love of women.
How are the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!
(2 Samuel 1:17-27 - ASV)
This is a kind of war song, set to music for which we only have the poetry/lyrics. This is one that he does not want sung in Gath or Ashkelon for both of these were Philistine cities. Israel was lamenting the loss of her king, the Philistines were certainly rejoicing. Saul and Johnathan were both clearly well renowned warriors and respected for their abilities in battle, so this song praises those attributes. Then the song goes on to lament the fall of these two hero's of Israel's wars. David in particular is deeply moved by Johnathan's passing as the two were great friends.
Some believe this may have become a kind of national war song. Moses as well had commanded that a song be learned by Israel (Deuteronomy 31:19) and at the death of Israel's first King, David is now doing essentially the same thing.
We'll continue on with our look at 2 Samuel, soon, God willing!
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In the first book of Samuel we see how David became what he was, ready to be King. We saw how Samuel, the prophet/judge was basically rejected by the people because of the behavior of his sons and then we saw the anointing of Saul - over Samuel's objections and God's specific warnings to the people about what they could expect with this king they so earnestly desired. We saw how Saul who had a lot of promise turned out to be a disaster.
This can happen. People can get called and then get rejected. Rebellion, sin, dishonoring God... these are just some of the things that can get a man rejected of the Lord. Saul, soon after he became king ceased to listen to good advice. Then he and Samuel, God's prophet went separate ways. Then Saul went and killed a mass of God's servants. In short, Saul had gone off the rails. There comes a time when God stops listening to the rebellious when they pray and this is what happened to Saul. He had not only forsaken the Lord, but became his enemy, this after having been raised by God to the throne. In the end, he was a suicide.
Saul's life and death should be a warning to each of us. To never forsake the Lord, to do what he commands and to never take his forgiveness for granted.
Let it never, ever be said that God has not experienced betrayal. He has. We get betrayed and don't think God doesn't know exactly how we feel. He does. He has felt it many times before. So when you come to God and tell him of how someone betrayed your trust, sold you down the river, ripped you off, don't think for a second he does not fully and completely understand. Was not Christ betrayed by one of the disciples whom he trusted?
Saul betrayed his God and his calling. Samuel, I think however who was a great prophet and deeply beloved of God, nearly fell into the same trap as Eli, whose sons brought great dishonor on the House of the Lord. But Samuel was faithful to God all the days of his life and was well respected by God's people. When the people rebelled against Samuel, it was not because of him or his ways, but because of his sons.
One thing I take away from this book after many years since I took a serious study of it, is that David had to be tempered before he could rule effectively for the Lord. So he had to go through many trials and tribulations. He had to learn 'court politics' the hard way. Here was his first lesson - do right, be faithful to the King and you get rewarded with a spear thrown at you. Lesson? Politics is a treacherous and vicious business. Be it a monarchy, democracy or dictatorship. You walk into the corridors of real power and too often, you have just entered into a combination vipers nest, lions den and an asylum for the criminally insane.
David saw this first hand and with some of his experiences, he would never ever forget just what politics was really all about - the crazy, verses the greedy, versus the incompetent, versus those infected with the lust for more power; with the noble, honorable and good man framed, arrested and doing time for a crime that never even entered his mind.
Then the lust, when it hath conceived,
beareth sin: and the sin,
when it is fullgrown,
bringeth forth death.
(James 1:15 - ASV)
Many folks thought I should have gone into politics. Even when I was young they thought so. I never even considered it and now that I am older, I am glad I never did.
And politics does enter into this book and all the books of the Kings and Chronicles. These are stories of rebellions, murders, royal marriages, good kings and horrible ones and God's judgment of wicked rulers
David remained faithful to God and God kept his word. He was about to become King and we will get to that as we start 2 Samuel, God willing. This book is key for the scriptures and the life of Israel because it tells us of a very important transition from the age of the Judges to the age of the Kings.
I hope you all got something out of that book. I think the key takeaway for me was that God did make a promise to David, but like Abraham, he had a long way to go, many battles to fight and many a trial to undergo before the promise was fulfilled.
We too have been given a promise and I know each of you here (referring to insiders at this site) knows that the road to eternal life is not strewn with lilies on a golden path with beautiful angels strumming harps as we traverse the rose fragranced highway. It's a hard life and for some of us, it may get a lot harder. Let us toughen up and listen most very carefully to what God (not some wannabe prophet or fake pastor or sold-out minister) has to say to each of us in these difficult times. We don't know what the future holds. But I suspect whatever it is in this twisted world, it's not going to be good.
Let us remember men like Samuel and David and their faithfulness. Let us remember how they too were tried and had a hard time of it but God still looked out for them, through the thick of it.
But let us also never forget the failures of men like Saul and Eli either. All of these are examples we need to heed in our walk with Christ.
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Note: The Bible version usually quoted from on this site is now the American Standard Version, which according to Wikipedia, the Sword Project and various other Bible sites, was published in 1901 and is now in the Public Domain.
Additionally, Bible commentaries and dictionaries mentioned herein are almost always very old (usually published in the 1800's or before). I often reference them with both the common names of the work as well as the original publishing date or the birth and death years of the author. I gravitate to older, more conservative scholarship when studying the Bible.
Finally, at times you will find an 'ff' after a referenced verse, this merely means 'and forward' or 'follow forward' for the whole meaning of the text.