51. B.C. 1055 to 1034

B.C. 1055 to 1034

Chapter IV

Timeline View:

1. Saul being dead, David inquired of God what course he should take, and was directed to repair to Hebron, the principal town in the tribe of Judah. At that place the men of Judah publicly anointed him as their king. But through the able management of Abner, a near relative of the late king, and the chief commander of his forces, the other tribes acknowledged Ishbosheth, the only surviving son of Saul, whose residence was fixed at Mahanaim, eastward of the Jordan. For two years no hostile acts took place between the two kingdoms; but, at the end of that time, war was commenced by Abner, with the view of bringing Judah under obedience to the house of Saul. To oppose him David sent Joab, his sister’s son, who, with his brothers Abishai and the swift-footed Asahel, had been amongst his most active and devoted followers in all his wanderings. The host remarkable action in this war took place at Gibeon, where the forces of Abner were defeated and put to flight. Abner being closely pursued by Asahel, and having in vain entreated him to desist, smote him dead with his spear. At length a number of Benjamites rallied under Abner, and faced the pursuers, when the opposing tribes came to a parley; and Joab, being persuaded by Abner to prevent the further effusion of kindred blood, drew off his forces, and went home. In most of the other actions of this war David had the advantage, and his interest in the nation daily increased, while that of Ishbosheth declined.

2. One so able and experienced as Abner could not but apprehend the final result; and being stimulated by a personal dispute with Ishbosheth, he resolved to withdraw from him, and give to David that support by which alone the house of Saul was upheld. Having obtained authority from the other tribes to treat with David, he repaired to Hebron, and was there received and entertained with all honor and respect; and after having conferred with the king, withdrew with the intention of completing the transaction. Joab just then returned from a military expedition, and being informed of what had taken place, he became jealously apprehensive that such a man as Abner would soon supplant him with David; and professing to believe that the whole was a snare laid by Abner, he reproached the king, in no very measured terms, for the reception he had given to him. He also burned to avenge the death of his brother, which, indeed, the popular ideas connected with “blood-revenge,” seemed to impose upon him as a duty. He therefore dispatched a messenger to recall Abner, in the king’s name, to Hebron. He met him at the gate of the town, and drawing him aside, as if to speak with him privately, treacherously stabbed him. This was likely to have the very worst effect upon the pending negotiations. David, by the abhorrence he expressed at this cruel and treacherous deed, by his lamentations, and by a magnificent funeral, in which he appeared himself as a mourner, evidenced that he had no part in the murder; and of this the people were satisfied. But the influence of Joab with the soldiers was too great to allow the king, at that time, to inflict on him the punishment he deserved. The loss of Abner rendered the condition of Ishbosheth utterly hopeless; and not long after, two of his own officers, expecting great rewards from David, murdered him in his bed, and hastened with his head to Hebron. But no sooner had David heard their boastful confession, and seen the head of his rival, than, with great indignation, he condemned the assassins to an ignominious death, for the crime by which they had hoped to win his favor.

3. The tribes, now looking upon David as the man who had been specially nominated by the Divine Head of their theocracy, and as one whose military services in the time of Saul entitled him more than any living man to the distinction, unanimously offered him the crown. Having accepted the offer, with conditions annexed to it, David was, in the presence of the elders of all the tribes, anointed a second time at Hebron, and proclaimed king over all Israel. He had then reigned seven and a half years as king of Judah only.

4. The resources of united Israel being now at his disposal, David turned his attention to such military enterprises as might consolidate and extend his empire. His first act was to gain possession of the fortress which was still held by the Jebusites in Mount Zion. This fortress being deemed impregnable, the attempt to take it was derided by the Jebusites. It was, however, carried by storm, under the conduct of Joab, who was in consequence appointed captain-general of the forces of the whole kingdom, as he had been before of those of Judah. David then made Jerusalem the metropolis of his realm, and fixed his residence upon Mount Zion. His success in accomplishing what for many ages had resisted all the efforts of the Israelites, seemed a most auspicious commencement of David’s reign, and even attracted the attention of foreigners. Hiram, king of Tyre, sent ambassadors to congratulate him on his accession to the throne, and to enter into a league with him. As the Phoenicians were well skilled in the fine and useful arts, David was glad to avail himself of their assistance in building a palace in the captured city.

5. The Philistines regarded with apprehension the increasing prosperity of the Israelites; and to keep it in check, invaded the south with a large army. They had some successes at first, David not being prepared to meet them in the field; but when he had collected his forces, he gave them battle, and discomfited them so completely in. two different engagements, that they were never again able to give any serious disturbance to Israel.

6. Having now a respite from war, David formed the design of removing to his new capital the ark of the covenant, which had so long remained in obscurity at Kirjath-jearim. A vast company of priests and Levites, chiefs and elders, from all parts of the land, attended at this important solemnity; and numerous instruments of music sounded in harmony with the glad feelings of the people. But, through ignorance or inadvertence, the ark, which should have been borne on the shoulders of the Levites, was put upon a car drawn by oxen. On the way the animals stumbled, and Uzzah, the son of Abinadab, put forth his hand to support the tottering ark, for which he was struck dead upon the spot, none but priests being allowed to touch it on pain of death (Num 4:15). This judgment threw a damp over the whole proceeding; and David, being afraid to take the ark farther, left it in the care of Obed-edom, a Levite, whose house was near at hand. This person experienced the Divine favor and blessing in a very remarkable manner, during the three months the ark remained under his roof. The news of this encouraged David to resume his original design, which he did with the more confidence, as he had meanwhile taken care to acquaint himself with the prescribed observances for the orderly removal of the ark. It was accordingly removed with great pomp and ceremony, and deposited in a tabernacle which David had provided for it.

Ox Carts

7. About five years after, when the king was inhabiting his house of cedar, and God had given him rest from all his enemies, he meditated the design of building a temple in which the ark of the Lord might be placed, instead of being deposited “within curtains,” or in a tent, as hitherto. This design was at first encouraged by the prophet Nathan; but he was afterwards instructed to tell David that this work was less appropriate for him, who had been a warrior from his youth, and had shed much blood, than for his son, who should enjoy in prosperity and peace the rewards of his father’s victories. Nevertheless, the design itself was highly commended, as betokening proper sentiments; and for this, and for his faithful allegiance to the Supreme King of Israel, it was promised that the sceptre should be perpetuated in his family. To this was added an intimation—sufficiently intelligible to him, and which filled him with joy—that the long-promised Messiah, the Anointed of God, should be numbered among his descendants. To David this was an honor greater than his crown; and in very beautiful and elegant language he expressed his adoration and gratitude. Since he was himself precluded from building the temple, it became an object of interest to him, during the rest of his life, to provide the materials for it, and to form arrangements and lay down rules for the more imposing and orderly celebration of the ritual worship which the law had prescribed. He divided the priests and Levites, who had become very numerous, into bands, and fixed a regular rotation of service. Music, instrumental and vocal, was also introduced by him into the sacred services. A great number of the sacred songs to be used in these services were composed by himself. These are to this day preserved to us in the Book of Psalms.

8. The next measures of David were calculated, if not designed, to give a peaceable and prosperous reign to his successor, by subduing or weakening all the neighboring powers likely to disturb his repose. In successive campaigns he completed the reduction of the Philistines, and took possession of Gath and its towns, using them as barrier towns for Judah; he utterly subdued the Moabites, and dismantled all their strongholds; he cleared his eastern frontier to the Euphrates, and made the Syrians of Zobah and Damascus tributary, and brought the Edomites under the like subjection, after he had defeated them with great slaughter in the valley of Salt. From all these wars, which appear to have occupied about three years, be returned to Jerusalem with rich spoils, which he laid up for the use of the future temple. To the same use he applied the presents which he received from foreign kings whose attention was drawn to his victories, and who deemed it expedient to propitiate so great a conqueror.

9. The Scriptures describe David as “a man after God’s own heart.” By this we are not to understand that David always acted rightly, or that God approved of all he did. Its meaning is, that, in his public capacity, as king of Israel, he acted in accordance with the true theory of the theocratical government; was always alive to his dependence on the Supreme King; took his own true place in the system, and aspired to no other; and conducted all his undertakings with reference to the Supreme will. He constantly calls himself “the servant (or vassal) of Jehovah:” and that, and no other, was the true place for the human king of Israel to fill. By thus limiting the description of David as “a man after God’s own heart,” we are left free from any necessity of vindicating all his acts, or of upholding him as an immaculate character, which he was very far from being. The basis of his character, and the general tone of his conduct, were good—were better than we usually find among men. But the same ardent temperament which sometimes betrayed his judgment in his public acts, led him into great errors and crimes; it also made him the first to discover his lapse, and the last to for give himself. Who can depict the sins of David in stronger language than he does himself? Who was ever more submissive to punishment, or more convinced of his unworthiness to receive forgiveness and consolation?

10. We find him engaged in a war with the Ammonites, in the eighteenth year of his reign, to avenge the insulting treatment which his ambassadors had received from their king. The conduct of this war David entrusted to Joab, and remained himself at Jerusalem. There, while sauntering upon the roof of his palace, after the noon-day sleep which is usual in the East, he perceived a woman whose great beauty attracted his great regard. She proved to be Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, an officer of Canaanitish origin, then absent with the army, besieging Rabbah, the capital of Ammon. David sent for her, and, under the influence of criminal passion, became an adulterer. This first crime was followed by a greater; for, to cover his own sin, and to save the woman from the doom of an adulteress, he sent for Uriah to Jerusalem. Having heard from him the particulars of the war which he pretended to require, the king dismissed him to his own home. But Uriah, considering that it ill became a soldier to seek his bed while his companions lay on the hard ground, under the canopy of heaven, exposed to all the attacks of the enemy, remained all night in the hall of the palace with the guards, and returned to the wars without having seen Bathsheba. This cost him his life; for David, seeing no other way to prevent the consequences he apprehended, made him the bearer of an order to Joab to expose him to certain death in some perilous enterprise against the enemy. He was obeyed by that unscrupulous general; and when David heard that Uriah was dead, he sent for Bathsheba and made her his wife. He had already several wives, as was customary in those times; and among them was Michal, whom he had long ago reclaimed from the man to whom she had been given by Saul.

11. David thought all was now safe; but he was much mistaken. The prophet Nathan was sent to him, and by a fictitious tale of oppression applicable to the case (2Sa 12:1-4), so kindled the anger of David that he not only sentenced the supposed offender to restore fourfold, according to the law, but condemned the criminal to death. Instantly the prophet exclaimed—“Thou art the man!” and proceeded, in the name of the Lord, to rebuke him for his heinous transgression, and to announce the punishments which it became his justice to inflict.

12. No sooner were the eyes of David thus opened than he instantly confessed his crimes with great humility and contrition, and submitted himself to the chastisements of God. This becoming repentance averted the sentence of death from himself, but it was transferred to the offspring of his crime, then newly born. To mark the divine displeasure against sin, the rest of David’s life was full of troubles from his children, three more of whom died untimely deaths; thus, in some sense, completing a fourfold retaliation for the murder of Uriah.

13. The war with the Ammonites was successful. Rabbah, the metropolis, which was the last to yield, was taken; and the people generally were so completely subjected, that David put them to hard labor and servile employments in the fields, woods, and brick-kilns. Among the spoils was the very costly crown of the king, which David appropriated to his own use, and wore on state occasions.