From 2 Samuel 4-7
The theme of today’s passage is that God’s chosen king becomes greater and greater. Because the LORD is with him. In these early stages of David’s reign the LORD furthers his kingdom. Victory by victory he makes a claim over the land and rules over it. His success is a measure of the LORD’s blessing.
This post is part of my bible in a year series.
Passage and Comments
Several people are named who remain in Saul’s household. One man is Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son. When Mephibosheth’s nurse heard of Saul and Jonathans defeat she fled. In her haste Mephibosheth fell over and both his feet became lame. Of Saul’s household, the only remaining significant threat to David is Ish-bosheth. Thinking David will reward them, two men creep up on Ish-bosheth while he is sleeping and kill him. They take his head and bring it to David. David however considered Ish-bosheth a righteous man so he condemns their actions. He has them both killed and he buries Ish-bosheth with Abner. Whether David intended it or not, all significant threats to his reign have now been removed (2 Sam 4.1-12).
This is where our passage picks up.
5 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’ ” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. (2 Sa 5:1–5)
David is from Judah and even at these early stages there is a little rivalry between Judah and Israel because of Saul. The people of Israel however want David to rule over them. So they make a covenant with him. Covenants are used to bind a people under the authority of a King.
Are you in covenant relationship with God?
6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” (2 Sa 5:6)
David didn’t always live in Jerusalem. He had to conquer it first. The inhabitants of Jerusalem believed their city was so defendable the ‘blind and the lame’ could ward anyone off. Presumably it had strong and high walls. Battlements for walking on top of them. Slits for arrows, etc.
They thought to themselves, ‘David cannot come in here’.
7 Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 And David said on that day, “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack ‘the lame and the blind,’ who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”
It seems the ‘blind and the lame’ of Jerusalem forgot about the water shaft that ran under the wall. ‘David cannot come in here’ has changed into ‘the blind and the lame shall not come’.
9 And David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built the city all around from the Millo inward. 10 And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him. (2 Sa 5:9-10)
The theme of today’s passage is that God’s chosen king becomes greater and greater. Because the LORD is with him. In these early stages of David’s reign the LORD furthers his kingdom.
Victory by victory he makes a claim over the land and rules over it.
His success is a measure of the LORD’s blessing.
11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. 12 And David knew that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. (2 Sa 5:11-12)
After David takes Jerusalem one of the first things he builds is a house for himself.
He knows the LORD has raised him up as King and exalted his kingdom.
David started off as a simple shepherd boy, now he is king of the land. Perhaps one of the first rags to riches stories. He gives credit to the LORD for his rise to power.
The LORD blesses him in other ways as well.
13 And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, and more sons and daughters were born to David. 14 And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet. (2 Sa 5:13–16)
The number of his wives, concubines and the children they bore was also a sign the LORD was with him and was blessing him.
Story of Israel
David keeps on getting greater and greater. But there is a time when things take a turn for the worse in his kingdom. We will eventually find out he sins against the LORD. He does repent of what he has done, but the kingdom is never the same afterward.
David is one of the greatest kings in Israel’s history and he is frequently held up as the standard by which all the others are measured. Most do not live up to him. The promise the LORD made David and the prophets of course prophesy the coming of another king.
Story of Jesus
Who we know to be Jesus. Like King David, Jesus also experienced a time of increase in greatness.
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. (Lk 2:41–52)
Like David, Jesus increased in greatness even as a boy. Here is says in ‘wisdom and in stature’. Knowledge, understanding, physical height, strength and the respect of the people who knew him. He did so because God, his father was with him. Because he is his Son.
Copyright © Joshua Washington and thescripturesays, 2015. All Rights Reserved.
