This is a pivotal time in the history of the House of Israel. It’s the beginning of the end for the northern kingdom of Israel. It includes some of the most powerful prophets of the Old Testament: Isaiah, Hosea, Amos, and Job. Some of the better kings reigned in the southern kingdom of Judah, and one of the worst. Ok, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” can be said of almost any time in the history of humankind, but powerful things were happening to Abraham’s seed, and the nations of what we call the Middle East as the Assyrian Empire rose to power.
It is also a difficult time to reconcile the relative dates of the kings of Israel and Judah. I tried with a year by year chart. It’s possible some of the gaps were periods of turmoil when no one was powerful enough to claim kingship in Israel
2 Kings 14:23-29—Jeroboam II, king of Israel23 ¶ In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.
This 2nd Jeroboam followed the example of the first Jeroboam, who set up golden calves in 2 places of worship for the northern kingdom of Israel, lest they be drawn back into the fold of the Davidic line of kings in Judah. Yet God worked through Jeroboam and helped him gain back some territory, and some victories over the kingdom of Judah (recovered the Syrian capital of Damascus to his rule).
And here we hear of Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet—see the Book of Jonah 1:1. Hosea was prophet during at least part of Jeroboam’s reign, as well as Amos. See Hosea 1:1, and Amos 1:1. Note the mention of an earthquake. It must have been a noteworthy occurrence. References to the darkening of the skies (the sun, moon, and stars) occur in Job 3:9, Job 9:7, Amos 8:9, Isa 13:10, Joel 2:10, Joel 2:31, Joel 3:15, Ezek 32:7-8, beside the references in the New Testament: Matt 24:29, Mark 13:24, Luke 21:25 (Luke 23:45 mentions an earthquake and obscuring of the sun at the death of Jesus), Acts 2:20, Rev 6:12. There’s a reference way back in Eccl 12:2 about the sun and moon darkened, which might have been influenced by a previous occurrence (the plagues of Exodus were not forgotten in all those hundreds of years, for example). See https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Darkening-Sun-Moon-And-Stars
2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chron 26:1-22—Azariah/Uzziah, king of Judah
Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah (son of Amoz) were all prophets during the reign of Azariah, variously called Uzziah.
2 Chron 263 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem…
4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah [not the same as the writer of the Book of Zechariah], who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.
Uzziah’s father Amaziah had turned away from God at the end of his reign (2 Chron 25:27-28), and had been killed by a conspiracy. “Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king [in place] of his father Amaziah.”
The “high places” were still a pernicious problem, where people went on worshipping.
Uzziah reconquered/restored Eloth on the Red Sea, in the land of Edom, where Solomon had a navy (1 Kings 9:26, 2 Chron 8:17). He warred successfully against the Philistines and took the city of Gath, built cities around Ashdod after he broke its walls. God helped him against the Philistines and the Arabians. The Ammonites were tributary to him. He had a reputation for strength all the way to Egypt. He rebuilt and fortified Jerusalem, and set engines of war on the walls. He built towers and dug wells in the desert to accommodate his extensive herds in the lowland plains. He loved grape agriculture, and had vineyards in the mountains (hill countries) and around Mt Carmel. His army officers numbered 2600, and his army was 307,500 fighting men strong, well-armed with armor, bows, and slings. But all this power went to his head.
16 ¶ But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.Azariah the priest [could this be a source of the confusion over the name of Uzziah?] along with 80 priests (“valiant men”—probably meaning they were Temple soldiers) confronted him. The sons of Aaron were consecrated to burn incense in God’s house, they reminded him. Uzziah was angry. While he was angry there in the Temple, leprosy arose on his forehead. The priests forced him out, and he was just as anxious to take his leave. He was a leper the rest of his days, had to live in a separate house, and his son Jotham reigned the last 4 years of his life, as co-regent. When he died, he was buried in a field with other kings, but not in the royal burial place, because he was a leper. (2 Kings 15:30 speaks of the 20th year of Jotham, son of Uzziah/Azariah, while the other citations say he was king 16 years).
2 Kings 15:8-31—a series of short reigning kings in Israel (the longest 20 years); Assyria flexes its muscles.
Meanwhile, in the 38th year of king Uzziah/Azariah in Judah, Jeroboam (the second)’s son Zachariah’s reign only lasted 6 months when he was killed by the conspirator Shallum. This fulfilled the prophecy made to Jehu that only 4 generations of his line would rule Israel. Shallum claims the kingship, but is only in power for a month before he is killed by Menahem, who takes his place. Menahem wreaks vengeance on the city of Tirzah because it wasn’t open to him, conquers it, and rips up the pregnant women. Not a nice guy. Menahem’s rule lasts 10 years. Pul, king of Assyria, comes against him, whom he buys off with the money of his wealthy citizens.
Menahem’s son Pekahiah only reigns 2 evil years when his captain/military leader Pekah conspires against him, kills him, and takes over the kingdom in the last year of Azariah/Uzziah’s rule in Judah. Pekah reigns for 20 years. As we shall see, he allies with the Syrian king against Judah. During his reign Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria, carries a good part of his kingdom away captive. Hoshea conspires against him, but he will lose the rest of the rest of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria, as described below.
2 Kings 15:30, 32-38 and 2 Chron 27:1-9 Jotham reigns in Judah
As mentioned above, 2 Kings 15:30 speaks of the 20th year of Jotham, yet every other reference says that he ruled Judah for 16 years. I take this to mean that the first 4 years of his reign he was co-regent with his father Azariah/Uzziah, who had leprosy.
2 Chron 27
1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the Lord. And the people did yet corruptly [still sacrificing in the high places].
Jotham also has his building projects: at the Temple, as well as more cities, castles, and towers in the mountains/hills and forests of Judah. These are perilous times. Assyria is a rising superpower. The Ammonites try to rebel against Jotham, but are put back under tribute. Verse 7 speaks of wars, as though there were other battles to fight. 2 Kings 15:37 says, “In those days the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah [king of Israel].” But, “Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.” One wonders at his early death, at the age of 41. Though the scriptures don’t say what he died of, could it have been death in battle?
2 Kings 16:1-20 and 2 Chron 28:1-27—Ahaz the wicked son of good king Jotham reigns in Judah
Ahaz is only 20 years old when he begins his 16 year reign of terror & trouble, in the 17th year of the Israelite king Pekah. Hosea is still active as a prophet. Isaiah seems to have succeeded Amos (Isa 1:1 says he is son of Amoz) since the time of Uzziah/Amaziah, king of Judah. Jonah was mentioned in the reign of Jeroboam II, probably before Assyria became quite so high and mighty, because Ninevah repented, but there's no mention of him now.
2 Chron 28:1-41 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father: [David is still considered the epitome of a righteous king].
2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.
3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
So, God did not back up Ahaz. The Syrian king Rezin carries away “a great multitude” of captives, retakes the city of Elath. Israel’s king Pekah kills 120,000 Jewish soldiers in one day, carries away 200,000 women and children, and booty to boot. They kill 1-2 of king Ahaz’s sons and the senior cabinet member(s). See also Isa 7.
But a prophet named Obed (seemingly living in Samaria, Israel’s capital) confronts the Israelite army as they arrive at Samaria with all their booty and captives, and they heed his words—one of the few good anecdotes from the northern kingdom of Israel:
2 Chron 289 But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?
11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you.
12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum [remember Shallum who had conspired and killed Jeroboam (the second)’s son Zachariah—they were probably a military family], and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war,
13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the Lord already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.
14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation.
15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
Even the Edomites came and carry away captives from the previously strong kingdom of Judah, and the Philistines invade the southern cities of Judah.
So, Ahaz sends to Tiglath-pileser, king of Assyria for help. He gifts him the treasures of the Temple, his own house, and the princes of the people. The king of Assyria conquers the king of Syria, Rezin, and takes away the people of Damascus as captives. King Ahaz meets the Assyrian king in Damascus and admires the altar there, sends the pattern of it to Urijah the priest, who has it built for him in Jerusalem. When Ahaz returns, he offers sacrifices on it. He moves the brass altar from the Temple, alters the brass “sea”, and orders how the sacrifices are to be done. Urijah accommodates his wishes. Ahaz makes a gift of the holy fixtures of the Temple of God to the king of Assyria.
2 Chron 28:21 says that the king of Assyria didn’t help Ahaz. And in the verses following, it says, “And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers.”
When he dies, they bury him in Jerusalem, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
2 Kings 17:1-41—Hoshea is king of Israel, Shalmaneser King of Assyria takes Israel captive and replaces the inhabitants of Samaria with other people, who worship their own gods, as well as the Lord God
“In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samari over Israel nine years.” He wasn’t a good guy, but not as bad as those before him. Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, comes against him, and he buys him off, becoming tributary to Assyria. But he sends messengers to So, king of Egypt, looking for an alliance. He quits paying tribute to Assyria, so Shalmaneser besieges Samaria 3 awful years. “In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.”
Verses 7-23 recounts all the wickedness of the kingdom of Israel over the years, and Judah as well—even sacrificing their own children to false gods.
“And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.” At first these newcomers don’t think anything of the Lord God of Israel, but after trouble with lions in the land, they figure they need to learn about the God of the land, and ask the Assyrian king for help. He sends priests of God back to them to teach them about Him in Beth-el. They continue to honor their own gods, but make allowance for the God of Israel. “They feared the Lord, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence. Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the Lord, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the Lord commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. . . So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.”
Thus, the beginning of the enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans, and the end of the 10 tribes as a recognizable group—see Hosea 9:17 (the kingdom of Israel is also called “Ephraim”: the first Jeroboam who split the 10 tribes away from Rehoboam (son of Solomon and king of Judah) was from the tribe of Ephraim. There was a rivalry between Judah and Ephraim for hundreds of years).
The Assyrians conquered not just the Israelites, but all the nations around them (see Isa 15-16 Moab, Isa 19-20 Egypt, Isa 23 Tyre; Amos 1 the house of Hazael/Damascus is Syria, Gaza/Ashdod/Ashkelon/Ekron are Philistine cities, Tyrus is Tyre, and then there are the nations of Edom and Ammon). They came right to the gates of Jerusalem under king Hezekiah, but Hezekiah was a good man (despite his father), and God saved His people from the Assyrians. What was left of Israel was reunited under the lineage of David once again. More about Hezekiah next post.
Salomon, by Pedro Berruguete, abt 1500; from Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Solomon's parents & birth--2 Sam 11-12
King David & Bathsheba had an adulterous relationship, and then King David committed a worse crime by having Bathsheba's husband sent to the warfront to be killed, in order to cover up the scandal. Their child born of this adultery died. Solomon was born after David had married Bathsheba following her husband's death. All this is discussed previously, in David part 4.
Solomon is proclaimed King--1 Kings 1-2 (1 Chron 22-29 David organizes the kingdom & makes Solomon king)
It's not possible to know the personal relationship, the feelings of David and of Bathsheba. We can speculate that she had some sort of hold over him, that he promised to make her son his successor. But just as possible is that he had real feelings for her and her son, and perhaps she felt so herself. David seems to have genuinely had great affection for Solomon, as well as trust and respect for him. David had plenty of other sons he could have passed the kingdom to, perhaps with more experience in ruling (he made his sons governors). It may be that David spent more time with Solomon, and/or Bathsheba was an influence for good in his life, despite whatever culpability she may have had in her initial relationship with King David. It's clear that King David sought forgiveness for his part, and if she was in any way blamable, she could also have sought and received forgiveness. The clues for why David favored Solomon are in 1 Kings 3 . . .
1 Kings 3--Solomon seeks wisdom, judges correctly between two women who both claim a baby
Solomon right away seeks a political alliance by marriage with Egypt. He would want peace with perhaps the superpower of the day. He builds his own house, the walls of Jerusalem, and the Temple. This sounds like a heavy financial burden to his kingdom, but David had saved up treasures to effect the building of the Temple, Solomon would have gifts and tribute to help, and as we shall see later, when he passed his kingdom to his son Rehoboam, the people petitioned that the heavy taxation be lightened. Apparently before the Temple was finished Solomon continued to sacrifice to the Lord in Gibeon. Some important details are given in 2 Chron 1:1-13.
3 And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.
4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
5 ¶ In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.
8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.
9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.
11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;
12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.
13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.
15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.
Then as proof that God had blessed Solomon with amazing wisdom, the story of the two harlots and the baby they both claimed is told. Solomon rightly knows that the one would rather give up her claim to the child than to see him split in two. Now there might be some women who out of spite would rather have the child killed than give it up to another. If that was the case, Solomon must have been able to judge the demeanor & attitude of the two. Yet rather than say so, he allows the women to show their true characters. This is an important story to the success of Solomon's kingship, not only in gaining the respect & loyalty of his subjects, but in putting "the fear of God" into the hearts of those who needed it, against trying to deceive their king. It would also make other nations think twice before either rebelling under tribute, or attacking Israel. After so much warfare under the Judges (and probably before), Saul, and David, it seems there was peace in the Middle East.
1 Kings 4--Solomon's government
Solomon's cabinet:
Azariah, son of Zadok: priest
Elihoreph & Ahiah: scribes
Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud: recorder
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada: general
Zadok & Abiathar: priests (prob old by now, as they were part of David's cabinet)
Azariah, son of Nathan: Prime Minister?
Zabud, son of Nathan: principal officer, king's friend (counselor)
Ahishar: chief steward over the household
Adoniram, son of Abda: Secretary of State/foreign office, over tribute
12 regional officers are named that provisioned the king's household by month
each day:
30 measures fine flour, 60 of meal (prob as a type of cereal)
10 fat oxen, 20 from the pastures
100 sheep
game: harts/deer & roebucks, fallowdeer
fatted fowl (domestic birds)
barley & straw for the horses and camels
26 ¶ And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen.
27 And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon’s table, every man in his month: they lacked nothing. (see also 2 Chron 1:14-17)
The extent of Solomon's rule:20 ¶ Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.
21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.
24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river, from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river: and he had peace on all sides round about him.
25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all the days of Solomon.Solomon's character, education, wisdom, fame29 ¶ And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
30 And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.
31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about.
32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.
33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.
34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.1 Kings 5-9 Solomon builds the Temple and his house with the help of Hiram of Tyre (David's friend & ally)
1 Kings 5:1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for Hiram was ever a lover of David.
Solomon sends a letter to Hiram soliciting help.
1 Kings 5--prep to build the Temple (see also 2 Chron 2:1-16)
3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the Lord his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
4 But now the Lord my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.
5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.
Solomon then outlines what he'd like from Hiram, King of Tyre, to hire timber from Lebanon. Hyrum replies that he is glad to help his friend's son. They make a bargain and an alliance.
7 ¶ And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the Lord this day, which hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.13 ¶ And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy was thirty thousand men.
14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was over the levy.
15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens, and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains;
16 Beside the chief of Solomon’s officers which were over the work, three thousand and three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.
17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.
18 And Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.1 Kings 6--building of the Temple took 7 years (4th year of Solomon's reign to the 11th), see 2 Chron 3-4
1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.
Details follow.
11 ¶ And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,
12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.1 Kings 7--Solomon takes 13 years to build his own house, builds a house for his Egyptian wife, adds brass fixtures to the Temple
Solomon spent 13 years building his own house, and he built a house for his Egyptian wife. That could mean either that his own house was more extensive than the Temple, or that he just let it take more time. But most of this chapter continues about the brass fixtures in the Temple, also hired out of Tyre.
1 Kings 7:51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of the Lord. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord.1 Kings 8--Solomon brings the Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle to the Temple, gives a dedicatory prayer, exhorts the people, holds a feast for 2 weeks (see 2 Chron 5-7:11)--note that Solomon's prayer covered not only Israelites in distress, but even foreigners who might hear of Israel's God and come to pray toward His temple.
56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
60 That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
(see also 2 Chron 8:12-16, after the initial dedication of the Temple, sacrifices held as in the Law of Moses)
1 Kings 9--God replies to Solomon's prayer, Solomon gives Hiram 20 cities in Galilee, other works of Solomon, inclu a navy1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do,
2 That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
3 And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:
5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.
6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people. . . (see 2 Chron 7:12-22)
After 20 years both the Temple and Solomon's house are finished. Solomon gives Hiram 20 cities in Galilee (probably as tribute cities), which Hiram doesn't like. But he sends Solomon 120 gold talents. Likely Solomon was trying to raise more money for all his building projects.
Solomon's levies for his building works continue: beside the Temple and his own house, Millo (the house for Solomon's Egyptian wife), the walls of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer (the Pharaoh had captured, burned & killed the Canaanites, and given this city to his daughter, Solomon's wife), Beth-horon the nether, Baalath, Tadmor, cities of store, cities for his chariots & horsemen, etc. See 2 Chron 8:1-6. Note that Solomon had his Egyptian wife moved out of the holy city; 2 Chron 8:11; this may have been more than a religious statement/move, it may also have been wise to put distance between Egyptian influence on palace politics, or control Egyptian involvement in political intrigue.
On whatever remnants of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, were levied a tribute of bondservice. "But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.
These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon’s work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that wrought in the work." (see also 2 Chron 2:17-18 & 2 Chron 8:7-10)
26 ¶ And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.
27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.
28 And they came to Ophir [uncertain seaport or region, I surmise in Africa--possibly what caught the Queen of Sheba's attention; see 1 Kings 10:11], and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.
See 2 Chron 8:17-18)
1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chron 9 the Queen of Sheba, end of Solomon's 40 year rule
The Queen of Sheba hears about Solomon, and comes with hard questions to test him. She brings a large retinue to impress all with her own greatness. But she is so impressed with Solomon that she gives him an abundance of gifts, and he in exchange gives richly to her. She returns home. See 2 Chron 9:1-12.
The rest of 1 Kings 10 outlines the riches of King Solomon. See also 2 Chron 9:13-28.
1 Kings 10
23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.
24 ¶ And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.1 Kings 11--the end of Solomon's wisdom & rule
But Solomon had a weakness for women, and they became his downfall. He had 700 wives & 300 concubines from many lands, forbidden marriages according to the Law of Moses. When he was old, they turned his heart from God to their gods, and he built temples for them. God was not happy about this, and promised Jeroboam, whom Solomon had put over the house of Joseph, that he would reign over 10 of the tribes of Israel. Thereafter Solomon tried to do away with Jeroboam, but he fled to Egypt. Other enemies of Solomon arose to trouble his kingdom in the end. So far all 3 of Israel's kings have been tragic, and the nation would suffer for it.
2 Chron 929 ¶ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?
30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years.
31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
King David in Prayer, by Pieter de Grebber, circa 1635-1640, public domain, from Wikimedia Commons
David—part 5, Kingship's end
2 Sam 20-24, 1 Kings 1-2, 1 Chron 20-292 Sam 20—more battles against Benjaminites, and Joab kills another rival for the Generalship
Once again the rivalry between David and the tribe of Benjamin arises, King Saul having been a Benjaminite. This time “a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba . . . blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his [war] tents, O Israel.” Amazingly, all but the tribe of Judah listen to him.
About Belial, “The word means worthless in Hebrew, and later came to represent the personification of the devil.” For more discussion, see https://mythology.net/demons/belial/
King David had called on Amasa to take Joab’s place as General of the armies, and he sent him to gather an army from the tribe of Judah and meet the king in 3 days. But Amasa didn’t get it together, so David called on Abishai (Joab’s brother) to take the lead. Joab meets and greets Amasa with a kiss, and kills him. Thus Joab and Abishai take over the army in pursuit of Sheba.
Joab with the army comes to besiege Sheba’s army in a city called Abel of Beth-maachah. They cast up a bank and a trench, and begin to batter down the walls. A wise woman from the city calls to Joab to confer with him. She says, “I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?” Joab repies that he doesn’t want to destroy, and will leave if the city will just hand over Sheba. She says they’ll toss his head over the wall, the city does so, and Joab goes back to Jerusalem.
2 Sam 21—famine & Philistines
A 3 year famine oppresses David’s kingdom. He inquires of the Lord (through the priests, no doubt), and is answered that it is because King Saul had killed the Gibeonites that were a remnant of the Amorites that the Israelites had sworn not to kill—see Josh 9. King David asks the Gibeonites what they want, as atonement for the sin “that ye may bless the inheritance of the Lord?”
The Gibeonites don’t want silver or gold from the house of Saul, nor to kill the Israelites, except 7 of Saul’s sons (descendants?) to be delivered to them to be hanged. David agrees, but saves Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, for the oath he had made with Jonathan. One of King Saul’s concubines stays by the bodies to keep the birds and beasts from bothering them. When King David hears about it, he gathers their bones, as well as the bones of Saul and Jonathan that had been saved from the Philistines, and has them buried in the sepulchre of Kish, the father of Saul. “And after that God was entreated for the land”—the famine was done.
The Philistines decide it’s an advantageous time to attack, no doubt figuring that King David has been weakened by civil war and age. David goes with the army. The son of the giant he had slain wants revenge, sees David’s faintness, and thinks this is his chance. But Abishai (General Joab’s brother) comes to David’s aid and kills the giant. David’s men then swear that David is not to risk his life in battle any more.
The Philistines keep trying: 3 more battles. Four of the sons of Goliath the Giant are killed by David and his servants. See also 1 Chron 20:4-8
2 Sam 22—a psalm of David, praising God for His help against his enemies--highlights1 And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:
2 And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;
3 The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
4 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
7 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
25 Therefore the Lord hath recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.
27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.
28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
29 For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.32 For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.
36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great.
37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
47 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.
48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me,
49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
Comment: Perhaps this was a psalm David had written earlier in his career as king and it was appended here, because certainly God was not happy with the Bathsheba/Uriah incident, and certainly David suffered for it. When he says that he had not departed from God and His statutes/laws, I think he was talking about turning to idols, as Solomon and other kings of his lineage would do. Still, God did show mercy to David and his descendants, though they had to suffer for their wrong-doings.
2 Sam 23—the last words of David, 37 of his military leaders & some of their exploits1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
It appears that verse 5 is in recognition of the David’s troubled household, yet affirms that David owes his loyalty to God, who has saved him from so many troubles. Eventually those of Belial will be destroyed, as thorny shrubs that are burned.
The rest of the chapter recounts some of the exploits, and names King David’s military leaders. Notice one of them was Uriah the Hittite. It was not just some foot soldier David betrayed for the sake of Bathsheba. See also 1 Chron 11
2 Sam 24—David has Joab number the people fit for fighting, a pestilence ensues; see also 1 Chron 21
The text says that God was angry with Israel, and moved King David to count the number of fighting men (or those eligible for fighting). ). 1 Chron 21:1 says “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” General Joab doesn’t think it’s a good idea, but he and the captains of the army spend almost 10 months going through all the Israelite lands taking a census. The men of Israel were 800,000, and the men of Judah were 500,000. For some time there has been a distinction between Israel and Judah, which will eventually sever the two into rival kingdoms.
Then David feels guilty. What does counting the fighting men mean? It would seem to be in preparation for a war of aggression. David asks for forgiveness. God sends the prophet Gad, “David’s seer” to offer him 3 alternatives. 1. 7 years of famine, 2. David has to flee his enemies for 3 months, or 3. 3 days of pestilence (disease/pandemic). It’s a hard decision, but David would rather suffer at God’s hands than humans’, and chooses the 3 days of disease, which seems the least of the three. Yet 70,000 men died.
When the destroying angel gets to Jerusalem, God stops him. “It is enough,” He says. (We’ve already discussed whether God “repents” in the way that men are required to repent of their wicked ways.) When David sees how many have died, he blames himself. He asks God why innocents should suffer for his fault. Gad comes to David and says he should build an altar to God “in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite” to stop the plague. David goes as commanded. Araunah sees him coming, makes obeisance, and asks why he's come. David says he’s there to buy the threshingfloor to build an altar. Araunah offers the oxen and wood for the sacrifice, but David insists on buying everything, and they agree on a price. The whole exchange is probably a cultural procedure for bargaining. But David says, “neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing . . . And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.”
1 Kings 1—the woman Abishag keeps aging King David warm, rivalries arise for the succession
The elderly King David can’t keep warm on his own. They find a beautiful young virgin to care for him, and she is the caring kind. There are no sexual relations between them. Some modern people may look askance at such a thing, but aside from the honor of serving the king so closely, some people/nurses are really that caring and altruistic.
Court politics and shenanigans ensue, or continue:
Adonijah, brother of Absalom (whose boldness perhaps inspires and instructs him), wants to be next king. He’s also a good looking guy. He gets chariots and horsemen, and 50 men to run before him. King David doesn’t say anything to him about it. Adonijah recruits General Joab, and the priest Abiathar. He invites all the king’s sons (except Solomon), and “all the men of Judah the king’s servants” (people in positions of power, but not the King’s guard/mighty men who are loyal to him rather than to the army) to a feast.
The priest Zadok, Nathan the prophet, and the mighty men Benaiah, Shimei, and Rei don’t join Adonijah’s club.
Benaiah (see 2 Sam 23:20-23, 1 Chron 11:22, 1 Chron 27:5, and https://journeyonline.org/lessons/benaiah-son-of-jehoiada/?series=8751
Shimei (see D at https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/encyclopedia-of-the-bible/Shimei )
Rei (see https://biblehub.com/topical/r/rei.htm )
Nathan the prophet goes to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, asking if she hasn’t heard about Adonijah’s moves, “and David our lord knoweth it not?” He says, "If you want to save your life, and your son Solomon, I’d advise going to King David and ask if he didn’t swear to you that Solomon would be his successor. If so, why does Adonijah reign? I’ll come in while you are talking to the king and back you up." It’s obvious by this exchange that Adonijah knew King David’s intention that Solomon would succeed to the throne.
Bathsheba goes to King David and makes obeisance. He asks what she desires of him. She lays out the situation to him. Nathan comes in and affirms what she says, asks King David if that’s what he has decided and just not told him. Apparently they were seen by the king separately, though, perhaps so he can question them each without fear of collusion.
King David confirms that he means for Solomon to reign after him. He calls for Nathan the prophet and Zadok the priest, as well as Benaiah, and tells them to put Solomon on his own mule, take him to be anointed king, blow a trumpet, and say “God save king Solomon.” Then they are to bring Solomon back and set him on David’s throne. That they do, taking the king’s guard with them. Zadok takes a horn of oil from the tabernacle to anoint Solomon, a sign of authority.
Adonijah and those at his feast hear the trumpet and the to-do. When they are told what has happened with Solomon, they all get up with fear and go their own ways. Adonijah flees and grabs the horns of the altar (a sign of seeking asylum, as in the Law of Moses), asking that Solomon not kill him. Solomon sends for him, saying, “ If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.” He allows him to go home.
1 Kings 2—King David’s last instructions to Solomon, see also 1 Chron 22-29
1 Chron 22 tells of David preparing for the building of the Temple, having stonemasons get to work, and metal workers make nails and fastenings . . . “And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the Lord must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.” He calls Solomon and charges him with building the Temple, explaining why he could not do it himself. David also commands all the princes of Israel to support Solomon in building the Temple, now they are at peace (no longer must bear the cost of wars).
1 Chron 23 through 26, & 29—David organizes the Levites, their priesthood and official duties, and the descendants of the Moses & the Levites are listed. 1 Chron 27 lists David’s officials and the heads of the Israelite tribes. 1 Chron 28 David assembles the princes of Israel and the government officials to address them. “And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel . . . Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.” 1 Chron 29 David prays before the people, thanking God for all the wealth and power the Israelites have been blessed with. “I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee . . . And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.” David invites the congregation also to pray and worship God. A huge sacrifice is offered, “And [the people] did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the Lord to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.”
1 Kings 2
1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
4 That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
See Psalms 72 and 127.
1 Chron 28
“And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” David gives Solomon all the patterns for the architecture of the Temple, the organization of the priests & Levites, all the gold & silver he had saved up. “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.”
Back to 1 Kings 2
David brings up General Joab’s faults in killing his rivals Abner and Amasa, and tells his son to exact retribution. Likewise, he should order the death penalty for the Benjaminite Shimei who had cursed David as he fled from Absalom. Solomon is to continue the reward for the sons of Barzillai who had helped him when he fled Absalom.
10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.1 Chron 2926 ¶ Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.
27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.
Despite the wickedness of his posterity, God continued to use David as an example of righteousness and loyalty to Him. God preserved the kingship of his descendants in Jerusalem.
1 Kings 15
4 Nevertheless for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.
286.2_402-david-sees-bathsheba-bathing-2-samuel-11_2-gouache-on-board-by-louis-de-parys-after-james-tissot-jewish-museum-new-york-presented-by-phillip-medhurst–David’s pose in this painting reminds me of the sorrows he suffered for his bad choices, and through his family members.
David—part 4, Kingship
2 Sam 9-192 Sam 9—David honors Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth
David asks if there isn’t a descendant of the deceased King Saul, “that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” A servant of Saul’s household, Ziba, is found brought to King David. He affirms that Jonathan had a son Mephibosheth, who was lame. “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.” 2 Sam 4:4 Mephobosheth also has a young son, Micha.
David sends for Mephibosheth, restores all Saul’s lands to him, and invites him to eat at the king’s table continually, like a son of the king. David gives Ziba (who has 15 sons and 20 servants, so he is no slouch) stewardship over Mephibosheth’s lands.
2 Sam 10—the heir to an Ammonite king disrespects David’s kindly meant messengers, and rues it; see also 1 Chron 19
The king of the Ammonites dies, who had shown kindness to David, so David sends ambassadors of good will. But the princes to the new king convince him that the ambassadors are spies David has sent with the intention of overthrowing the city. The new king has their beards half shaved off and their clothes cut as high as their buttocks.
David sends General Joab against the city, and their Syrian allies. Joab splits his force between the Ammonites and the Syrians, with his brother over the choice men of Israel against the Syrians, while he leads the rest against the Ammonites. If either is having a hard go of it, the other is to come to the aid. He encourages his brother thus, “Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth him good.” First the Syrians flee, then the Ammonites. Joab returns to Jerusalem.
But the Syrians gather more forces from the other side of the Jordan River to menace Israel. So King David gathers the men of all Israel and goes against them. David’s forces kill 700 charioteers, 40,000 horsemen (cavalry?), and the captain of their forces. The Syrians sue for peace, agree to be tributaries, and are dissuaded from helping the Ammonites anymore.
2 Sam 11—David & Bathsheba, death of Uriah by order of the King
The battle season has begun, and King David sends General Joab against an Ammonite city. David’s still hanging about in Jerusalem “at the time when kings go forth to battle.” One evening/night David gets up from bed, is walking along his roof, and sees a beautiful woman washing herself after her monthly “uncleanness”.
Now what she is doing washing herself in sight of the king’s house is a curiosity. Did he see her through her window? It seems like she would have covered the window. But surely she wouldn’t know that David would be wandering about on the roof at that time (or was it a habit he had?). It’s hard to say if she had any culpability.
David asks about her and sends for her. It’s not like he doesn’t have plenty of wives and concubines so he ought to have resisted temptation. Or maybe it’s because he has been used to having plenty of women at his disposal that makes him susceptible to temptation. Yet I think it unlikely he would have forced her against her will. He impregnates her and she goes back home. Later she sends word to David that she is pregnant. David tries to hide his fault, and sends for her husband, Uriah the Hittite. This must be at least 2-3 months later (or did she know/pretend to know sooner?), and David is still in town while General Joab is leading the siege at the front lines of the war.
David asks Uriah, “How goes the war?” Then he tells him to spend the night with his wife before going back. Not many would refuse such an offer, one would think especially if married to a beauty like Bathsheba. The whole story makes one wonder about the relationship between Bathsheba and her husband. Uriah leaves King David, and the king sends a pile of food after him. But Uriah sleeps at the king’s door with David’s other servants. Is he, being a Hittite, extra anxious to show his loyalty?
When David hears that Uriah didn’t go home, he asks him, “Why not?” Uriah says, “The Ark [of the Covenant], and all the army are camped in tents in the field. How can I go home and eat, drink, and lie with my wife? I won’t do it.” David says, “Well, stay here today, too, and you can leave tomorrow.” David feasts him and makes sure he gets drunk (if the king proposes a toast, how can anyone fail to drink to it?) But again, Uriah doesn’t go home.
Now David is really embarrassed/concerned about the scandal. He sends a sealed letter by way of Uriah to General Joab, “Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.” He knows Uriah would not dare break the seal. How outrageous to send such a letter by the very man it condemns! David has had his head turned by the politics of power, and what kings could and did get away with.
General Joab accommodates King David’s request, and Uriah is killed. Joab sends word about the war, and tells the messengers that if the king gets angry about the loss of life from the near approach to the city, mention that Uriah the Hittite also died. (Mention is made of the previous example of Abimelech being killed when a woman threw a millstone down on him from the city wall).
David replies to Joab (via the messengers) not to worry about it, “Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.”
Bathsheba mourns appropriately for her husband’s death, then David marries her, and a son is born. But God is not happy with such behavior.
2 Sam 12—Nathan the prophet confronts King David, Bathsheba’s son dies, but Solomon is born to her
God sends Nathan the prophet to King David (note David named one of his sons Nathan, perhaps in honor of this man). Nathan tells David a story about 2 men, one rich, one poor. The rich guy has a lot of animals, but the poor man only one little ewe (female) lamb, “which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own [food], and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.” This also makes one wonder about the relationship between Bathsheba and her husband. Could he have “bought” her for a wife/concubine (to rescue her?), and was she young enough to be his daughter? What was her attitude toward him?
As the story continues, a traveler stops over with the rich man (possibly this wayfarer was not known to him, but he would be expected by the social rules of hospitality to give the person room & board). The rich guy doesn’t want to diminish his own flock for the sake of the “wayfaring man”, so he takes the poor guy’s one little lamb and prepares it for the traveler.
David’s sense of justice is incensed, and he immediately passes the sentence of death on the rich guy, after he’s paid 4x the price of the lamb (or given 4 lambs for the one).
Then Nathan reveals, “Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.”
Furthermore, “Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”
This would be an appropriate time to read some of David’s psalms, pleading for forgiveness, Psalm 51 in particular.
David is brought low. He admits his sins. Nathan says God accepts his confession, and he won’t die for his sins. Nevertheless “by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.”
When Bathsheba’s son becomes sick, David pleads with God, fasting and laying all night on the ground. The “elders of his house” try to get him to rise and eat, but he refuses. On the 7th day the child dies. David’s servants are afraid to tell him. David notices them whispering and realizes the child has died. After they affirm it, he gets up, cleans up, and worships in the house of the Lord [the Tabernacle tent]. He returns home and eats. His servants are amazed. They ask why he wept and fasted so sorely when the child was sick, but when the child dies, he gets up and gets back to life. He explains that before the child died there was a chance God would save the child after all. Once the child's dead, there's no chance that would happen. No reason to keep trying to get God to relent.
David comforts Bathsheba, and she bares Solomon, “and the Lord loved him.” It appears that Nathan the prophet called him Jedidiah, “because of the Lord.” The name means “Beloved of Jehovah” see https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Jedidiah.html
At the end of this chapter Joab sends messengers to King David that he has taken the source of water for the royal Ammonite city, and tells David he’d better come with the rest of the Israelite armies to take the whole city, or if he/Joab takes it, it will be called by his name. That gets David moving. The Israelites conquer the city, the king’s crown is put on David’s head, and they gain “great abundance” of spoil.
This is a case where it’s hard to tell if the text is recounting things chronologically or by topic. If chronologically, the siege of that city has lasted at least a year and a half (2 pregnancies plus time between).
Then King David behaves like other rulers of the Middle East of the time, the most brutal of them: “And he brought forth the people that were therein [the Ammonite cities], and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon.” This was not the way all vanquished cities were treated, so perhaps these Ammonites were so brutal that he treated them likewise. It was a way, anciently, to put such excessive fear and dread in the hearts of enemies that they dare not rise in opposition. See also 1 Chron 20:1-3
2 Sam 13—David’s family troubles: Absalom’s sister Tamar
Absalom’s one sister is the one daughter of King David mentioned. No doubt there were others.
Tamar’s half brother Amnon “loves” (lusts after) her. Maybe he’s not that much older than her, but it’s inappropriate. He lets his mind dwell on her so much that he is “vexed” and falls sick for her. He wants her, but figures it’s out of his reach “to do any thing to her.” He’s not thinking marriage. Unfortunately, he has a shrewd friend (a cousin) who comes up with a plan for him to get what he wants: take your sickbed and when your father, the king, comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and take care of you. This story is another clue to the palace politics and machinations that David had been wary of before he became son-in-law to King Saul.
One would think David would have recognized the danger in this request (especially after his entanglement with Bathsheba), but apparently he’s in the habit of spoiling his sons—giving them what they want (as we will see with Absalom). David obliges the request, and Tamar is sent to make a meal for him at his house: meat and bread (perhaps with all the trimmings).
When the food is ready, Amnon won’t eat. He sends all the men out. Tamar must be feeling nervous at this turn of events. Amnon asks her to bring the food to him herself and hand feed him. Tamar brings them into his room. He grabs her and says, “Come lie with me, my sister.” She says, “No, don’t force me, my brother. This is wrong! I won’t be able to escape my shame and you will get a reputation as a fool. If you want me as a wife, ask the king and “’he will not withhold me from thee’.” But he overpowers and rapes her.
Now Amnon hates her (projects his self-loathing onto her). He hates her worse than he “loved” her before, and sends her out. She tells him he has no reason to treat her this way, and this is even worse than what he’s already done to her. He won’t listen to her, calls his servant to put her out and bolt the door.
Tamar tears her pretty clothes, puts ashes on her head in deep mourning, and bewails her situation. Side note: the virgin princesses were clothed in multi-colored dress. Her brother Absalom comes to her. He seems already to know what Amnon has done (probably gossip has traveled). He tells her to stay with him and not to worry about it. She listens to him, but her reputation is ruined. No one will want to marry her now.
King David hears about it all. He’s very angry, but what does he do? We don’t read of anything. Absalom says nothing about it, either good or bad. But he hates Amnon, and 2 years later he finds opportunity to get revenge. He invites his father the king, all his servants, and all his brothers to a sheepshearing feast. King David says, “No, it’s too many for you to host—it will cost you too much.” Absalom presses him, but King David steadfastly declines. Nevertheless, he gives his blessing to the event. Absalom insists that Amnon attend, and David is wary, but finally allows it. In this culture, people don’t just do whatever they want, permission from the head man is requisite to come and go (remember Moses & his father-in-law Jethro, Jacob and his father & father-in-law, and others).
Absalom tells his servants that when Amnon is drunk he will give the signal for them to kill him. He tells them, “fear not; have not I commanded you? [in other words, you are acting on my instructions and will not be charged for it], be courageous, and be valiant.” So it happens, and all the rest of David’s sons rush to their mules to get away.
While they are fleeing, word gets to David that Absalom has killed all his sons. David is so upset he tears his clothes and lays in the dirt on the ground. All his servants stand there watching over him, with their clothes torn. But Jonadab, the same shrewd “friend” who advised Amnon how to get his sister, tells David not to think Absalom has killed all his sons, only Amnon—because he raped his sister Tamar. This is soon apparent, as the rest return. They all weep for Amnon. Absalom has fled, and stays away for 3 years. Eventually King David accepts the death of Amnon, and longs for his son Absalom.
2 Sam 14—Absalom is finally reconciled with his father David
(This summary is terribly inferior to the poetic rendering of the story in the Bible.)
General Joab sees King David’s longing for Absalom, and devises a solution. He sends for a woman and gives her a story to tell the king about being a widow with 2 sons, one who has killed the other. The whole family want the killer to be punished for his crime, but she doesn’t want to lose her only remaining son (and in that day, the only one to carry on the name/lineage). King David tells her he will give orders to protect the remaining son from any that seek vengeance.
The woman uses the story to bring up Absalom’s banishment for killing his brother, “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect [exempt] any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.” She exudes all sorts of flattery, saying that she knew David would do justice in the matter.
David recognizes that Joab is behind this effort to bring Absalom back from exile. He gives Joab permission to bring Absalom home, but not to see himself, the king. Joab is effuse in his relief that the king has not taken offense at his contrivance and brings Absalom back to Jerusalem. But after 2 years not being able to see the king, Absalom has sent twice for Joab to speak to the king on his behalf, and Joab has not come. Absalom has his servants set Joab’s nearby field afire, and that brings Joab to his door. Joab wants to know why Absalom has done this, and Absalom tells him why. Then he says, “I might as well have stayed in exile! Let me see the king face to face, and if he finds fault in me, let him put me to death.” Thus, Joab speaks to the king for Absalom, and he is reconciled to his father.
It is noted in this chapter that Absalom is an extremely handsome guy, famously so, from head to foot not a blemish. His hair is so thick he has to have it cut once a year, and the cuttings are prodigious. He has 3 sons and a beautiful daughter, whom he has named after his sister Tamar.
2 Sam 15—Absalom foments a coup
Absalom thinks well of himself, and is ambitious. He has chariots & horses, and 50 men who run before him. He gets up early, sits at the gate and calls to those waiting to be heard by the king in matters of controversy. He tells them, “See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed (authorized) of the king to hear thee. Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!” Thus, “Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”
After 40 years (not far from the end of King David’s reign), Absalom requests permission to go to Hebron, ostensibly to fulfill a vow to God. But Absalom has set up a conspiracy to be declared king, there in Hebron. Messengers arrive to tell David “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.” (The text doesn't say why David apparently has not chosen Absalom as his successor, or Absalom wouldn't figure he had to wrest the kingdom from his father. David knows his sons' character and so does God. Solomon would be chosen David's successor . . . more about that in a later post.) King David decides to flee, not only for his own life, but to spare the city. Yet he leaves 10 concubines to keep his house. He has not only his household, but his own loyal soldiers with him, as well as the priests and the Ark of the Covenant (highly symbolic of God’s authority and presence). But David sends Zadok the chief priest back to the city with the Ark, saying that if God is for him, he will make him victorious.
David travels up Mount Olivet, weeping as he goes, head covered and barefoot: all his followers likewise. At the top of the mount David worships God. David is informed that Ahithophel (one of David’s chief advisors) is one of Absalom’s conspirators, and when a man called Hushai comes with signs of mourning to join David, he tells him that he could be of more help to David if he stays in Jerusalem as a counsellor to Absalom to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. He can work with the priests Zadok and Abiathar as spies to keep David informed.
2 Sam 16—seems like along with Absalom, everyone is against King David
Ziba, steward for Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, meets David on his way, with 200 loaves of bread, 100 bunches of raisins, 100 summer fruits, and a bottle (probably a large jar) of wine. David asks who they are for. Ziba says that Mephibosheth figures this is his chance to have the kingdom restored to his household, the lineage of King Saul. Then David says all Mephibosheth’s possessions are now Ziba’s. Ziba continues loyal to David.
Another of the house of Saul curses David on his way, and throws stones at him and his followers. One of David’s followers offers to go take off the man’s head. But David says, “My own son wants to kill me, why shouldn’t Saul’s household? Let him be. Maybe the God ‘will look on mine affliction, and . . . will requite [recompense] me good for his cursing this day.’”
Meanwhile, Absalom in Jerusalem asks counsel of Ahithophel (a powerful counselor under King David, as well as Absalom), and he tells him to publicly take his father’s concubines as a political move to increase the rift between his father and himself. No one will be left sitting on the fence.
2 Sam 17—David flees Absalom’s forces across the Jordan River, see Psalm 3
Ahithophel, counselor to Absalom now, advises taking 12,000 men to pursue David “while he is weary and weak”, all his followers will desert him, and only David will be killed. It’s the most peaceful way of settling the kingdom. This sounds like good advice to Absalom and all the elders of Israel. But Absalom wants a second opinion, and sends for Hushai (David had sent back to court as counterintelligence).
Hushai counsels Absalom rather to gather an army from all Israel, because David is known as a formidable man of war, like a mother bear fighting for her cubs. He says, David won’t camp with the people, but will be in some hiding place awaiting the right time to attack. Then even the brave will melt with fear of David and his valiant men. With an army as numerous as the sand we can defeat them, and any city they flee to we’ll pull down to nothing.
Absalom and the men of Israel like the counsel of Hushai better. “For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel”. Hushai tells the loyal priests Zadok and Abiathar all that was said by both parties. They send a woman to the priests’ 2 sons, who have stayed out of the city so as not to draw attention to their movements, to take word to David and advise him to move camp.
Despite precautions, a young man sees the priests’ sons on their errand and tells Absalom. They hide in a well, and the woman secretly puts a covering over it with ground grain on it. When Absalom’s messengers come and ask about the 2 spies, she sends them on, and when they don’t find them, return to Jerusalem.
So David and his followers cross the Jordan River, and by morning they are all on the other side.
When Ahithophel finds his counsel is not followed, he goes home, sets his house in order, and hangs himself. It’s not just disappointment at losing favor or position, it’s a dangerous game he’s played in the war for the kingdom.
Absalom leads the armies of Israel across the Jordan.
Some Ammonites bring all kinds of supplies (bedding, dishes, food) for David and his followers, “for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.” Perhaps these are some of the Ammonite tributaries of King David who thought it in their best interest to ally themselves with him in this contest, or it could be they had developed an actual friendly relation with him. Maybe these particular Ammonites had previously sided with David when he conquered the Ammonites. In any case, no doubt the supplies are gratefully received.
2 Sam 18—David’s forces win a great battle, his general Joab kills Absalom, David mourns
David counts and organizes his forces. He divides them into 3: under Joab, Abishai (Joab’s brother), and Ittai from Gath (remember David had made certain alliances among some of the Philistines while he was in exile, being pursued by King Saul, and was actually given a Philistine city). David himself says he will lead the people into battle (remember that by now David is in his 70s), but the people refuse. They tell him that if they have to flee, no one will care, nor if half of them die. But David is worth 10,000 (in other words, as long as he is alive Absalom’s army will not stop until he is dead). They tell him it’s better if he is held in reserve in the city in case they need help. David gives orders to his commanders to “deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom”, in the hearing of everyone.
The battle takes place in the wood of Ephraim: 20,000 are killed. “For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.” David’s forces are victorious.
Absalom’s mule had run under a huge oak and his head was caught in the branch, leaving him dangling. A guy seeing it tells Joab, who asks why he didn’t kill him, for which he’d have given him a reward. The man tells Joab that if he’d offered 100 times the reward he wouldn’t kill Absalom, as he’d heard David’s warning about hurting him. He knew he’d be a dead man for killing Absalom, knew Joab wouldn’t stand by him, either. So Joab himself puts 3 darts through Absalom’s heart while he’s hanging from the oak. Joab’s 10 armor bearers then finish him off.
Joab blows the trumpet to stop the rout of the armies of Israel, who return to their tents. Absalom is tossed in a big pit in the woods and covered with a huge pile of stones. Absalom’s 3 sons have apparently died or were killed, because it is noted that during his lifetime he had set up a pillar he named after himself “in the king’s dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance . . .” For some commentary about the King’s Dale, see https://biblehub.com/commentaries/2_samuel/18-18.htm
The priest Zadok’s son Ahimaaz wants to run tell the good news to King David, that God has made his armies victorious. Joab says, “Another day, not today, because the king’s son is dead.” Joab knows that David won’t take kindly to the news, and doesn’t want Ahimaaz’s life in hazard. Joab sends another guy. But Ahimaaz still wants to go, even after the other guy. Joab says, “You’ve got nothing to tell!” Ahimaaz still wants to run after, so Joab says, “Ok, go ahead.”
Ahimaaz runs past the other guy, and the watchman sees him. King David figures a man running alone must be good news. Then the other guy is also spotted, alone, and the king thinks it’s more good news. The watchman recognizes the running style of Ahimaaz, and the king says, “He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.” Ahimaaz tells the king, “All is well. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.” David asks about Absalom. Ahimaaz says, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.” Perhaps Joab has cautioned him to be careful what he tells the king, or perhaps he is smart enough to know without being told. When the other guy comes and David asks about Absalom, he says, “The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.” Thus implying Absalom is dead. David goes up to the room over the gate and weeps, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” Probably in the hearing of all.
2 Sam 19—Joab confronts David turning a victory into mourning, Joab is replaced
Joab is told of David’s lament for his son Absalom. “And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.” David’s followers are left to just sneak back into the city, as if fleeing in shame from a battle lost. Joab confronts David, “You’ve shamed everyone who has hazarded their lives in your behalf, and for the sake of your household. You love your enemies and hate your friends. If Absalom had lived and we had all died, you’d be happy!” One can hear the anger in Joab’s voice. He tells the king he’d better go speak good words to the people, or there won’t be one person to stay with him that night, and nothing David has ever gone through in his life will be as bad. Joab knows King David would lose all loyalty. So David goes and sits in the gate, apparently a sign that he will accept the surrender of the Israelite army.
9 ¶ And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
11 ¶ And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests [who are back in Jerusalem], saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.
12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh [from the same tribe of Israel]: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room [in place] of Joab.
14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
The Benjaminte that had cursed David when he was fleeing Jerusalem comes with the men of Judah, with 1000 men of Benjamin, and Ziba of the house of Saul, and pleads forgiveness of King David. Abishai, Joab’s brother and fellow general, wants to put the curser to death. But David says, “Why should anyone be put to death today? I am securely the King.” He promises not to kill the man.
Mephibosheth, son of Saul [Jonathan], comes to meet the king. He has not cared for himself from the day David left Jerusalem. David asks why he didn’t come with him when he fled. He tells David that Ziba had deceived both him and the king, because Ziba was supposed to saddle the ass for him (because of his disability), and instead slandered him, lied to the king about his loyalty. He puts himself at David’s mercy, with the acknowledgement of David’s kindness to him. Rather than choose between the two men, David tells Mephibosheth that he and Ziba are to divide the land (that was first given to one, then the other). Mephibosheth says, “Let Ziba take it all. I’m just glad you have come home in peace.” We may speculate that this is an indication that he knows his fault, or that it will develop into a huge feud, but just as David had not judged who was the liar, we can only leave the judgment to God.
A man named Barzillai comes to welcome David back. He had provided the king sustenance, being a wealthy man. King David invites him to join his household in Jerusalem, but Barzillai is 80 years old, and says he can’t enjoy life at court—he’s lost his sense of taste, his hearing, and wants to die at home. He says, “Take Chimham instead.” Possibly his son or grandson? King David assents.
The men of Israel and the men of Judah get into a controversy over who has more interest in King David: Israel has 10 parts in the king (10 tribes), Judah is the tribe from which David is descended. One possibility to explain an unnamed tribe (to add up to 12) could be that the Levites were dispersed among the other tribes.
2 Sam 2
Saul and 3 of his sons have been killed, their remains rescued from the Philistines and buried by Saul’s tribe, Benjamin. The elders of Judah make David their king, but Abner (Saul’s general) makes Saul’s other son Ishbosheth, age 40, king of the rest of Israel.
David sends messengers to those Gileadites who had rescued & buried Saul’s remains praising them for doing so. He tells them the house of Judah has anointed him king, implying that as he sends a message of peace, they also ought to join Judah in proclaiming him king.
Abner (Saul’s general) and Joab (David’s general) meet across a pool of water. Abner suggests they let their young men “play” before them—no doubt war games—12 on each side. The battle escalates, and Abner’s army is routed. Joab’s brother steadfastly pursues the fleeing Abner, who tells him he ought to take out someone else, so that Abner won’t have to face Joab having killed his brother. But Joab’s brother won’t be deterred. So Abner kills him. More about that later.
All the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, gather to Abner. But Abner calls out to Joab from a hill, saying, “Are we going to kill each other forever? Don’t you know it will all end in bitterness? [between the tribes].” Joab acknowledges Abner and blows a trumpet to stop the killing. Abner and his men walk all night and cross over the Jordan River, Joab and his men spend the night returning to Hebron. Joab’s brother is buried in Bethlehem. The armies of Judah had lost 19, the army of Benjamin under Abner had lost 360 dead.
2 Sam 3“Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.” (1 Sam 2:11, David was king of Judah 7.5 years before being made king over all Israel.)
David’s sons born in Hebron are listed (see also 1 Chron 3:1-4)
1. Amnon, son of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess
2. Chileab, son of Abigail
3. Absalom, son of Maacah (daughter of King Talmai of Geshur—no doubt a political marriage)
4. Adonijah, son of Haggith
5. Shephatiah, son of Abital
6. Ithream, son Eglah
Abner makes a connection with Saul’s concubine, and Saul’s son Ishbosheth confronts him about it. That angers Abner, and he retorts, “After all I’ve done [risked] for the house of Saul, you treat me like a dog’s head over this woman.” Abner vows that he will bring all of Israel over to David’s cause. He sends messengers to David offering just that. David agrees, with one qualifier: that Abner bring Michal, his wife/Saul’s daughter to him. Then David sends messengers to Ishbosheth demanding Michal. Ishbosheth takes Michal from her husband and sends her to David. Her husband follows her all the way to Abner, weeping. Abner sends him home.
Abner contacts the elders of Israel, saying, “Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you: Now then do it: for the Lord 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.” Abner speaks specifically to the tribe of Benjamin, who were Saul’s people and most likely not to go along. Then Abner with 20 men goes to David to let him know the outcome of the negotiations. David makes a feast for them, and on the good news, sends Abner and his men away in peace.
When Joab (David’s general, returning from a great victory with lots a spoil) finds out, he confronts David, saying Abner is deceiving him and just trying to spy out David’s routines and what he’s up to. Joab secretly sends messengers after Abner saying he wants to speak with him quietly. Under that ruse he kills Abner, for the sake of his brother whom Abner had killed. Ostensibly. I suspect that Joab was also jealous of Abner, who he would see as a rival general.
David proclaims, “I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house . . .” and David leaves a curse of troubles on Abner’s house/posterity. Apparently David needed Joab, or Joab was too powerful for him to dismiss, but he will charge his son/successor to exact retribution for what he did to Abner (1 Kings 2:5-6).
David calls on everyone, including Joab, to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn Abner. King David himself follows the bier and weeps at the grave in Hebron. While others eat after the funeral, David fasts until sundown. The people are contented with his showing of respect, and in fact they are pleased with all he does. David is doing all he can to heal the nation.
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah [Abner & brothers] be too hard for me: the Lord shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.2 Sam 4
Saul’s son Ishbosheth hears of Abner’s death, and he and the other Israelites are afraid it portends bad things to happen. Perhaps David will attack and destroy them. Two of Ishbosheth’s military leaders decide to kill him under pretense, and take his head to David as a prize. David is affronted and tells them what happened to the man who came to him claiming to have killed Saul on the battlefield (hoping for a reward), and has them killed as well.
2 Sam 5—David is anointed/affirmed king over all Israel, see also 1 Chron 11:1-9, 1 Chron 12:23-40, & 1 Chron 14:1-17
The elders of Israel come to David in Hebron and anoint him king over all Israel. David is 30 years old, and will reign 40 years: 7.5 years over just Judah, 33 years over all Israel. See Psalm 18.
King David comes with an army to Jerusalem, a Jebusite stronghold. The Jebusites tell him, “Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.” For a comparison of translations, see https://biblehub.com/parallel/2_samuel/5.htm and https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/5-6.htm (be sure to read all the way down for more background, commentary, and the Hebrew translation). King David’s forces conquer Jerusalem, and from then on it is known as “the City of David.” See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_David_(archaeological_site) and https://christiananswers.net/dictionary/davidcityof.html (Note: Bethlehem was called the City of David in Luke 2:4, being the birthplace of King David, and where he grew up. Bethlehem is about 9 mi from Jerusalem.)
Hiram, King of Tyre sends messengers, carpenters, masons, and building materials to David, and they build a house for King David in Jerusalem. Hiram and David become friends and allies. See also 1 Chron 14:1-2, and Psalm 30.
12 And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. [Not for David’s aggrandizement]
David marries more wives and concubines in Jerusalem, and has more sons and daughters. The sons of the wives are named in 2 Sam 5:14-16, including Solomon. See also 1 Chron 3:5-9 (which says there were 9, but lists more, and some names twice, so perhaps some died as infants/young children, so the name was reused), and 1 Chron 14:3-7.
1. Shimea/Shammua
2. Shobab
3. Nathan, perhaps named after Nathan the Prophet?
4. Solomon, from Bathsheba/Bath-shua, daughter of Ammiel
5. Ibhar
6. Elishama/Elishua
7. Eliphelet/Elpalet
8. Nogah
9. Nepheg
10. Japhia
11. Elishama
12. Beeliada
13. Eliada (Eliphalet?)
The Philistines amass an army against David & Israel. David, as usual, inquires of God [no doubt as before, through the priest] if he should go out against them. “And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.” David is victorious against the Philistines, who flee leaving their idols, and David has them burned. The Philistines come again. This time God tells him to surround or circle behind them next to the [balsam, or weeping] trees, and when they hear the wind in the trees they should attack and God will give them the triumph. And so it happens. For info about the kind of trees, see https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/5-23.htm
2 Sam 6—David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, Uzzah tries to steady it, Michal despises David for dancing for joy in front of all the people (see also 1 Chron 13 & 15-16)
David takes 30,000 chosen men to get the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. They set it on a new cart, and Uzzah is one of the 2 drivers, probably driving the animals rather than the cart. David and all Israel come with musical instruments in celebration: harps, psalteries (harps and psalteries=stringed instruments), timbrels (similar to tambourines), cornets (wind instrument), and cymbals (metal percussion instrument).
On the way, the oxen pulling the cart shake/jostle it a little {perhaps stumbled a bit}, and Uzzah tries to steady it (it is presumed). God smites him in some way for his error, and he dies right there. That scares David. He leaves the Ark at Obed-edom’s place (“’servant of Edom’, an Israelite name . . . from Gath”—possibly an Edomite or of Edomite lineage who had lived in Gath as a servant? Or an Israelite who had been a servant in Edom or of an Edomite, who had lived in Gath?) for 3 months, ‘til he sees that God is blessing the man.
https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/6-6.htm
https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/6-7.htm
Then David dares to bring the Ark the rest of the way into Jerusalem “with gladness”. After only 6 paces he sacrifices oxen and “fatlings” (prob sheep), and “danced before the Lord with all his might”. “So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting [cheering], and with the sound of the trumpet.” Michal, David’s wife, daughter of Saul, sees David’s antics from her window, and later sarcastically says to him, “How glorious was the king of Israel to day.” She thinks he’s made himself look a fool and entirely indecorous/uncouth in his behavior. He defends himself by saying it was in praise of God. He never had a child by Michal.
17 ¶ And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.
18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts.
19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house.2 Sam 7--see also 1 Chron 17
David’s kingdom is settled. “and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies.” He’s got a princely residence. He says to Nathan the prophet that he feels bad that while he lives in luxury, the housing for the Ark of God is just a tent (no doubt revitalized over the years, but still a tent). At first Nathan gives him the go-ahead. But that night God tells Nathan to go back to David and say, “All these years since the Exodus I’ve dwelt in a tent. I’ve never asked any of the tribes for a house of cedar. I took you from being a lowly shepherd to be ruler over my people. And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. I will settle Israel in one place, not to have to keep moving. Wicked peoples/nations will no longer afflict them as before. I’ll settle your kingdom upon your lineage. Your successor will build a house for my name. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commits iniquity, I’ll punish him, but my mercy will not depart from him (as with Saul).”
As a secular, political policy it was perhaps wiser, after all the cost of wars, that the people not be taxed to build a temple beside.
David humbly praises God for his goodness to him, and His greatness. “Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”2 Sam 8--see also 1 Chron 18
David subjugates the Philistines, and Moab, a king of Mesopotamia and his ally Syria, and Edom. He sets the vanquished Moabites in 3 lines, 2 lines being put to death. He takes from the Mesopotamian king 1000 chariots, 700 horsemen/charioteers, 20,000 foot soldiers—of which he saves 100 chariots with their drivers and horses, it seems. He hamstrings the rest of the horses so they can’t be used in war. For more clarity, see https://biblehub.com/2_samuel/8-4.htm The King of Hamath sends his son with gifts to David for conquering his enemy, the king from Mesopotamia. King David sets up garrisons in Syria and Edom and makes them tributaries. See Psalm 60.
Another reference to Edom and Israelite General Joab
1 Kings 11:14-23
Joab had killed all the males in Edom over a period of 6 months, but Hadad son of the king, was saved by his father's servants when he was little, and taken to Egypt, where he found favor with Pharaoh, and was married to the Queen's sister. Upon David's death he went back home to Edom.
King David saves up the tribute and spoils from his wars for the House of God that his son Solomon will build: the Temple at Jerusalem. “And the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went. And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.”King David’s government:Joab—General
Jehoshaphat—recorder (historian?), Seraiah--scribe (writes up official documents & laws?)--or vice versa?
Zadok & Ahimelech (son or grandson of the priest that fed David and his troops who were on the run from Saul, whom Saul killed)—priests
Benaiah—over the Cherethites and Pelethites, “They are interpreted to have been a group of elite mercenaries employed by King David, some of whom acted as his bodyguards, and others as part of his army.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherethites_and_Pelethites David’s sons—chief rulers/governors
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