Introduction:

Who are the Israelites fighting when King David had his affair with Bathsheba?

(The Ammonites at Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites.)

What was the theme of 2 Samuel chapter 8?

David defeating Israel’s enemies.  At the end of David’s reign, Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land.

The battle in Chapter 10 may be the same battle that was described in 2 Samuel 8.

Hadadezer appears in chapter 10 as David’s active and capable foe (10:16) yet in chapter 8 David had defeated him (8:3) and plundered his city (8:7, 12).

2 Samuel 8:3-4 NLT
³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.

Chapter 10 gives us the historical context for chapter 11 unpacking the events of chapter 8.

Note:
You will need to reach your own conclusions with some of the unanswered questions in this lesson.

2 Samuel 10:1-19 NLT

David Defeats the Ammonites

^10:1 Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.
But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.
⁵ When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.
⁶ When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob. ⁷ When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them. ⁸ The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.
⁹ When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel’s elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields. ¹⁰ He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites. ¹¹ “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. ¹² Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”
¹³ When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away. ¹⁴ And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.
¹⁵ The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel. So when they regrouped, ¹⁶ they were joined by additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops arrived at Helam under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s forces.
¹⁷ When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David. ¹⁸ But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David’s forces killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. ¹⁹ When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.

 Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 10:1-19 NLT

See 1 Chronicles 19:1-19

David Defeats the Ammonites 

^10:1 Some time after this,

King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.

David wanted to keep the Ammonites as peaceful neighbors.

King Nahash an enemy of Saul had always been loyal to David.

• At this point in time, King David wanted to keep peace with his neighbors, the Ammonites. 

But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father?

• The Ammonite leaders question David’s motives.

Their questions may have been legitimate.

No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” 

Rabbah was the chief city of the Ammonites.

• The Ammonites may have been thinking about what had happened to their neighbors, the Moabites. (2 Samuel 8:2)

2 Samuel 8:2 NLT
² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. 

⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

In this instance, David’s kindness was neither appreciated nor reciprocated.

This act of humiliation angered David (see verse 6).

This action was a disgraceful, dishonorable, shameful, insulting, contemptable behavior.

This was a shameful practice inflicted on prisoners of war.

Isaiah 20:4 NLT
⁴ For the king of Assyria will take away the Egyptians and Ethiopians as prisoners. He will make them walk naked and barefoot, both young and old, their buttocks bared, to the shame of Egypt.

• When the Ammonites humiliated David’s soldiers, it was the beginning of Israel’s war with the Ammonites.

This insult to David was, in effect, a declaration of war. 

⁵ When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to tell the men, “Stay at Jericho until your beards grow out, and then come back.” For they felt deep shame because of their appearance.

Jericho was the first place west of the Jordan River that would have been reached by David’s servants as they returned from Rabbah.

The city of Jericho had not yet been formally reconstructed, but it was located near a large spring of water and it was a good place of seclusion for the men to stay. 

⁶ When the people of Ammon realized how seriously they had angered David, they sent and hired 20,000 Aramean foot soldiers from the lands of Beth-rehob and Zobah, 1,000 from the king of Maacah, and 12,000 from the land of Tob. 

• Realizing they have offended David, the Ammonites hire mercenaries from the Syrians of Zobah, Rehob, and other regions.

Refer to a Bible map.

Hiring armies was a common practice of the day.

The term “Syrian” is often used interchangeably with Arameans in English translations of the Bible. 

⁷ When David heard about this, he sent Joab and all his warriors to fight them. ⁸ The Ammonite troops came out and drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gate,

Rabbah

while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields.

The Israelites were facing a two-front battle.

The Ammonites in the city.

The Syrian mercenaries in the fields around the city.

• The Israelites were facing a two-front battle. 

⁹ When Joab saw that he would have to fight on both the front and the rear, he chose some of Israel’s elite troops and placed them under his personal command to fight the Arameans in the fields. 

• Joab finds himself between the Ammonite and the Aramean armies.

¹⁰ He left the rest of the army under the command of his brother Abishai, who was to attack the Ammonites. ¹¹ “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then come over and help me,” Joab told his brother. “And if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I will come and help you. ¹² Be courageous! Let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.”

• Joab motivates his troops to be courageous and trust in the LORD for the outcome.

Fight bravely and trust in the Lord.

Battles have two parts. Our part and God’s part.

¹³ When Joab and his troops attacked, the Arameans began to run away. ¹⁴ And when the Ammonites saw the Arameans running, they ran from Abishai and retreated into the city. After the battle was over, Joab returned to Jerusalem.

• Joab did not attempt to capture the city of Rabbah at this time. (See 11:1 – next lesson.) 

¹⁵ The Arameans now realized that they were no match for Israel. So when they regrouped, ¹⁶ they were joined by additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer from the other side of the Euphrates River. These troops arrived at Helam under the command of Shobach, the commander of Hadadezer’s forces.

The exact location of Helam is uncertain, but it is believed to have been in the region east of the Jordan River, possibly in the area of Gilead or near the borderlands between Israel and Aram (modern-day Syria). (Chat GPT)

Seven miles north of Tob???

• The Arameans, realizing that they were no match for Israel, regrouped, joining up with additional Aramean troops summoned by Hadadezer. 

¹⁷ When David heard what was happening, he mobilized all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and led the army to Helam. The Arameans positioned themselves in battle formation and fought against David. ¹⁸ But again the Arameans fled from the Israelites. This time David’s forces killed 700 charioteers

(1 Chronicles 19:18 says 7,000 charioteers.  This could be the same battle discussed in chapter 8.)

and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. 

• The Israelites achieve a decisive victory, killing 700 (or 7,000) charioteers and 40,000 foot soldiers, including Shobach, the commander of their army. 

¹⁹ When all the kings allied with Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they surrendered to Israel and became their subjects. 

After that, the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites.

• The Arameans (Syrians) made peace with Israel and are no longer willing to help the Ammonites.

The Syrians occupying territories in the northern section of David’s kingdom were no longer a threat to Israel at this point in time. (Refer to a map of David’s kingdom.)

 

 

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

Introduction:

Another glimpse into David’s character.

This passage highlights King David’s loyalty, kindness, and faithfulness, especially in honoring his covenant with Jonathan by showing compassion to Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 9:1-13 NLT
David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth
^9:1 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ² He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.
“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.
³ The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”
Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”
⁴ “Where is he?” the king asked.
“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”
⁵ So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. ⁶ His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”
Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.”
⁷ “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”
⁸ Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?”
⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰ You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)
¹¹ Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons.
¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. ¹³ And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

 Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 9:1-13 NLT

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth 

^9:1 One day

The events of this chapter take place a number of years after David’s capture of Jerusalem.

Mephibosheth was five years old at the time of his father’s death.

2 Samuel 4:4 NLT
⁴ (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)

Mephibosheth was now a father of a young son.

Verse 12
¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. 

Some commentators suggest Mephibosheth was about 20 to 25 years of age. 

David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

• This passage is an illustration of David’s kindness toward Saul’s family.

Kindness, as used here, reflects a love that is enduring, committed, and rooted in a moral obligation, going beyond what is expected or required.

Compassion and generosity.

“Kindness” used here speaks of one who is faithfulness and one who keeps his promises (covenants).

It describes the devotion and loyalty between David and Jonathan.

Scripture tells us to be kind to others.

Ephesians 4:32 NLT
³² … be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Colossians 3:12 NLT
¹² Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

1 Corinthians 13:4 NLT
⁴ Love is patient and kind. 

• Scripture tells us to be kind to others.

Review: (remember)

David’s promise to Jonathan.

1 Samuel 20
¹⁴ And may you treat me (Jonathan) with the faithful love of the Lord as long as I live. But if I die, ¹⁵ treat my family with this faithful love, even when the Lord destroys all your enemies from the face of the earth.” 

¹⁶ So Jonathan made a solemn pact with David, saying, “May the Lord destroy all your enemies!” ¹⁷ And Jonathan made David reaffirm his vow of friendship again, for Jonathan loved David as he loved himself. 

⁴² At last Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.” Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the town.

David’s promise to Saul

1 Samuel 24:21-22 NLT
²⁰ And now I (Saul) realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule.
²¹ Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
²² So David promised this to Saul with an oath. Then Saul went home, but David and his men went back to their stronghold.

• David had not forgotten the promises he had made to Jonathan and Saul. 

 ² He (David) summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.

2 Samuel 19:17 NLT
¹⁷ … including Ziba, the chief servant of the house of Saul … 

“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.

³ The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”

• David told Ziba that he wanted to show God’s kindness to anyone still alive from Saul’s family.

Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”

Ziba tells David about Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, who is crippled in both feet.
(see comments under verse 1)

Note: Mephibosheth is a surviving descendant of a former king.  As a surviving son, he would have been an heir to the throne.  Many times, in the history of the Old Testament, in coming kings would kill off all those who might have a claim to the throne. Ziba, a servant of Saul, now revealed the hiding place of Mephibosheth, and David could have easily killed him.

This, and two future passages, 2 Samuel 16:3-4 and 2 Samuel 19:24-29, makes us wonder about Ziba’s true motives and integrity. 

⁴ “Where is he?” the king asked.
“In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “

Lo-debar is located close to Mahanaim, the capital city of Mephibosheth’s late uncle, Ishbosheth.

This is located in the central part of Saul’s kingdom.

at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.”

Not much is known about Makir.

Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son was living in the home of Makir (Machir).

Makir later supported David during Absalom’s revolt.  (2 Samuel 17:27-29) 

⁵ So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. ⁶ His name was Mephibosheth (or Merib-baal); he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.”
Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” 

• King David brings Mephibosheth to his palace. 

⁷ “Don’t be afraid!” David said.

As an heir to Saul’s throne, Mephibosheth would have known that his life could be in danger.

• David reassures Mephibosheth, telling him not to fear. 

“I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul,

• David promises to restore all of Saul’s land to Mephibosheth and declares that he will always have a place at the king’s table. 

and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!”

This was a high honor.

David desired to honor Mephibosheth by bring him into the royal palace.

• In the ancient Near East, eating with someone expressed commitment to protect that person. 

⁸ Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” 

Dead dog is an expression of deep self-abasement.
Worthless
Contemptible and useless.
Not worth much attention.

• Mephibosheth humbly responds, questioning why David would show kindness to someone like him. 

⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 

It is likely that Ziba had continued to manage Saul’s property after Saul’s death with the profits going to King David.

Everything that had belonged to Saul at the time of his death now belonged to Mephibosheth.

¹⁰ You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. 

Ziba would continue to manage the property that had belonged to Saul, but now the profits would go to Mephibosheth’s family.

David instructs Ziba, Saul’s former servant, to care for Mephibosheth’s land, along with Ziba’s sons and servants. 

But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.”

• Ziba is assigned to manage the land and produce food for Mephibosheth’s household, while Mephibosheth himself will dine regularly at David’s table. 

(Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

An indication of power and influence. 

¹¹ Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.”

And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons.

Mephibosheth eats at David’s table like one of David’s own sons, demonstrating the depth of David’s loyalty and kindness.

Mephibosheth, who is lame in both feet, lives in Jerusalem and enjoys the provisions and protection of David’s kindness.

¹² Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica.

Dates unknown 

From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 

¹³ And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

This passage highlights King David’s loyalty, kindness, and faithfulness, especially in honoring his covenant with Jonathan by showing compassion to Mephibosheth.

Introduction: 

David’s role focused on unifying Israel and expanding its territory further. When David became king, Israel already occupied much of the Promised Land, though there were still threats from neighboring nations like the Philistines. David’s military campaigns and conquests helped secure and expand Israel’s borders, establishing it as a more unified and powerful kingdom. He also established Jerusalem as the political and spiritual capital.

David’s role was to consolidate and unify Israel under a central monarchy.

• David’s desire to build a temple was commendable, but his gift and mission were to fight the Lord’s battles until Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land.

The events in chapter 8 took place before chapter 7.

2 Samuel 8:1-18 NLT

David’s Military Victories

^8:1 After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town. ² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.
³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.
⁵ When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. ⁶ Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
⁷ David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah and Berothai.
⁹ When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze.
¹¹ King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated— ¹² from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
¹³ So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects. In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went.
¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. ¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian. ¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. Seraiah was the court secretary. ¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was captain of the king’s bodyguard. And David’s sons served as priestly leaders.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 8:1-18 NLT

David’s Military Victories

These events took place before chapter 7.

^8:1 After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath, their largest town.

Note: Scripture says subdued, not destroyed.

Some translations refer to Metheg-ammah, not Gath. (Meth eg am mah)
Metheg-ammah is a name that means “the bridle”.
Metheg-ammah is believed to refer to Gath, the chief town of the Philistines.
Gath was one of the five royal cities of the Philistines.

1 Chronicles 18:1 NLT
David’s Military Victories
^18:1 After this, David defeated and subdued the Philistines by conquering Gath and its surrounding towns.

Translations of 1 Chronicles 18:1 do not use the name Metheg-ammah.  They only use Gath (54 times), or in two cases Gat, and one case Geth.

The Philistines had been enemies of the Israelites for 125 years.

The Philistines were never completely destroyed by the Israelites. Their ultimate downfall came with the expansion of powerful empires such as the Assyrian Empire and later the Babylonian Empire.

• Subduing the Philistines was part of God’s promise to David (… I will give you rest from all your enemies…).

2 Samuel 7:11 NLT
¹¹ … And I will give you rest from all your enemies…

This was beginning to happen. 

 ² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

This event is somewhat baffling.

What do we know about the Moabites?

The Moabites were closely related to the Israelites, as they were descendants of Moab, the son of Lot, who was Abraham’s nephew (Genesis 19:30-38). This made them distant relatives of the Israelites.

Ruth was a Moabite woman.

David’s parents lived in Moab with the king during the time David was running from Saul.

1 Samuel 22:3-4 NLT
³ Later David went to Mizpeh in Moab, where he asked the king, “Please allow my father and mother to live here with you until I know what God is going to do for me.” ⁴ So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.

• The relationship between the Moabites and the Israelites was complex and often marked by conflict. While they shared a common ancestry, the Moabites were frequently in opposition to the Israelites.

• The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

³ David also destroyed the forces of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah,

An Aramaean King
An Aramean kingdom located to the north of Israel. (see map)
An area that is now modern-day Syria.

• The kingdom of Zobah was known for its wealth and strong military capabilities.

Its king, Hadadezer, commanded a formidable army that included chariots and cavalry, indicative of a powerful and well-organized state.

when Hadadezer marched out to strengthen his control along the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured 1,000 chariots, 7,000 charioteers, and 20,000 foot soldiers. (also in 1 Chronicles 18)

Some translations say 1,700 cavalry (horseman) and 20,000 foot soldiers.

See verse 6:
⁶ Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. 

He crippled all the chariot horses except enough for 100 chariots.

Disabled them from military action.

Note: one commentator said the hamstrung horses may have been used as farm or pack horses. 

Note: Deuteronomy 17:16 NLT
¹⁶ “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ 

Joshua 11:6 NLT
⁶ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel as dead men. Then you must cripple their horses and burn their chariots.” 

This was part of a broader strategy to prevent the Israelites from becoming dependent on horses and chariots, which were associated with military power and the practices of other nations.

Psalm 20:7 NLT
⁷ Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
but we boast in the name of the Lord our God. 

Isaiah 31:1 NLT
What sorrow awaits those who look to Egypt for help,
trusting their horses, chariots, and charioteers
and depending on the strength of human armies
instead of looking to the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel. 

• God’s chosen people were expected to trust in the Lord for their military successes, and not become dependent on horses and chariots. 

⁵ When Arameans from Damascus arrived to help King Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 of them. ⁶ Then he placed several army garrisons in Damascus, the Aramean capital, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money. 

Damascus was not part of Zobah; it was a separate and independent Aramean kingdom.

• Hadadezer’s defeat was significant because it brought wealth and tribute to David’s kingdom and marked the expansion of Israel’s power in the region. 

So the Lord made David victorious wherever he went. (Repeated in verse 14)

• God’s blessings, not David’s skill, is the reason for David’s victories.

Psalm 18:1-2 NLT
¹ I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
² The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

David knew that his strength came from the Lord. 

⁷ David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah and Berothai.

Read:
1 Chronicles 18:8 NLT

⁷ David brought the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers to Jerusalem, ⁸ along with a large amount of bronze from Hadadezer’s towns of Tebah and Cun. Later Solomon melted the bronze and molded it into the great bronze basin called the Sea, the pillars, and the various bronze articles used at the Temple. 

⁹ When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had destroyed the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ he sent his son Joram to congratulate King David for his successful campaign. Hadadezer and Toi had been enemies and were often at war. Joram presented David with many gifts of silver, gold, and bronze. 

• Seeing what had happened to other Aramean kingdoms, King Toi of Hamath gave David gifts to indicate that he voluntarily submitted to him as his vassal. 

¹¹ King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, as he did with the silver and gold from the other nations he had defeated— ¹² from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek—and from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

• King David dedicated all of the gifts, the silver, and the gold he had gotten from nations he had defeated to the Lord.

 

¹³ So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 

¹⁴ He placed army garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became David’s subjects.

More wealth and tribute to David’s kingdom as well as continued expansion of Israel’s power in the region.

In fact, the Lord made David victorious wherever he went. 

¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people. 

• David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.

David established a system of government (a cabinet) to administer the affairs of the nation.

¹⁶ Joab son of Zeruiah was commander of the army. 

Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the royal historian.  

¹⁷ Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were the priests. 

Seraiah was the court secretary.  

¹⁸ Benaiah son of Jehoiada (one of David’s mighty men) was captain of the king’s bodyguard.  

And David’s sons served as priestly leaders. 

David’s sons would have served as chief officials or chaplains for the royal family. They were not eligible to serve as priests.  Only the descendants of Levi could serve as priests in the tabernacle and temple.

 

• David established a system of government (a cabinet) to administer the affairs of the nation.

 

Introduction:

David’s Prayer of Thanks

This is a prayer from David to God.

How can you apply this passage to your life?

2 Samuel 7:18-29 NLT
¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,
“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? ¹⁹ And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?
²⁰ “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. ²¹ Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.
²² “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! ²³ What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way. ²⁴ You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.
²⁵ “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. ²⁶ And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
²⁷ “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ ²⁸ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹ And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 7:18-29 NLT (1 Chronicles 17:16-27)

David’s Prayer of Thanks 

¹⁸ Then

Earlier in 2 Samuel 7:

David was not chosen by God to build the temple.

God declared that he will make a house for David— a dynasty of kings! A lasting dynasty!  

King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,

• David went into the tent where the Ark was kept and prayed to the Lord.

The Ark was the symbol of God’s presence with His people.

2 Samuel 6:17 NLT
¹⁷ They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord.

Exodus 25:22 NLT
²² I (God) will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.

Symbolically, David was coming into the presence of God.

This prayer is David’s response to God’s covenant promise that his dynasty will last forever. 

“Who am I,

David’s prayer is an expression of genuine humility and unworthiness.

• David was overwhelmed by the Lord’s promise to establish David’s dynasty and make his descendants into a lasting kingdom. 

O Sovereign Lord,

Here, in the NLT, David addresses God as the Sovereign Lord.

Various translations use:

O Lord God (ESV, KJV, CEB)

Sovereign Lord (NIV, NLT)

O Lord Jehovah (ASV)

The following is from Chat GPT

1. 1. 1. “Lord”: This title generally signifies authority, sovereignty, and ownership. In biblical texts, “Lord” often translates from the Hebrew word “Adonai” or “YHWH” (sometimes written as Yahweh or Jehovah). This was the personal, sacred name of God revealed to Moses in the book of Exodus and is considered so holy that traditional Jewish practice avoids pronouncing it, substituting it with “Adonai” (meaning “my Lord”).

 

1. 1. 2. “God”: In Hebrew, “God” is often rendered as “Elohim.” Elohim is used throughout the Old Testament to denote God’s power, divinity, and role as Creator of all things.

When combined as “Lord God,” these titles emphasize God’s ultimate authority, holiness, and role as the Creator and ruler of all creation. The phrase conveys both His personal relationship with humanity and His sovereign rule over the universe.

The names Sovereign Lord and Lord God can be used interchangeably.  They do not contradict each other.

Notice how often David uses these names in 12 verses.

Sovereign Lord

Lord

God

Lord God

Lord of Heaven’s Armies

God of Israel

• In this passage David repeatedly recognizes God as a Sovereign Lord.

God has ultimate power, authority, and control over all creation and events. 

 

Notice how many times David referred to himself as “Your servant”.  A title given to David by God.

2 Samuel 7:5 NLT
⁵ “Go and tell my servant David,  

David was devoted to carrying out God’s will.

David understood his role in life. 

• David refers to himself as a servant of God. 

and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 

David is overwhelmed by God’s kindness. 

¹⁹ And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty!

How long will this lasting dynasty exist?

Revelation 11:15 NLT
¹⁵ Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:
“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever.”

• The “lasting dynasty” promised to David will last “forever and ever”. 

David appears to understand that this dynasty goes way beyond the reign of King Solomon and his descendants. 

Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?

1 Chronicles 17:17 NLT
¹⁷ And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great, O Lord God! 

²⁰ “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. 

• Again, David humbly considers himself unworthy of all the Lord’s blessings. 

²¹ Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.

• This everlasting dynasty will happen because it is God will for it to happen and God promised that it would happen. It was not a result of David’s ambitions.

This would all be done for Israel’s sake to fulfill God’s covenant with his people Israel.

David attributes all his success to the Lord. 

²² “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you! 

There is none like you.

1 Samuel 2:2 NLT
² No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God. 

Isaiah 44:6 NLT
⁶ This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:
“I am the First and the Last;
there is no other God.

Deuteronomy 4:39 NLT
There Is Only One God
³⁹ “So remember this and keep it firmly in mind: The Lord is God both in heaven and on earth, and there is no other.

1 Kings 8:56-60 NLT
⁵⁶ “Praise the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises he gave through his servant Moses. ⁵⁷ May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us or abandon us. ⁵⁸ May he give us the desire to do his will in everything and to obey all the commands, decrees, and regulations that he gave our ancestors. ⁵⁹ And may these words that I have prayed in the presence of the Lord be before him constantly, day and night, so that the Lord our God may give justice to me and to his people Israel, according to each day’s needs. ⁶⁰ Then people all over the earth will know that the Lord alone is God and there is no other.

1 Timothy 2:5 NLT
⁵ For,
There is one God and one Mediator (Jesus Christ) who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 

James 2:19 NLT
¹⁹ You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

• David exalts God as unique and without equal, recognizing Him as the only true God. 

²³ What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people?

David recognizes that Israel is unique, set apart to be God’s own special treasure.

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 NLT
⁶ For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
⁷ “The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! ⁸ Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

Genesis 12:1-3 NLT
^12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. ² I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. ³ I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Also verse 24

You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.  

²⁴ You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God.

• David recognizes that Israel was set apart from every other nation by the uniqueness of its God and by the relationship the people had with Him. 

²⁵ “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. 

• David is praying that God will fulfill His word regarding David’s house and descendants. (David is praying, “Thy will be done”.) 

David understood God’s role and David understood his role.

²⁶ And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.

• David is praying that God’s name would be honored forever.

Our lives are designed to bring honor to God.

Matthew 5:14-16 NLT
¹⁴ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. 

²⁷ “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’ 

• David prayed boldly.

We too should come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.

Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT
Christ Is Our High Priest
¹⁴ So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵ This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶ So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. 

²⁸ For you are God, O Sovereign Lord. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant. ²⁹ And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you.

For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!”

• David recognizes that God will do as He has promised.

Introduction:

The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David.

The promise of a royal dynasty.

Like God’s promise to Abraham, his covenant with David is unconditional: It does not depend on human obedience or faithfulness but only on God’s unchanging love.

God promised David, that His “favor will not be taken from him”.

A story with dual meanings.

• • • Some elements of this story would be fulfilled in the immediate future, while some elements of this story would be realized in the more distant future.

2 Samuel 7:1-17 NLT
The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David
¹ When King David was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, ² the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”
³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”
⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,
⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? ⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’
⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! ¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”
¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 7:1-17 NLT
The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

¹ When King David was settled in his palace

This would have taken place in the last decade of King David’s reign.

2 Samuel 5:11 NLT
¹¹ Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace.

Hiram became King of Tyre around 980 B.C.

Approximate years of King David’s rule were 1010 BC to 970 BC. 

and the Lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies, 

With God’s help, David had conquered the nations surrounding Israel.

• David was settled in his palace in Jerusalem and was enjoying a period of peace.

Note: Some commentators believe that 2 Samuel 8 takes place before 2 Samuel 7.

They believe that the arrangement of material is topical.

Chapter 6 was about bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. Chapter 7 is about building a temple for the Ark. 

² the king summoned Nathan the prophet.

Nathan is mentioned here for the first time.

“Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”

Building a temple was something David really wanted to do.

This is mentioned in Psalm 132 which may have been written by David.

Psalm 132
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
¹ Lord, remember David
and all that he suffered.
² He made a solemn promise to the Lord.
He vowed to the Mighty One of Israel,
³ “I will not go home;
I will not let myself rest.
⁴ I will not let my eyes sleep
nor close my eyelids in slumber
⁵ until I find a place to build a house for the Lord,
a sanctuary for the Mighty One of Israel.”

David consulted Nathan the prophet about building a more permanent structure in which the Lord could reside.  The tent was no longer suitable, in David’s mind, especially in comparison to his own elaborate palace.

• David consulted Nathan the prophet about building a more permanent structure in which the Lord could reside. 

³ Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is with you.”

• Initially Nathan the prophet encouraged David to pursue this noble project.

Initially Nathan the prophet encouraged David to pursue this noble project.  Nathan told David that he had the Lord’s blessing, but at this point in time neither David nor Nathan had consulted the Lord.

• At this point in time neither David nor Nathan had consulted the Lord. 

⁴ But that same night the Lord said to Nathan, 

• God reveals His will to Nathan. (Verses 5-16) 

⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 

Other scriptures:

1 Kings 8:18-19 NLT
¹⁸ But the Lord told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good, ¹⁹ but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’

1 Chronicles 17:4 LT
⁴ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in.

1 Chronicles 22:8 NLT
⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. 

• David was not chosen by God to build the temple. 

⁶ I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. ⁷ Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’

It was not God’s idea for David to build Him a Temple.

• God had never asked the Israelites to build Him a house and did not want David to build a house for Him. 

⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. 

God had a role for David.

• God had called David to be a leader (shepherd) of His people. 

⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! ¹⁰ And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, ¹¹ starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. 

1 Kings 5:3 NLT
³ “You know that my father, David, was not able to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord his God because of the many wars waged against him by surrounding nations. He could not build until the Lord gave him victory over all his enemies. 

• David’s desire to build a temple was commendable, but his gift and mission were to fight the Lord’s battles until Israel was securely at rest in the Promised Land. 

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 

• David wanted to build a temple for God. Instead, God would build a house, or in reality, a dynasty for David.

God has been building Israel ever since the days of Abraham.  Now God commits Himself to build David’s royal house so that the promise to Israel may be fulfilled – rest in the Promised Land.

• God’s covenant with David finds its ultimate fulfillment in the kingship of Christ who was born of the tribe of Judah and the house of David. 

¹² For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³ He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 

• Solomon would build a temple.

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 NLT
⁶ Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. ⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

¹⁴ I will be his father, and he will be my son.

• Kings in David’s line would enjoy a special covenant relationship with God.

To the believers in Corinth:

2 Corinthians 6:18 NLT
¹⁸ And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.” 

If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 

Wrongdoing requires a just response from God.

¹⁵ But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 

God will always keep his promise to preserve David’s dynasty. (see the comment following vs. 16) 

¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

This refers to the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

Although the dynasty disappeared for hundreds of years, David’s house and kingdom were renewed in Jesus Christ, the sinless descendant of David who reigns forever.

• The complete and final fulfillment of God’s covenant with David is found in the Messiah’ Jesus Christ, the “son of David”. 

It was the coming Messiah who would establish David’s kingdom forever.

Christ is a descendant of David. (This is stated in numerous passages of scripture.)

Matthew 1:1 NLT
¹ This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:

Luke 1:32-33 NLT
³² He (Jesus) will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. ³³ And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

 Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT
⁶ For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen! 

¹⁷ So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

Note: Verses 5-16 were a vision from God to Nathan.

 

Introduction:

Opposing Worldviews

Define worldview:

Your worldview is the lens through which you see and interpret the world around you.

A worldview is the way a person sees and understands the world. It includes their beliefs, values, and experiences that shape how they think and act.

Who was missing during Saul’s reign?

The most important commandment. (Given to the people of Israel long before this time.)

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NLT
⁴ “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. ⁵ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

As Saul’s reign progressed, his relationship with God deteriorated significantly. One pivotal moment occurred when Saul disobeyed God’s explicit command regarding the Amalekites. (iAsk)

1 Samuel 15:10-28 NLT (When Saul did not completely destroy the Amalekite nation.)

The Lord Rejects Saul
¹⁰ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ¹¹ “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.”  ^…
Saul Pleads for Forgiveness
²⁴ Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded. ²⁵ But now, please forgive my sin and come back with me so that I may worship the Lord.”
²⁶ But Samuel replied, “I will not go back with you! Since you have rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.”
²⁷ As Samuel turned to go, Saul tried to hold him back and tore the hem of his robe. ²⁸ And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to someone else—one who is better than you.

Contrast:

Acts 13:22 NLT
²² But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

2 Samuel 6:12-23 NLT

Michal’s Contempt for David 

¹² Then King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration. ¹³ After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. ¹⁵ So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.
¹⁶ But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.
¹⁷ They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. ¹⁸ When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ¹⁹ Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.
²⁰ When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!”
²¹ David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. ²² Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!” ²³ So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life. 

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 6:12-23 NLT (See 1 Chronicles 15:25-16:3)

Michal’s Contempt for David

¹² Then King David was told, “The Lord has blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.”

• God’s blessing on the household of Obed-Edom showed David that the Lord’s anger had been appeased.

So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration. 

From the previous lesson:

• The Ark represented the presence of God.

Exodus 25 NLT (selected verses)
¹⁰ “Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. … ¹⁶ When the Ark is finished, place inside it the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you.
… ²¹ Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. ²² I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.

The Ark could be seen as the earthly throne of Israel’s God. 

¹³ After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps,

Note: men were carrying the Ark.

The men were transporting the Ark properly.

Go to 1 Chronicles:
1 Chronicles 15:26 NLT
²⁶ And because God was clearly helping the Levites as they carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. 

David sensed that things were going well. (No one was struck dead.) 

David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 

God’s blessing was on the Levites. (1 Samuel 15:26 shown above.)

David responded by offering sacrifices to the Lord.

David sacrificed here and in verse 17.

David was worshipping the Lord.

• David worshipped God by sacrificing a bull and a fattened calf. 

¹⁴ And David danced before the Lord with all his might,

Psalm 149:3 NLT
³ Praise his name with dancing,
accompanied by tambourine and harp. 

Psalm 150 NLT (the last Psalm)
¹ Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heaven!
² Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!
³ Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
⁴ Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
⁵ Praise him with a clash of cymbals;
praise him with loud clanging cymbals.
⁶ Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

Exodus 15:20-21 NLT
²⁰ Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. ²¹ And Miriam sang this song:

“Sing to the Lord,
    for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
    into the sea.” 

• Praising the Lord with dancing is Biblical. 

wearing a priestly garment. 

David was dressed as a priest, not a king. (David was not a descendant of Aaron.)

A garment usually reserved for priests and those ministering before the Lord. 

¹⁵ So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns. 

• David and all the people of Israel were celebrating as they transported the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. 

¹⁶ But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window.

• Michal is identified as the daughter of Saul, not David’s wife, in verses 16, 20, and 23.

Was Michal more David’s wife or Saul’s daughter?

Some background:

Michal was originally married to David.

Following David’s escape from Saul, Saul gave Michal in marriage to Palti (or Paltiel), son of Laish (1 Samuel 25:44).

After Saul died and Ish-bosheth (Saul’s son) became king, David demanded that Michal be returned to him as part of a political alliance (2 Samuel 3:13-16).

Who helped Michal shape her worldview? 

When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.

• When Michal saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.

David was not acting like she thought a king was expected to act.  In her eyes his behavior was undignified.

It appears that Michal had no appreciation for the significance of the event.

Michal may have wanted David to remain a warrior, rather than a man of God. 

¹⁷ They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it.

Go to iAsk or Chat GPT.
David placed the Ark of the Covenant in a tent, often referred to as the “Tent of David,” on Mount Zion. This was separate from the tabernacle that Moses had constructed, which was located at Gibeon at the time. David wanted to bring the Ark to Jerusalem and set it up in a special place for worship. Later, his son Solomon built the Temple, where the Ark was ultimately placed. (Chat GPT) 

And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 

Burnt Offering: Represents complete surrender and devotion to God.

Peace Offering: Expresses fellowship and communion with God.

• David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord.

More worship. 

¹⁸ When he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 

¹⁹ Then he gave to every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people returned to their homes.

• David ended this time of celebration by giving every Israelite man and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake of dates, and a cake of raisins. 

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him.

She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!”

A linen ephod vs. a royal robe.

• Michal completely missed the significance of bringing the Ark of the Lord to Jerusalem. 

²¹ David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. 

• David’s action were for the delight of the Lord, not for the servant girls. 

²² Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!

But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!” 

• David and the servant girls had a worldview that was very different than Michal’s worldview. 

 ²³ So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her entire life.

A punishment for her pride.

• Michal’s childlessness prevented her from providing a successor to David’s throne from the family of Saul.

Introduction:

Proverbs 9:10 NLT
¹⁰ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NLT
¹² “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. ¹³ And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

Deuteronomy 6:2 NLT
² and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the Lord your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 

Discuss:

What does “Fear of the Lord” mean?

(reverence, respect, and obedience to God)

The concept of fearing God is a recurring theme throughout the Bible.

Luke 12:4-5 NLT
⁴ “Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. ⁵ But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear.

2 Samuel 6:1-11 NLT
Moving the Ark to Jerusalem (see 1 Chronicles 13:1-14)
^6:1 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. ² He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. ³ They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart ⁴ that carried the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark. ⁵ David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
⁶ But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. ⁷ Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.
⁸ David was angry because the Lord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today.
⁹ David was now afraid of the Lord, and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the Lord back into my care?” ¹⁰ So David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. ¹¹ The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 6:1-11 NLT
Moving the Ark to Jerusalem (see 1 Chronicles 13:1-14)

^6:1 Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. ² He led them to Baalah of Judah (This is another name for Kiriath-jearim which is located about 10 miles west of Jerusalem.) to bring back the Ark of God,

• David is planning to move the Ark from Kiriath-jearim to Jerusalem, the new capital of Israel.

Background scripture:

1 Samuel 7:1-2 NLT (This is before Saul became king.)
^7:1 So the men of Kiriath-jearim came to get the Ark of the Lord. (Returned by the Philistines.) They took it to the hillside home of Abinadab and ordained Eleazar, his son, to be in charge of it. ² The Ark remained in Kiriath-jearim for a long time—twenty years in all. During that time all Israel mourned because it seemed the Lord had abandoned them.

1 Chronicles 13:3 NLT (Here David is speaking.)
³ It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul.”                                                                                                                              

There is almost no mention of the Ark during Saul’s 40 year reign.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 NLT
¹³ So Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord. He failed to obey the Lord’s command, and he even consulted a medium ¹⁴ instead of asking the Lord for guidance. So the Lord killed him and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

• The Ark represented the presence of God.

Exodus 25 NLT (selected verses)
¹⁰ “Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high. … ¹⁶ When the Ark is finished, place inside it the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you.
… ²¹ Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. ²² I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.

The Ark could be seen as the earthly throne of Israel’s God. 

which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim. 

Psalm 99:1 NLT
¹ The Lord is king!
Let the nations tremble!
He sits on his throne between the cherubim.
Let the whole earth quake! 

Isaiah 6:1-3 NLT
^6:1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. ² Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³ They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

Revelation 4:6-11 NLT
⁶ In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.
In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. ⁷ The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. ⁸ Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
⁹ Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
¹¹ “You are worthy, O Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power.
For you created all things,
and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Isaiah 5:16 NLT
¹⁶ But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will be exalted by his justice.
The holiness of God will be displayed by his righteousness.

• “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

• We must always fear the Lord our God. 

³ They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house, which was on a hill. 

Uzzah and Ahio, Abinadab’s sons, were guiding the cart ⁴ that carried the Ark of God. Ahio walked in front of the Ark. 

• At this point in time, David and his troops were not fearing God. (Is this a true statement?)

Why or why not?

The Ark of God was to be carried by Levites who would bear it on their shoulders, it was not to be transported on a cart.

Even the Priests could not touch the Ark.

Numbers 4:15 NLT
¹⁵ The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. So these are the things from the Tabernacle that the Kohathites must carry.

Exodus 25:14 NLT
¹⁴ Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.

Numbers 7:9 NLT
⁹ But he (Moses) gave none of the wagons or oxen to the Kohathite division, since they were required to carry the sacred objects of the Tabernacle on their shoulders. 

⁵ David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals. 

• All of Israel was celebrating the fact that the Ark was being moved to Jerusalem. 

⁶ But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.  

• While pulling the cart that was being used to transport the Ark, the oxen stumbled.

• Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. 

⁷ Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this.  

• The Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead.

So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God. 

• Touching the Ark was a direct violation of God’s law.

David should have known this.

1 Samuel 6:19-20 NLT
The Ark Moved to Kiriath-Jearim
¹⁹ But the Lord killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord. And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done. ²⁰ “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?” they cried out. “Where can we send the Ark from here?” 

⁸ David was angry because the Lord’s anger had burst out against Uzzah.

• David was angry.

Discuss this. 

He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means “to burst out against Uzzah”), as it is still called today. 

⁹ David was now afraid of the Lord,

• David was now afraid of the Lord.

Is this the “Fear of the Lord” we were discussing? 

and he asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the Lord back into my care?” ¹⁰ So David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David.

• David decided not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of David.

The story of the Ark being moved to Jerusalem takes place in the next lesson. 

Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 

Obed-edom was a Levite.

1 Chronicles 16:38 NLT
³⁸ This group included Obed-edom (son of Jeduthun), Hosah, and sixty-eight other Levites as gatekeepers.

¹¹ The Ark of the Lord remained there in Obed-edom’s house for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire household.

The Lord Blesses David

David Conquers the Philistines

Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

2 Samuel 5:11-25 NLT
The Lord Blesses David in Jerusalem (see 1 Chronicles 14:1-7)
¹¹ Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. ¹² And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
¹³ After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David married more concubines and wives, and they had more sons and daughters. ¹⁴ These are the names of David’s sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
David Conquers the Philistines
¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. ¹⁸ The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹ So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”
The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.”
²⁰ So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. “The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”). ²¹ The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.
²² But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim. ²³ And again David asked the Lord what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. ²⁴ When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 5:11-25 NLT
The Lord Blesses David in Jerusalem (see 1 Chronicles 14:1-7) 

¹¹ Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David,

Tyre: An important Phoenician seaport on the Mediterranean coast.

(Tyre is part of Lebanon today)

King Hiram formed an alliance with Israel for trading purposes.

Israel dominated the inland trade routes.

Tyre was dependent on Israelite agriculture for much of its food.

1 Kings 5:1 NLT
^5:1 King Hiram of Tyre had always been a loyal friend of David.

• King Hiram and King David had a good working relationship. 

along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built David a palace. 

A palace symbolized kingship.

King Hiram provided:

Cedar timber
Carpenters
Stonemasons

Tyre was dependent on Israelite agriculture for much of its food.

• The King of Tyre helped David build his palace. 

¹² And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel

The same story in 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 14:1 NLT
^14:1 Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar timber, and stonemasons and carpenters to build him a palace.  ² And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had greatly blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

Review a previous occurrence:

2 Samuel 5:1
^5:1 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” 

Over 300,000 men of war.

• David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel. 

A reminder for us.

Philippians 1:6 NLT
⁶ And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Romans 8:28 NLT
²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Psalm 46:8-11 NLT (A song of the descendants of Korah)
⁸ Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
⁹ He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
¹¹ The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.  

and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 

• God blessed David’s kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.

• David understood that God had a plan for His chosen people and he, David, was a part of that plan.

A reminder for us.

 Jeremiah 29:11 NLT (A message to the exiles in Babylon.)
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Ephesians 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. 

¹³ After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David married more concubines and wives, and they had more sons and daughters. ¹⁴ These are the names of David’s sons who were born in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Perhaps this was seen as a reflection of David’s growing success and power as Israel’s king.

1 Chronicles 3:5 NLT
⁵ The sons born to David in Jerusalem included Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. Their mother was Bathsheba, the daughter of Ammiel.

• As time passed David’ dynasty became stronger and stronger.

• One way David’s dynasty became stronger was by David marrying more wives and having more sons. 

• Marrying into neighboring royal families to create political alliances was a common practice in the ancient Near East.

Deuteronomy 17:17 NLT
¹⁷ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself. 

Review 2 Samuel 3:1-5

David’s Sons Born in Hebron

¹ As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.
² These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel.
³ The second was Daniel, whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.
⁴ The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
⁵ The sixth was Ithream, whose mother was Eglah, David’s wife.
These sons were all born to David in Hebron.

David Conquers the Philistines 

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him.

These events most likely took place between verses 3 and 6.

Note: During King Ishbosheth the Philistines controlled large sections of Israel.

The Philistines knew that David would be a bigger threat to them if he became the established king of both Israel and Judah. 

But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold. 

David stayed in strongholds during the time he was being pursued by Saul.

1 Samuel 22:4 NLT
⁴ So David’s parents stayed in Moab with the king during the entire time David was living in his stronghold.

1 Samuel 23:14 NLT
¹⁴ David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.

¹⁸ The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim.  (Northwest of Jerusalem) 

¹⁹ So David asked the Lord, “Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?”

David did the right thing.

• • • Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
      ⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
      do not depend on your own understanding.
      ⁶ Seek his will in all you do,
      and he will show you which path to take.

The Lord replied to David, “Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you.” 

²⁰ So David went to Baal-perazim (location unknown) and defeated the Philistines there. 

“The Lord did it!” David exclaimed. “He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!” 

So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means “the Lord who bursts through”).  

• David credits God for his victory over the Philistines.

Ephesians 3:20-21 LT
²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 

²¹ The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.

The Philistines carried images of their deities into battle in hope that this would secure victory.

Israel had done the same thing in the past.

1 Samuel 4:1-3 NLT
¹…At that time Israel was at war with the Philistines. The Israelite army was camped near Ebenezer, and the Philistines were at Aphek. ² The Philistines attacked and defeated the army of Israel, killing 4,000 men.³ After the battle was over, the troops retreated to their camp, and the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord allow us to be defeated by the Philistines?” Then they said, “Let’s bring the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. If we carry it into battle with us, it will save us from our enemies.”

The Israelites’ decision to take the Ark into battle was similar to what other pagan nations did with their gods, carting them into battle to hope for better fortune in the outcome.

1 Chronicles 14:12 NLT
¹² The Philistines had abandoned their gods there, so David gave orders to burn them.

Deuteronomy 7:25-26 NLT
²⁵ “You must burn their idols in fire, and you must not covet the silver or gold that covers them. You must not take it or it will become a trap to you, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. ²⁶ Do not bring any detestable objects into your home, for then you will be destroyed, just like them. You must utterly detest such things, for they are set apart for destruction. 

²² But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim.  

²³ And again David asked the Lord what to do. “Do not attack them straight on,” the Lord replied. “Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. ²⁴ When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the Lord is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.”  

• Again David inquired of the Lord. God responded with very specific instructions.

A reminder for us.

1 John 5:14 NLT
¹⁴ And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.

Matthew 7:7 NLT
⁷ “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 

²⁵ So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer (18 miles NW of Jerusalem). 

 

Psalm 115:1 NLT (Arthur unknown)
¹ Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
but to your name goes all the glory
for your unfailing love and faithfulness.

 

 

 

 

Brief review of 1 Samuel 1 through Samuel 2:4

Hannah’s prayer for a son.

Samuel’s birth and dedication.

Israel’s desire for a king.

1 Samuel 8:4-5
⁴ Finally, all the elders of Israel met at Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. ⁵ “Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

God gives Israel a king.

The story of Saul and Ishbosheth.

The nation of Israel is falling apart.  Its leadership is gone, and the nation is on the verge of an escalating civil war.

2 Samuel 3:1 NLT
^3:1 That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.

Saul is dead.

Abner and Ishbosheth have been murdered.

We are about to see how God uses David to restore Israel and Judah back into one nation.

2 Samuel 5:1-10 NLT
David Becomes King of All Israel
^5:1 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’”
³ So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. ⁵ He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.
David Captures Jerusalem
⁶ David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there. The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe. ⁷ But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
⁸ On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites. Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.” That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.”
⁹ So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward. ¹⁰ And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 5:1-10 NLT

David Becomes King of All Israel

This story is also found in 1 Chronicles 11:1-9

^5:1 Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. 

Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was dead and the northern kingdom (Israel) no longer had a king.

The Northern kingdom is asking David to become their king.

All the tribes of Israel.

In 1 Chronicles 12:23-40 the tribes are listed along with the number of warriors from each of the tribes.

1 Chronicles 12:38 NLT
³⁸ All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king over all Israel. In fact, everyone in Israel agreed that David should be their king.

They recognize the fact that Judah and Israel come from the family of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

• The Northern kingdom asked David to become their king. 

² In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” 

David was an Israelite. (Deuteronomy 17:15)*

David was Israel’s best warrior and commander.

The Northern kingdom knew that it was God’s will for David to be their king.

• David was God’s choice to be Israel’s king.

God is sovereign and had a plan for David long before this story began.

• David anointed king by Samuel

1 Samuel 16:1 & 13 NLT
Samuel Anoints David as King
Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”

¹³ So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

This anointing in 1 Samuel 16 was a private ceremony.

• David was anointed king by the people of Judah. (His second oil anointing.)

2 Samuel 2:1-7 NLT
David Anointed King of Judah
^2:1 After this, David asked the Lord, “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?”
“Yes,” the Lord replied.
Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?”
“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
² David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives ³ and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron. ⁴ Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah.
When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, ⁵ he sent them this message: “May the Lord bless you for being so loyal to your master Saul and giving him a decent burial. ⁶ May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done. ⁷ Now that Saul is dead, I ask you to be my strong and loyal subjects like the people of Judah, who have anointed me as their new king.”

Another reminder of God’s sovereignty.

2 Samuel 3:10 NLT
¹⁰ I’m (God is speaking here) going to take Saul’s kingdom and give it to David. I will establish the throne of David over Israel as well as Judah, all the way from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south.” 

³ So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel.

David as well as all of the Elders of Israel took this appointment very seriously.

• King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel.

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 NLT

Guidelines for a King
¹⁴ “You are about to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you. When you take it over and settle there, you may think, ‘We should select a king to rule over us like the other nations around us.’ * ¹⁵ If this happens, be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.
¹⁶ “The king must not build up a large stable of horses for himself or send his people to Egypt to buy horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You must never return to Egypt.’ ¹⁷ The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the Lord. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.
¹⁸ “When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. ¹⁹ He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. ²⁰ This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.

And they anointed him king of Israel.

David anointed king here in 2 Samuel 5

In a public ceremony. (A third oil anointing.)

• David is anointed King of Israel in a public ceremony. (A third oil anointing.)

• The 12 tribes were once again unified.

Application for today: (Apply to our current events.)

Romans 13:1 NLT
Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

Daniel 2:21 & 21 NLT
²⁰“Praise the name of God forever and ever,
for he has all wisdom and power.
²¹ He controls the course of world events;
    he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the scholars.

Proverbs 21:1 NLT
^21:1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord;
he guides it wherever he pleases. 

• God controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. 

⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in all. ⁵ He had reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and from Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

David Captures Jerusalem

This story is also found in 1 Chronicles 11:4-9

• David reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years. 

• David decides to relocate the capitol. 

Jerusalem was excellently fortified because of its elevation and the surrounding deep valleys.

Jerusalem had a good water supply, the Gihon Spring.

Jerusalem was close to trade routes. 

⁶ David then led his men to Jerusalem to fight against the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land who were living there.

The Jebusites were Canaanites still living in the Promised Land.

Joshua 15:63 NLT
⁶³ But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.

The city of Jerusalem had remained under Jebusite control from the time Joshua entered the Promised Land. 

The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe. 

The Jebusites were overly confident of their security.  They felt that their fortress was so secure that even the blind and lame could keep out David and his men.

⁷ But David captured the fortress of Zion, 

• David captured the fortress of Zion.

which is now called the City of David.

The city had not been completely conquered previously.

⁸ On the day of the attack, David said to his troops, “I hate those ‘lame’ and ‘blind’ Jebusites.
Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel.”

It appears that David knew of a secret tunnel.

A tunnel that channeled the city’s water supply from the Gihon Spring outside the city walls.

1 Chronicles 11: 6 NLT
David had said to his troops, “Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!” And Joab, the son of David’s sister Zeruiah, was first to attack, so he became the commander of David’s armies. 

That is the origin of the saying, “The blind and the lame may not enter the house.” 

David may have begun calling his enemies the blind and the lame. ? ? ? 

⁹ So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. 

Read:

1 Chronicles 11:4-9
David Captures Jerusalem
⁴ Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called), where the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were living. ⁵ The people of Jebus taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here!” But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.
⁶ David had said to his troops, “Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!” And Joab, the son of David’s sister Zeruiah, was first to attack, so he became the commander of David’s armies.
⁷ David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the City of David. ⁸ He extended the city from the supporting terraces to the surrounding area, while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem. ⁹ And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord of Heaven’s Armies was with him.

Mount Zion and Mount Ophel were consolidated into one entity.

On the border between Judah and the northern territories.

He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces and working inward.  

• David extended the city.

¹⁰ And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.

God was with David.

 

 

 

The Murder of Ishbosheth

Introduction:

In this lesson the nation of Israel is falling apart.  Its leadership is gone and the nation is on the verge of civil war.

In following lessons, we will see how God uses David to restore Israel and Judah back into one nation.

2 Samuel 4:1-12 NLT
The Murder of Ishbosheth
^4:1 When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard about Abner’s death at Hebron, he lost all courage, and all Israel became paralyzed with fear. ² Now there were two brothers, Baanah and Recab, who were captains of Ishbosheth’s raiding parties. They were sons of Rimmon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Beeroth. The town of Beeroth is now part of Benjamin’s territory ³ because the original people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.
⁴ (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.)
⁵ One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth’s house around noon as he was taking his midday rest. ⁶ The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her. ⁷ They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head. Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night. ⁸ When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth’s head to David. “Look!” they exclaimed to the king. “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you. Today the Lord has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!”
⁹ But David said to Recab and Baanah, “The Lord, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness. ¹⁰ Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ thinking he was bringing me good news. But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! ¹¹ How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn’t I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?”
¹² So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron. Then they took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 4:1-12 NLT
The Murder of Ishbosheth 

^4:1 When Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, heard about Abner’s death at Hebron, he lost all courage,

Ishbosheth was very much aware of his dependence on Abner.

Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth’s army, had become a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul.

Abner was the one who put Ishbosheth on the throne and was the one whose power held him there.

Abner’s true power was evident in Ishbosheth’s reaction to his death.

Ishbosheth was simply a figurehead.

• Abner had been the source of strength and stability for Israel.

and all Israel became paralyzed with fear. 

A civil war between Israel and Judah was a reality and Israel was now without strong leadership.

• The news of Abner’s death caused all of Israel to become paralyzed with fear.

² Now there were two brothers, Baanah and Recab, who were captains of Ishbosheth’s raiding parties. They were sons of Rimmon, a member of the tribe of Benjamin who lived in Beeroth.

These two Benjamite men were captains of Ishbosheth’s raiding parties.

Baanah and Recab were from the tribe of Benjamin.

Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin.

Even after Saul’s death, the tribe of Benjamin remained faithful to Saul’s house.

• People could mistakenly assume that Baanah and Recab would be loyal to Saul’s family.

This is evidence of friction within the house of Saul. 

The town of Beeroth is now part of Benjamin’s territory ³ because the original people of Beeroth (Gibeonites/Canaanites) fled to Gittaim, where they still live as foreigners.

Beeroth: One of the Gibeonite cities assigned to Benjamin.

Who were the Gibeonites?

These were the people who tricked Joshua into making as treaty with them. (Joshua 9)

Saul did not honor the treaty Joshua had made with the Gibeonites and tried to annihilate them. (2 Samuel 21)

The Gibeonites fled to Gittaim.

Israelites moved into the city of Beeroth, located in Benjamin near Gibeon, after the original citizens had fled to Gittaim.

Don’t you wonder why this is included in the scriptures? 

A story within a story. 

⁴ (Saul’s son Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth, who was crippled as a child. He was five years old when the report came from Jezreel that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle. When the child’s nurse heard the news, she picked him up and fled. But as she hurried away, she dropped him, and he became crippled.) 

Mephibosheth was too young (12 years old) to rule

and

his physical condition made it impossible for him to provide military leadership.

The following may or may not apply.

It most likely influence the people’s thinking.

Leviticus 21:16-21 NLT
¹⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹⁷ “Give the following instructions to Aaron: In all future generations, none of your descendants who has any defect will qualify to offer food to his God. ¹⁸ No one who has a defect qualifies, whether he is blind, lame, disfigured, deformed, ¹⁹ or has a broken foot or arm, ²⁰ or is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or has a defective eye, or skin sores or scabs, or damaged testicles. ²¹ No descendant of Aaron who has a defect may approach the altar to present special gifts to the Lord. Since he has a defect, he may not approach the altar to offer food to his God.

• With the death of Ishbosheth there was no other viable claimant to the throne from the house of Saul. (From the NIV Study Bible)

• Saul’s dynasty was unable to continue-the only other heir was a young child who was crippled. (From the NLT Study Bible)

2 Samuel 9:1 NLT
^9:1 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 

³ … “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”…

See also the comments after verse 7.

Saul’s sons, Jonathan, Ishbosheth (Esh-baal), Abinadab, and Malki-Shua (Malkishua) are dead.

(Saul did have two other sons from one of his concubines Rizpah (3:7 and 21:8-14)) 

⁵ One day Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon from Beeroth, went to Ishbosheth’s house around noon as he was taking his midday rest.

2 Samuel 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.

Since Recab and Baanah were from Benjamin they would appear to be loyal to the family of Saul. 

⁶ The doorkeeper, who had been sifting wheat, became drowsy and fell asleep. So Recab and Baanah slipped past her. ⁷ They went into the house and found Ishbosheth sleeping on his bed. They struck and killed him and cut off his head.

• Recab and Baanah assassinate Ishbosheth.

• Israel now has no king.

Saul’s sons, Jonathan, Ishbosheth (Esh-baal), Abinadab, and Malki-Shua (Malkishua) are dead.

(Saul did have two other sons from one of his concubines Rizpah (3:7 and 21:8-14))

Also, the commander of Israel’s army, Abner, had been murdered. (verse 1)

See also the comments after verse 4. 

Then, taking his head with them, they fled across the Jordan Valley through the night. 

The distance from Mahanaim to Hebron could have been close to 45 miles. ??? 

⁸ When they arrived at Hebron, they presented Ishbosheth’s head to David. “Look!” they exclaimed to the king. “Here is the head of Ishbosheth, the son of your enemy Saul who tried to kill you.

David did not refer to Saul as his enemy.

David repeatedly referred to Saul as the Lord’s anointed one.

• Recab and Baanah presented Ishbosheth’s head to David.

Today the Lord has given my lord the king revenge on Saul and his entire family!”

• These two men believed that David would welcome this news and reward them for their actions.

⁹ But David said to Recab and Baanah, “The Lord, who saves me from all my enemies, is my witness. ¹⁰ Someone once told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ thinking he was bringing me good news.

But I seized him and killed him at Ziklag. That’s the reward I gave him for his news! ¹¹ How much more should I reward evil men who have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed? Shouldn’t I hold you responsible for his blood and rid the earth of you?”

Saul was wounded in battle and would have been killed by the enemy.

Ishbosheth’s death was outright murder.

• David saw this as an unjustified assault on a defenseless man.

• David states that these men deserve the death penalty for killing Ishbosheth.

¹² So David ordered his young men to kill them, and they did. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies beside the pool in Hebron.

Note David’s inconsistency in his dealings with Ish-bosheth’s murderers and Abner’s murderer (David’s nephew Joab).

Genesis 9:5 NLT
⁵ “And I (God) will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die.

This was also a public testimony of David’s innocence in Ishbosheth’s death.

Like in our previous lesson:

David was very careful to let everyone know that Abner’s murder was Joab’s doing and not his.

If it had been David’s doing, he would have lost the support of the northern tribes.

Then they took Ishbosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.