David Anointed King of Judah
Introduction:
Name the first three kings of Israel.
Details are important.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 2:15 NLT
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
Acts 17:11 NLT
11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.
Joshua 1:8 NLT
8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
The first three kings of Israel: Saul, Ishbosheth, and David.
2 Samuel 2:1-11 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.”
Ishbosheth Proclaimed King of Israel
8 But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army, had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth. 9 There he proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.
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. 11 David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.
Examine the Scriptures
2 Samuel 2:1-11 NLT
David Anointed King of Judah
2:1 After this, David asked the Lord,
David’s home base of Ziklag has been burned to the ground by the Amalekites.
Saul is no longer pursuing David.
David and his men were no longer fugitives.
- Before making the decision to move back to Judah, David sought the Lord’s guidance.
“Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?”
David was from the tribe of Judah
- David had many friends and contacts in Judah.
1 Samuel 30:26-31 NLT
26 When he arrived at Ziklag, David sent part of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends. “Here is a present for you, taken from the Lord’s enemies,” he said.
27 The gifts were sent to the people of the following towns David had visited: Bethel, Ramoth-negev, Jattir, 28 Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, 29 Racal, the towns of the Jerahmeelites, the towns of the Kenites, 30 Hormah, Bor-ashan, Athach, 31 Hebron, and all the other places David and his men had visited.
“Yes,” the Lord replied.
Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?”
David wanted a specific answer.
“To Hebron,” the Lord answered.
Hebron was an old, established, and important city in southern Judah.
Hebron was centrally located in Judah.
Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob were all buried in the cave of Machpelah purchased by Abraham which is located in Hebron.
The people of the area were sympathetic toward David.
2 David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
Michal had been given to another man after David fled from Saul. (1 Samuel 25:44)
So David and his wives 3 and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron.
- The Lord told David to move to the town of Hebron which was located in the center of Judah.
4 Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah.
Rather than seeking a relative of Saul who was from the tribe of Benjamin, the people of Judah chose one of their own, the hero David, to be their king.
Previously, God had chosen David to be the king.
1 Samuel 16 NLT
Samuel Anoints David as King
16:1 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.”
10 … all seven of Jesse’s sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.”
“Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
12 So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes.
And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.”
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. ….
David’s anointing by Samuel was done privately in the presence of David’s family.
This anointing was a public ceremony.
- David was formally installed by oil-anointing as King over Judah.
Later, in 2 Samuel 5:3, David will be anointed a third time as king over the entire nation of Israel.
- This move completely alienated David from the Philistines with whom he had previously taken refuge and made an alliance.
Most likely the tribe of Simeon was involved in this ceremony.
These two tribes had a history of working together.
Joshua 19:1 NLT
19:1 The second allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Simeon. Their homeland was surrounded by Judah’s territory.
Judges 1:3 NLT
3 The men of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, “Join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory.” So the men of Simeon went with 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.
- David is moved by the men of Jabesh’s loyalty to Saul and wants to reward them for what they 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.”
- David asks the men of Jabesh-gilead to be his strong and loyal subjects.
David is presenting himself as Saul’s successor and wants to be their king.
This appeal for their support was ignored.
Ishbosheth Proclaimed King of Israel
8 But Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul’s army (and Saul’s cousin), had already gone to Mahanaim with Saul’s son Ishbosheth (or Esh-baal).
Mahanaim was located east of the Jordan River. (Refer to a map)
Mahanaim was named by Jacob.
Genesis 32:1-2 NLT
32:1 As Jacob started on his way again, angels of God came to meet him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is God’s camp!” So he named the place Mahanaim.
- Mahanaim was beyond the sphere of Philistine domination.
9 There he (Abner) proclaimed Ishbosheth king over Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites, and all the rest of Israel.
Abner is attempting to continue Saul’s kingdom. He was not willing to follow the Lord’s anointed king.
Abner appears to be the power behind the throne.
Refer to the Twelve Tribes of Israel map.
- Abner proclaimed Ishbosheth king over the northern tribes.
- Note: At this point in time the Philistines controlled large sections of Israel.
1 Samuel 31:7 NLT
When the Israelites on the other side of the Jezreel Valley and beyond the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled. So the Philistines moved in and occupied their towns.
The Philistines had slaughtered many of the soldiers of Israel on the slopes of Mount Gilboa.
1 Samuel 31 NLT
31:1 Now the Philistines attacked Israel, and the men of Israel fled before them. Many were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa.
The Philistine army was clearly superior to the Israeli army at this time.
Ishbosheth did not appear to have much support from the people of Israel and his reign was quite limited.
10 Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years.
Ishbosheth’s two year reign and David’s seven and a half years don’t seem to reconcile.
It appears that David was made king over all of Israel shortly after Ishbosheth’s death (2 Samuel 4 and 5).
It took Ishbosheth a number of years to be recognized as his father’s successor.
Apparently a period of 5 years occurred in which the Northern tribes were without a king.
The presence of the Philistines may have played a role in preventing Ishbosheth from gaining control of this northern territory.
- Ishbosheth ruled from Mahanaim for two years.
Meanwhile, the people of Judah remained loyal to David.
11 David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.
During this period of time the twelve tribes had two kings.
- Note: God’s plan was for David to be the king of Israel. (1 Samuel 16:1)
