B C x 1. Ishbosheth's weakness. y 2,3. His two captains. Description. D 4. Mephibosheth. C x 5-8. Ish-bosheth's murder. y 9-12. His two captains. Execution.
960 to 953 B.C.
4)
1: And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2: And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah (= in afliction), and the name of the other Rechab (= rider. Head of the house of the Kenites = sons of Cain), the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite (near Gibeon [Josh.18:25], now El Bireh, 6 miles north of Jerusalem, one of the Hivite towns possessed by Benjamin), of the sons of Benjamin: {for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:
3: And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners (= vagabonds) there until this day.}
4: And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet (cp. state of sinner by nature). He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel (i.e. the death of Saul, &c.: v.4 is introduced here to explain the ease with which David's accession was accomplished, Mephibosheth being unable to succeed his father or avenge the death of Ish-bosheth), and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame (it cripled him). And his name was Mephibosheth (= exterminating the idol).
5: And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.
6: And they came to that place into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7: For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber (cp. 3:31), and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
8: And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David to Hebron, and said to the king, “Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought your soul; and the Lord (Yehovah) has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.” (Siesta time is the best time for an attack by the enemy. They had free run of the kings house, a sign of the Kenite = the sons of Cain. They are doing this to get iside the next palace. One problem though, they didn't understand the compasion of David. Evil men never advertise that they are mean, coniving, low-down sun-of-a guns [no gender intended]. They come with kindness and pump up your ego. Con men. Satan's main M.O. Stay awake on your watch!)
9: And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord (Yehovah) lives, Who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
10: When one told me (the Egyptian, the Amalekite), saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings,’ I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
11: How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now exact the penalty for his blood of your hand, and take you away from the land?” (see Ecc.12:7)
12: And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet (they were thieves. Now they can no run and tell tales to people), and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron (cp. 3:32).
C² E 5:1-25. David's accession over Israel. F H 6:1–7:29. Worship. J 8:1-14. David's mighty acts. G K 8:15-18. David's officers. L 9:1–10:5. David's kindness. M 10:6–20:22. Wars and events. G K 20:23-26. David's officers. L 21:1-14. David's zeal. M 21:15-22. Wars and events. F H 22:1–23:7. Worship. J 23:8-39. David's mighty men. E 24:1-25. David's sin. Numbering Israel.
E N a 1-3. King anointed. b 4,5. Hebron. Reign. c 6-8. Jebusites expelled. O d 9. City of David. e 10. Greatings of king. O d 11. House of David. e 12-. Establishment of King. N a -12. Kingdom exalted. b 13-16. Hebron. Family. c 17-25. Philistine vanquished.
5)
1: Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. (One of the keys of David)
2: Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were he that led out and brought in Israel (another part of the key of David: He was a leader of Israel): and Yehovah said to you, ‘You shall feed as a shepherd My people Israel (another part of the key of David: a shepherd), and you shall be a captain over Israel.’ ”
3: So all the elders of Israel (this includes all 12 tribes) came to the king to Hebron; and king David solemnised a covenamnt with them in Hebron before the Lord (Yehovah): and they anointed David king over Israel (This was just a formality saying they accepted him. See 1 Sam.16:13).
960 to 920 B.C.
4: David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
5: In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years (another part of the key of David, type of Christ. #33 = promise. The age at which Chrst fulfilled God's promise and brought salvation to whomsoever would believe in Him) over all Israel and Judah.
6: And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in to this place, for the blind and the lame shall drive you away by saying, ‘David shall not come in to this place:’ ” thinking, David cannot come in to that place.
7: Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion (i.e the hill of Ophel, immediately south of Moriah. Zion, first Occ. 154 tims in O.T. [7 x 22 = Spiritual perfection X Light]; used later [especially in prophecy] of the whole city. See description below v.8): the same is the City of David (Which is on Jebus, therefore, and not on the west side. First occ. Occurs 40 times in the O.T. [#40 = probation]. Used of Zion 5 times [#5 = grace. 2 Sam.5:7,9. 1 Kings 8:1. 1 Chron.11:5. 2 Chron.5:2] Sam).
8: And David said on that day, “Whosoever gets up to the gutter (= by or through the zinnor, a rock-cut passage from the lower Gihon or En-Rogel [now the Virgin's Fount on east of Ophel], leading up into the city and supplying water. Discovered by Sir Charles Warren. Cp. Neh.2:13, &c.), and smites the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain.” (these words are supplied from 1 Chron.11:6, which tell that Joab got up the zinnor first. Probably revealed to him [or to David] by Araunah, who [though a Jebusite] was not slain, but is found later on, owning property quite near [24:16]. Josephus says Araunah was a friend of David's) Wherefore they said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”
On the plan a point is, marked at the south end of the conduit, as "Warren's Shaft". In His “Recovery of Jerusalem", Sir Charles Warren tells us that "at 450 feet from the Siloam end....we found a shaft leading upwards apparently to the open air". This is of great importance, as it alters conciderably the conjectured line of wall that is shown on the P.E.F. plans running due north up the east slope of Ophel, from the great masonry dam below the Old Pool. This shaft must have been within the city wall. Therefore, as 450 feet from the exit at Siloam locates it as being beyond the first bend in the serpentine course of the conduit, the city wall must necessarily have been carried up at least 100 feet nearer to the east, and probably in the position it is shown in the plan.
9: So David dwelt in the strong hold (of v.7. The Citadel), and called it the city of David. And David built the wall (which was continued by Solomon [1 Kings 9:15,24; 11:27], afterward by Hezekiah [2 Chron.32:5], and extended by Manasseh [2 Chron.33:14]) from the Millo and inward (or the fillng up:, i.e. of the valley between Moriah and Jebus).
10: And David went on and on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts (Yehovah Elohim Sabaioth) was with him.
11: And Hiram (= noble. Not the Hiram of 1 Kings 9:11, which was 60 years later. Josephus says he was his father. Cp. 2 Chron.2:13. 1 Kings 5:1) king of Tyre sent messengers to David (Israel had no war with Phœnicians. Asher failed to expel them [Judg.1:31), and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
12: And David perceived that the Lord (Yehovah) had established him king over Israel,
and that He had exalted his kingdom for His People Israel's sake (not necessarily of David's sake).
13: And David took him more concubines and wives into Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
14: And these be the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem; Shammua (= renowwned), and Shobab (= rebellious), and Nathan (= a giver), and Solomon (= peaceful),
15: Ibhar also (= whom God chooses), and Elishua (= God is my salvation), and Nepheg (= sprout), and Japhia (= splendid),
16: And Elishama (= whom God hears), and Eliada (= known by God. Also = another name, Beeliada. See 1 Chron.14:7), and Eliphalet (= the God of deliverance).
c f 17,18. Positions of Philistines. g 19. Inquiry of Yehovah. h 20,21. Defeat. f 22. Position of Philistines. g 23,24. Inquiry of Yehovah. h 25. Defeat.
953 B.C.
17: But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David (cp. 1 Sam.26:2); and David heard of it, and went down to the hold (probably Adullam. 1 Sam.22:1. Not Zion, because he went "down" to it).
18: The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim (the descendants of the Nephilim through one "Rapha". See Gen. 6:2,4).
19: And David inquired of the Lord (Yehovah) (see 1 Chron.14:10), saying, “Shall I go up to the Philistines? will You deliver them into my hand?” And the Lord (Yehovah) said to David, “Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
20: And David came to Baal-perazim (= lord of divisions), and David smote them there, and said, “The Lord (Yehovah) has broken forth upon my enemies before me, as the breach of waters.” Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.
21: And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. (articles of false religion. Get rid of the traditions of men)
952 B.C. 22: And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
23: And when David inquired of the Lord (Yehovah), he said, “You shall not go up; but fetch a compass (= encircle) behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.
24: And let it be, when you hear the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees (God's army in another dimension), that then you shall go out yourself: for then shall the Lord (Yehovah) go out before you, to smite the host of the Philistines.”
25: And David did so, as the Lord (Yehovah) had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Gibeon until you come to Gazer (see Chron.14:16. About 30-35 miles).
H P¹ 6:1-23. The Ark of Yehovah. P² 7:1-29. The House of Yehovah.
P¹ i 1-4. Removal of Ark from Gibeah. k 5. Music. l 6-8. Sin of Uzzah. m 9-11-. carried aside. n -11,12-. Blessing. i -12,13. Removal of Ark from Obed-edom. k 14,15. Dancing. l 16. Offence of Michal. m 17. Carried in. n 18-23. Blessing, &c.
6)
1: Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.
2: And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah (= lord. the old Canaanitish name of Kirjath-Jearim = the city of forests. Cp. 1 Sam.6:21; 7:2. 1 Chron.13:6), to bring up from that place the Ark of God (Elohim), whereupon is called the name of the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Sabaioth) that dwells between the cherubims. (David's about to mess up. He forgot to ask God first)
3: And they set the Ark of God (Elohim) upon a new cart (this was contrary to the Divine prescribed law [Num.4:15; 7:9; 10:21. Deut.10:8. Josh.3:14. 2 Sam.15:24. 1 Cron.13:7; 15:2, &c.]. When the Phiistines did it in ignorance [1 Sam.6:7] no judgment fell on them, because the Law of Moses was not delivered to them. But David should have known: hence judgment came. The solemn lesson is that anything introduced into the worship of God contrary to His requirements is deserving of His judgment. This includes all that is contrary to John 4:24, and all that is of the flesh, which "profits nothing" [John 6:63]. All this is like David's "new cart" and is sin in God's sight. This would be the equivelent of miss-handling Christ today. See 1 Sam.6:7, and cp. 1 Sam.15:22), and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio (They were priests, they should have known better), the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart.
4: And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the Ark of God (Elohim): and Ahio (= brotherly) went before the ark. (It "looked" so religious)
5: And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord (Yehovah) on all manner of instruments made of fir wood (the Sept. reads "with all boldness and with song". See v.14. and 1 Chron.13:8. According to the Hebrew text "fir woods", Fig., put for the instruments made by it), even on harps, and on psalteries, and on drums (see Ex.15:20), and on cornets, and on timbrels (or tamborines. Heb. zilzilim. See 1 Chron.13:8). (They had a real religious wing-ding going here. Only one problem, it was an abominton to God!)
6: And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor (= same as Chidon [1 Chron.13:9), Uzzah (= strength) put forth his hand to the Ark of God (Elohim), and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
7: And the anger of the Lord (Yehovah) was kindled against Uzzah; and God (Elohim) smote him there for his negligence (discipline is so very important); and there he died by the Ark of God (Elohim).
8: And David was displeased (i.e. with himself. He thinks about what went wrong), because the Lord (Yehovah) had broke forth upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day. (= breaking of strength)
9: And David was afraid of the Lord (Yehovah) that day, and said, “How shall the Ark of the Lord (Yehovah) come to me?”
10: So David would not remove the Ark of the Lord (Yehovah) to him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite (servant of Edom [=red]).
11: And the Ark of the Lord (Yehovah) continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months:
and the Lord (Yehovah) blessed Obed-edom, and all his household. (God was pleased with this. They knew what they were doing)
12: And it was told king David, saying, “The Lord (Yehovah) has blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertains to him, because of the Ark of God (Elohim).”
So David went and brought up the Ark of God (Elohim) from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. (Cp. 1 Chron.15:3)
13: And it was so, that when they that bare the Ark of the Lord (Yehovah) had gone six paces (= a little more that 6 yards. See 1 Chron15:26), he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. (David had learned his leason)
14: And David danced before the Lord (Yehovah) with all his might (this explains the superscription of Ps.87 [not the title of 88, see note there], Mahalah Leannoth = dancing with shoutings. Cp. 1 Chron.15:25-29); and David was girded with a linen ephod (Cp. Aaron [Ex.28:6] and Samuel [1 Sam.2:18]).
15: So David and all the house of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord (Yehovah) with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
16: And as the Ark of the Lord (Yehovah) came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before Yehovah (see v.14); and she despised him in her heart. (she thought that this was no way for a king to act. Why? See v.20)
951 B.C. Sabbatical year
17: And they brought in the Ark of the Lord (Yehovah), and set it in his place, in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it (Heb. ’ohel. Not the Tabernacle of Moses, which was at Gibeon, cp. 1 Chron.16:39, but the tent David had prepared on Zion [7:1-5]. Cp. Ps.132:3-5): and David offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings (which were for thanksgiving) before Yehovah.
n o¹ 18,19-. Blessing of the People. p¹ -19. Return of the People. o² 20-. Blessing of the household. p² -20. Return of David. Reproach. o³ 21,22. Blessing from Yehovah. p³ 23. No return to Michal.18: And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the People in the name of the Lord of hosts (Yehovah Sabaioth).
So all the people departed every one to his house.
20: Then David returned to bless his household.
And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David (note this. It does not say "the wife of David"), and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who disrobed (referring to his royal robes) himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly disrobes himself!” (There is some jealousy involved here on Michal's part)
21: And David said to Michal, “Before the Lord (Yehovah) did I dance, Which chose me before your father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the People of the Lord (Yehovah), over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. (Don't expect kings robe to buy you anything before God)
22: And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in my own sight: and of the maidservants which you have spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. (David was showing humility)
23: Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death. (God protects the seed line. Michal was a Benjamite. It would have broken the seed line)