Old Testament Background

Lesson 19:United Kingdom – King David: the good years

The Good YearsDavid as King of Judah• David Anointed King of Judah

• Moves to Hebron from Ziklag• Elders of Judah anoint him king• Philistines probably still thought of

him as a faithful vassal/ally • Ishbaal Anointed King of Israel

• “Ishbaal” changed to “Ishbosheth” by later scribes

• Baal = Master• Bosheth = Shame

• Abner survives the battle and sets up Ishbaal as king

• Capital moved to Mahanaim due to Philistine domination

Mahanaim

Ziklag

PHILI

STIA

Hebron

JUDAH

ISRAEL

The Good YearsDavid as King of Judah• David and Ishbaal

• David does not contest the anointing of Ishbaal as king of Israel

• David does not attack Israel• Even when Ishbaal is killed David

waits for the elders of Israel to come willingly under his reign (5 YEARS!)

• David and Ambition• David was willing to wait on the Lord• David would not fight against his

brothers to take power• David honored the choice of the

northern tribes

Mahanaim

PHILI

STIA

Hebron

JUDAH

ISRAEL

The Good Years

Mahanaim

PHILI

STIA

HebronJUDAH

ISRAEL

Pool of Gibeon

David as King of Judah• Battle at the Pool of Gibeon

• Abner is clear agressor• Gibeon is on the border of Judah• Gibeon is the old capital

• Joab goes out to meet him• Battle begun by Abners challenge• Abner and his forces defeated• Abner kills Asahel

• Asahel is Joab’s little brother• Abner did not want to kill Asahel

• The First Civil War• It was a “long” war• The house of David grew stronger• Abner grew stronger in the house of

Saul

Pool of Gibeon

The Good YearsDavid as King of Judah• The Fall of Saul’s House

• The death of Abner• Abner defects to David• Joab murders Abner• David mournes Abner

• The death of Ishbaal• Two lesser officials kill Ishbaal and

bring his head to David• David puts them both to death• David refers to Ishbaal as “righteous”

• Summary of his reign in Hebron• David reigned there 7 years• Took more wives and had children• Did not seek to expand his kingdom• Army continues to increase

Mahanaim

PHILI

STIA

Hebron

JUDAH

ISRAEL

The Good YearsDavid as King of Israel• David anointed king of Israel

• The leaders of Israel come to David• They make a covenant together

• Additions to David’s ArmyJudah – 6,800 Simeon – 7,100Levites – 8,300 Benjamin – 3,000Ephraim – 20,800 Manasseh – 18,000Zebulun – 50,000 Naphtali – 38,000Dan – 28,600 Asher – 40,000Issachar – 200 Chiefs (+ kinsmen)Tribes East of Jordan – 120,000(Reuben, Gad, ½ Tribe of Manasseh)Army was well over 300,000 strong!

EPHRAIM

DAN

DAN

MANASSEH

MANASSEH

GAD

REUBEN

ISSACHAR

ZEBULUN

NAPHTALIASHER

BENJAMIN

JUDAH

SIMEON

The Good YearsDavid Establishes the Kingdom• The Philistines

• Once again see David as an enemy• David crushes them in two battles

• Philistines gathered in the valley of Rephaim both times

• First Battle• David inquires of the LORD• David attacks and is victorious

• Second Battle• David is told to wait until he hears

marching in the trees then attack• David’s victory ends the time of

Philistine domination• They continue as a people/land• Not fully conquered until Hezekiah

Hebron

ISRAEL

PHILI

STIA

Jerusalem

The Good YearsDavid Establishes the Kingdom• Jerusalem: the New Capital

• Location• Central within the promised land• No previous tribal affiliation• Defensible with natural spring

• Taking the City• David promises that whoever climbs

the water “shaft” and takes the city will be made “chief and captain”

• Joab does so and is made chief of David’s army

• Establishing the City• David built up the defenses of the city• Joab rebuilt the city itself• King of Tyre builds David a palace

ISRAEL

Jerusalem

PHILI

STIA

MILLO

PALACE

Threshing Floor of Arunah

Gihon Spring

The Good YearsDavid Establishes the Kingdom• Jerusalem: the chosen place

• Biblical History• Genesis 14:8 – Abraham tithes to Melchizedek, king of “Salem”• Deuteronomy 12 – God will choose a city to establish his name for his dwelling• Judges 1:8 – Judah ‘captures’ Jerusalem• 2 Chronicles 3:1 – Reference to the temple mount as ‘Mt. Moriah’ links it to the

mountain where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac in Genesis 22:2• Jesus is crucified on the same mountain!• Implications for understanding Old Testament passages• When temple is built, all other high places become illegitimate• All kings weighed by whether they permitted other high places or not• Northern Israel eventually judged for not recognizing Jerusalem as chosen• Judah judged for having other high places in addition to Jerusalem

The Good YearsDavid Establishes the Kingdom• Jerusalem: the chosen place

• The ark brought to Jerusalem• David seeks approval from all of Israel before moving the ark• First attempt results in the death of Uzzah for touching the ark when it started to tip

• Uzzah was not a Levite• David becomes angry with God and leaves the ark at the house of Obed-Edom

• Ark resides in house of Obed-Edom• Obed-Edom is blessed• David consults the law

• Ark brought to Jerusalem BY LEVITES• Michal criticizes David for dancing in joy before the ark

• Michal may have had a critical spirit having enjoyed her other marriage• David and Michal never had children fulfilling the curse on Saul

The Good YearsDavid Establishes the Kingdom• Jerusalem: the chosen place

• The Temple of the LORD• David desires to build a temple

• Convicted by the fact that he had a palace while the ark of God had a tent• God had never required or even asked for the building of a temple

• This shows David’s heart of love for God• God promises to establish his throne forever• Jesus is a son of David!

• David told that his son would build it since David was a man of blood• Dual Fulfillment

• Solomon – 1 Kings 6 – 8, 2 Chronicles 3 – 7 • Jesus – Zechariah 6:9-13 and Hebrews 1:5

• David provided EVERYTHING for the construction of the temple

The Good YearsDavid Expands the Kingdom• David has been mostly defensive • David’s Victories

• Further presses the Philistines• Defeats Moab • Defeats Zobah• Defeats Syria • Friendship with Hamath• Defeats Syrians in the Valley of Salt

• Possibly hired by Edomites• Greatly increased David’s reputation

• Subdues Edom• Gold, silver and bronze gained in the

conquests are used to build the temple

Moab

Edom

Zobah

Philistia

Syria

Ammon

Amalekites

Hamath

Tyre

The Good YearsDavid Expands the Kingdom• War with Ammon

• King of Ammon, friendly to David, died• David sends friendly messengers to prince• Prince mistreats them saying they are spys• Ammon hires Syrians from beyond the River• David defeats them soundly

• War with Philistines• Philistines continue a prolonged resistance• David continually defeats them• Goliath’s brothers are killed

Moab

Edom

Zobah

Philistia

Syria

Ammon

Amalekites

Hamath

Tyre

The Good YearsDavid Remembers Jonathan• Searches for any son of Jonathan

• Seeks to pass on God’s kindness• “Is there not still someone of the house

of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” 2 Samuel 9:3

• Once again demonstrating that he is a man after God’s own heart.

• Kindness to Mephibosheth• Lame son of Jonathan• Inherited all the land of Saul• Ate at David’s table for the rest of his life• Great picture of us!

PHIL

ISTI

A

ISRAEL

Jerusalem