Uniting The Kingdom

Just before his death, Abner had begun encouraging them to make David king instead of Ishbosheth.   With Abner dead, Ishbosheth’s murder left all Israel except the tribe of Judah without a leader, and the people decided to make David king over all Israel, in II Samuel 5:1-3.  “Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.  Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.  So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David king over Israel.”   

It was an easy decision, because they knew he had been chosen by God.  They knew he was experienced, having worked closely with Saul, both as his personal assistant and as one of the generals, and they had seen what kind of leader he was.  That he had repeatedly risked his life to help various groups made it clear he would put Israel’s good ahead of his own interests.  He would not have to work nearly as hard as someone else to gain their trust. 

When David killed Goliath, he was not yet old enough to serve in the army.  When Saul died he was thrty years old.  Finally, seven and a half years after Saul’s death, he was made king over all Israel, a position he would hold for another thirty three years, as II Samuel 5:4-5 tells us.  “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.  In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.”

Hebron had been his capital, when he was just King over Judah.  In an effort to emphasize he was king of all Israel and not just of Judah, he decided to move the capital to Jerusalem, as it was a more central location and more easily accessible than either Hebron or Saul’s capitl at Gibeah.   At the time it was still inhabited by descendants of the Jebusites Judah had not driven out in Joshua’s day.  Five hundred years later, they refused to assimilate into Israel, and when David approached them about making their city capital, they told him he’d never set foot in the city until he killed every last person including the blind and the handicapped, convinced he would never be able to take the city. 

Their attitude offended David and he captured the city, promising to reward those who wiped killed those last defenders, in II Samuel 5:6-9.  “And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither.  Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.

And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.  So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward.”

The Jebusites called the city Jebus, but the Jews called it Jerusalem, because of the two main hills or mountains it was situated.  It was called the city of David because he had captured it and changed it into the Jewish capital.  The Zidonians,  later part of the Phoenician Empire were noted for building great ships and buildings.  David contracted with one of their kings, Hiram to build his palace in Jerusalem, according to II Samuel 5:10-11.  “And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.”

David realized it was God who had made him king, and that he had done so because of his love for Israel, and he settled down in Jerusalem, where his family continued to grow, as we see in II Samuel 5:12-16.  “And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.  And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.  And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,  And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.”