2 Samuel 5
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Samuel 5
Guzik - 1 Chronicles 12:23-40 describes the great assembly that gathered in Hebron to recognize David as king over all Israel. Chronicles describes the impressive army that came to Hebron and numbers the soldiers at over 340,000 men. It then describes the scene: All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king. And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them…. for there was joy in Israel (1 Chronicles 12:38-40). Age Is No Excuse 2 Samuel 5:3-4 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. Someone once defined middle age as "a brief period of time between being too young to do something and being too old to want to." And there's truth to that. It seems we spend the first part of our lives being told, "No, you're too young to date. You're too young to drive. You're too young to get married." Then we spend the latter years of our lives being told, "No, you're too old to start a new career. You're too old to go back to school. You're too old to live alone." In American society, age is often a critical factor. I suspect when David began to reign at the age of 30 some said, "David, you're too young to be king. We need someone older." By the time he had ruled for 40 years and reached the respectable age of 70, others were probably saying, "David, you're too old to be king over Israel. It's time to turn it over to someone younger." But in God's sight, age is not really an issue. Scripture indicates that God uses the very young. The prophet Jeremiah said, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth" (Jer. 1:6), but God used him anyway. Timothy, too, must have ministered at a very young age, because Paul admonished him, "Let no one despise your youth" (1 Tim. 4:12). On the other hand, there were men like Caleb, who at the age of 85 could still claim, "I wholly followed the Lord" (Josh. 14:6-14). The apostle John continued to minister and, according to tradition, wrote the Book of Revelation in his elder years. Is someone telling you that you're too young to serve the Lord? Don't believe it. Is someone telling you that you're too old to respond to God's call? Forget it. With God, age is never an excuse. Don't follow their advice; follow your heart. (Back to the Bible) Age is no issue with an ageless God. 2 Samuel 5:5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. seven years and six months: 2Sa 2:11 1Ki 2:11 1Ch 3:4 DAVID REIGNED AT HEBRON & JERUSALEM At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah - If David was first anointed by Saul as a youth (say about 15), that means that God had David in "future king school" for almost 15 years. Surely one of the things David learned was patience and waiting on the LORD. In a sense, God had used a two-step procedure to make David king over united Israel. Recall also that in his early years, David had been intimate with the life of a monarch in his music ministry and military service to King Saul, even sitting at the king's table, the ultimate sign of intimacy and fellowship in the ancient near east. The second "step" was David's 10 years of fleeing for his life from Saul. Gleason Archer - see page 187 in New International Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties - How could David have reigned seven and a half years in Hebron if Ish-bosheth, his rival, reigned only two years before he died? In 2 Samuel 5:5 we are told that the length of David’s reign in Hebron as King of Judah (before he became acknowledged by the northern tribes as king over all Israel) was seven and a half years. This is confirmed by 1 Chronicles 3:4. Yet 2 Samuel 2:10 reports that David’s rival, Ish-bosheth son of Saul, ruled over Israel (under Abner’s sponsorship) for only two years. But this did not prevent the very next verse from affirming that David’s rule in Hebron was indeed seven and a half years. How could both statements be true? On the assumption that the two years for Ish-bosheth represented the true interval, the Jerusalem Bible even amended 1 Chron. 3:4 to read, “Hebron, where he reigned for three years and six months” [italics mine]—even though no similar alteration has been made in the other two passages [2 Sam. 2:11; 5:5], interestingly enough! A careful survey of the circumstances surrounding the career of Ish-bosheth furnishes a clue for the brevity of his reign. After the total collapse of Israel’s army at the disaster of Mount Gilboa, it became necessary for Abner and the other fugitives from the victorious Philistines to take refuge east of the Jordan, leaving the entire area of Ephraim and Manasseh to the control of the conquerors. Abner must have set up his headquarters at Mahanaim, where he placed Ish-bosheth for safekeeping in the hinterland of the tribe of Gad. It apparently took Abner five long years of hard fighting to force the Philistines back from Beth-shan (where they had displayed the impaled bodies of Saul and his sons) all the way up the valley of the Esdraelon, and thus link up the northern tribes of Issachar, Naphtali, and Asher with Benjamin to the south. But until that was accomplished, it was premature to celebrate any formal coronation of Ish-bosheth as king of Israel. However, at the end of five years Abner had been sufficiently successful to call representatives from all Ten Tribes to a public coronation ceremony in Mahanaim—which remained the provisional capital for the time being, safely out of the reach of retaliatory expeditions launched by the Philistines. Thus it came about that Ish-bosheth actually reigned for only two years, at the end of which he was assassinated in bed by two of his army commanders, Baanah and Rechab (2 Sam. 4:5–6), sometime after they had heard of Abner’s murder at the hand of the treacherous Joab (2 Sam. 3:27). David, however, had been crowned by the men of Judah at Hebron quite soon after the battle of Mount Gilboa; and thus he wore the crown for a full seven and a half years, even though Ish-bosheth had formally begun his reign only two years before his death. 2 Samuel 5:6 Now the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, and they said to David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away"; thinking, "David cannot enter here." BGT 2 Samuel 5:6 καὶ ἀπῆλθεν Δαυιδ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ εἰς Ιερουσαλημ πρὸς τὸν Ιεβουσαῖον τὸν κατοικοῦντα τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐρρέθη τῷ Δαυιδ οὐκ εἰσελεύσει ὧδε ὅτι ἀντέστησαν οἱ τυφλοὶ καὶ οἱ χωλοί λέγοντες ὅτι οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται Δαυιδ ὧδε LXE 2 Samuel 5:6 And David and his men, departed to Jerusalem, to the Jebusite that inhabited the land: and it was said to David, Thou shalt not come in hither: for the blind and the lame withstood him, saying, David shall not come in hither. KJV 2 Samuel 5:6 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. NET 2 Samuel 5:6 Then the king and his men advanced to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who lived in the land. The Jebusites said to David, "You cannot invade this place! Even the blind and the lame will turn you back, saying, 'David cannot invade this place!'" CSB 2 Samuel 5:6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David: "You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you," thinking, "David can't get in here." ESV 2 Samuel 5:6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off"-- thinking, "David cannot come in here." NIV 2 Samuel 5:6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here." NLT 2 Samuel 5:6 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. Jerusalem: Ge 14:18 Jos 10:3Jdg 1:8 Heb 7:1 the Jebusites: Jos 15:63 18:28 Jdg 1:8,21 19:10-12 Except: Jer 37:10 Related Passages: Judges 1:8 Then the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and struck it with the edge of the sword and set the city on fire. Judges 1:21 But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. Joshua 15:63 Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day. DAVID ATTACKS THE JEBUSITES IN THE FORTRESS OF JERUSALEM Now - This introduces a new subject for the new king of Israel The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land - Note the new designation of David "Now the king..." Jerusalem had been conquered by Judah in the period of the judges (Jdg 1:8), but neither Judah nor Benjamin had been successful in permanently occupying the city or in driving out its Jebusite inhabitants (Jos 15:63; Jdg 1:21). and they said to David, "You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away"; thinking, "David cannot enter here." NLT - "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." An exchange of taunts or insults prior to battle was common practice in the ancient Near East. The sense is that they did not even need to send their strong warriors against David, but would only need to send the blind and lame because David was so impotent. The overconfident Jebusites would soon "eat their words!" As Pr 16:18 says "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling." Dale Ralph Davis adds the words of the Jebusites are "simply an arrogant put-down: sightless eyes and helpless legs are enough to repel any attack of yours. It’s a good line; memorable words—unless one has to eat them. (2 Samuel - Out of Every Adversity)
2 Samuel 5
Guzik - In God’s plan there is almost always a hidden price of greatness. Often those who become great among God’s people experience much pain and difficulty in God’s training process. For - This is an important term of explanation, explaining how David grew in strength as king of Israel. (cf "for" explaining the "success" of Ezra in 7:10+) The LORD God of hosts was with him - This is the first of numerous occurrences of this majestic name of God in Second Samuel. How was He with David? In 1Sa 16:13 "the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward." In 1Sa 16:18 others recognized that "the LORD is with him,” even as others recognized the LORD was with Joseph (Ge 39:3, 23), with Samuel (1Sa 3:19) and even with Jesus (Acts 10:38). 1 Samuel 18:14 (cf 1Sa 18:12) adds that "David was prospering in all his ways for the LORD was with him." In short, Jehovah Sabaoth, LORD of hosts (of armies) was His strength, which reminds us of David's words in Ps 18:1 "I love You, O LORD, my strength.” The Septuagint translates this with "kurios pantokrator" a designation for God as the one holding all power and ruling all things! THOUGHT - Is He your strength? Or are you trying (futilely, frustratingly) to live the Christ life relying on your natural human strength, and finding it does not work very well? A supernatural life (which believers have been granted and are called to live before fallen men that they might see evidence of the invisible God - Mt 5:16+) calls for a supernatural power Source, the Spirit of God. He is "with us" and even better He is in us to empower us, lead us, etc. Seek to daily be filled (Eph 5:18+), keeping short accounts (confess quickly when you sin) and walking continually in His power for then you will not fulfill the desire of the flesh (Gal 5:16+). 1 Chronicles 16:11 should be every believer's watchword "Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually." Let it be so Lord, by Thy Spirit for Thy glory in Christ. Amen. 2 Samuel 5:11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a house for David. Hiram: 1Ki 5:1,2,8,9 1Ch 14:1 they built: 2Sa 7:2 1Ki 7:1-12 Ec 2:4-11 Jer 22:14-16 Related Passages: 1 Chronicles 14:1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, masons and carpenters, to build a house for him. A HOUSE FOR DAVID IN THE CITY OF DAVID Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons; and they built a house for David - The writer of Samuel leaves out the discussion regarding David's mighty men who supported him and aided his ascension to the throne over all Israel (See 1Ch 11:10-47 for David's mighty men). Tyre was a seaport on the Mediterranean Sea and lay north of Israel. Hiram established relations with David, which was an astute move economically and politically and it was this same King Hiram who later supplied Solomon with materials for the Temple (1Ki 5:1). At this time David clearly commanded the respect of kings in nations surrounding Israel. Hiram's offer of cedar trees must be understood in the context of the fact that this prized tree (see note) once prevalent in Lebanon, was scarce by the time of David, making cedar wood quite prized! But not only did Hiram provide the supplies but also the laborers. In fact 1Ch 14:1 says Hiram's objective was "to build a house for him." That's a nice present to give a new king! This is surely one of the manifold manifestations of the good hand of the LORD upon His king after His own heart. Matthew
2 Samuel 5
Guzik - David knew three things that made his reign great. Every godly leader should know these three things well. David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel: David knew that God called him and established him over Israel. He had exalted His kingdom: David knew that the kingdom belonged to God – it was His kingdom. For the sake of His people Israel: David knew God wanted to use him as a channel to bless His people. It was not for David’s sake that he was lifted up, but for the sake of His people Israel. Realized (03045) yada to know, to learn, to perceive, to discern, to experience, to confess, to consider, to know people relationally, to know how, to be skillful, to be made known, to make oneself known, to make to known. As noted below in several examples, the Septuagint translates yada often with the Greek verb ginosko, which conveys the sense of to know by experience and/or to know intimately (as used in Mt 1:25KJV and ESV which says Joseph "knew her not" which the NAS paraphrases "kept her a virgin"). And many of the uses of yada also have this experiential emphasis as with the Greek ginosko. John
2 Samuel 5
Guzik has an interesting comment - Certainly, David (and everyone else) saw these many children as God’s sign of blessing upon David and his many marriages (ED: cf Ps 127:3-4). Yet most of the trouble to come in David’s life came from his relationships with women and problems with his children. It is often true that the seeds to our future trouble are sown in times of great success and prosperity. In some ways, David handled trials better than success. Believer's Study Bible - The following verses list additional children born to David as a result of his new acquisitions in wives and concubines. This willingness to live with the splendor of an ancient monarch not only reaped sorrowful consequences for David, but also established a pattern for Solomon, his son and successor, which eventually spelled Solomon's ruin. Walton on more concubines and wives - Royal marriages as political strategy. Marriage was a tool of diplomacy throughout the ancient Near East. Towns, city-states, tribes or nations who wished to ally themselves with a ruler or come under his protection sealed the treaty with a marriage of a daughter of their chief family to the suzerain or his son. This was an act of loyalty on the part of the vassal, who would then have a personal stake in preserving the dynasty. For instance, Zimri-Lim, the king of Mari during the eighteenth century B.C., successfully placed his daughters in the harems of nearby kingdoms and married several foreign wives himself to increase his power and the stability of his realm. Similarly Pharaoh Thutmose IV (1425-1412 B.C.) arranged a marriage with a daughter of the Mitannian king to demonstrate good relations and end a series of wars with that middle Euphrates kingdom. In David’s case, prior to becoming king of Israel he made a series of marriages that strengthened his political and economic position (see comment on 1 Sam 25:39-44). The marriages in this verse likely assured the support of some of the leading families of Jerusalem. (See page 329 in IVP Background Commentary - OT) Walter Brueggemann, (Borrow First and Second Samuel, Interpretation) writes ‘David acts like a king. He has concubines. He already had many wives (1Sa 3:2–4), but in Hebron the word ‘concubine’ was not used. Now in the royal city there is a new vocabulary for a new practice. The new language and the new practice appear without apology. David is well into the process of sexual politics." Dale Ralph Davis writes "we must not doctor the data. We must not sweep away evidence that shows his faithfulness less than complete or his practices controlled by human culture rather than by God’s law." (Ibid) F B
2 Samuel 5
Guzik remind me of the seven realities in Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God. 1. God is always at work around you. 2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. 3. God invites you to become involved with Him in His work. (ED: WHEN YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF MARCHING...) 4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways. 5. God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action. 6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing. 7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you. Borrow Experiencing God : knowing and doing the will of God By: Blackaby, Henry T 2 Samuel 5:25 Then David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer. BGT 2 Samuel 5:25 καὶ ἐποίησεν Δαυιδ καθὼς ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ κύριος καὶ ἐπάταξεν τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους ἀπὸ Γαβαων ἕως τῆς γῆς Γαζηρα LXE 2 Samuel 5:25 And David did as the Lord commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Gabaon as far as the land of Gazera. KJV 2 Samuel 5:25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer. NET 2 Samuel 5:25 David did just as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines from Gibeon all the way to Gezer. CSB 2 Samuel 5:25 So David did exactly as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer. ESV 2 Samuel 5:25 And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer. NIV 2 Samuel 5:25 So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. NLT 2 Samuel 5:25 So David did what the LORD commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. Geba: 1Ch 14:16, Gibeon Gezer: Jos 16:10 Related Passage: 1 Chronicles 14:16 David did just as God had commanded him, and they struck down the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even as far as Gezer. DAVID'S UNQUESTIONING OBEDIENCE TO UNUSUAL INSTRUCTIONS Then David did so, just as the LORD had commanded him - As the title implies, Yahweh's instructions were not in the handbook of conventional ancient warfare and yet he did not question but fully obeyed, always the best policy! I hope that may be said of you and me all our lives long. -- Spurgeon And struck down the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer (see map). - Victory over the strong enemy was the result of David's obedience. THOUGHT - Christians are engaged in continual spiritual warfare against a strong, invisible enemy and yet the LORD has given us His Word by which we can experience victory against such powerful forces. Ephesians 6:10-18+ would be a great passage to commit to memory as it begins with a clear command to "be strong in the LORD and in the strength of His might." Paul is not saying "Let go, let God," but more like "Let God,let's go!" Be strong in HIS power which implies we need to jettison our self-reliance, our clever reasonings to foil the enemy, etc and depend wholly on the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit and then stand firm (our responsibility enabled by the Spirit's power). Paul gives 4 commands in Eph 6:10-14+ ("be strong," "put on...," "take up...," and "stand firm." - see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) We need to imitate David and obey, walking (fighting) not by sight but by faith (2Co 5:7+, cf 2Co 4:18+), and He will win the victory just as He did for David. Life Application Study Bible (borrow) - David fought his battles the way God instructed him. In each instance he (1) asked if he should fight or not, (2) followed instructions carefully, and (3) gave God the glory. We can err in our "battles" by ignoring these steps and instead (1) do what we want without considering God's will, (2) do things our way and ignore advice in the Bible or from other wise people, and (3) take the glory ourselves or give it to someone else with out acknowledging the help we received from God. All these responses are sinful.