I've really enjoyed getting back to this blog and some proper Bible study, but I'm increasingly coming to the conclusion that I'm only ever going to be able to write in fits and starts. Each blog post takes one or two hours so it's a huge committment to make as an ongoing thing, especially when I have other demands on my time. I'd rather cover an entire book in a concentrated burst then take a break than regularly blog a couple of times a week and lose my thread, so that's what I'm going to try and do. I'm hoping to blog at least one book a month, but we'll see how things go.
Well that was the announcement, and now for the request. I'd really love to know who reads my blog and what you think of it, so whether you're a regular reader or you've just stumbled by, why not leave me a message in the comments section and say hello?
Monday 9 July 2012
Friday 6 July 2012
2 Samuel 21-24 - War and Praise
David has reclaimed his throne, but things are not right yet. Israel suffers from a famine which lasts three years. There is no Sir Bob or Saint Bono to save them, and so David seeks the face of the Lord. The Lord tells him that the famine is on account of the blood stained house of Saul, and here we are told that the Israelites had sworn to defend the Gibeonites but Saul had tried to annihilate them in his zeal for Israel and Judah. David is desperate to see an end to the famine so he seeks to make amends with the Gibeonites. They say that they have no right to demand silver or gold from the house of Saul or put anyone in Israel to death, but they do ask that seven of Saul's descendants be killed and exposed before the Lord. It seems that the Gibeonites feel they have the right to ask even if they do not have the right to take, and the responsibility for avenging them must fall to David.
David spares Mephibosheth because of his oath with Jonathon, but he hands seven of Saul's descendants over to the Gibeonites, and then the heavens open and the rain starts to fall, much as it is doing outside my window right now. The pact with the Gibeonites required that the bodies of Saul's descendants were left exposed, but one of Saul's concubines guards them so that no bird or animal touches them. David is obviously touched by her care, because he retrieves the bodies of Saul and Jonathon from Jabesh Gilead and gives them a proper burial in the tomb of Saul's father.
We are told that after this God answered every prayer on behalf of the land, and yet the next thing we hear is that Israel is again at war with the Philistines. We must presume that either the Israelites wanted war, or that God wasn't answering their prayers the way they hoped, or that God wasn't answering them at all. Sometimes God gives us what we want in order to show us that it is not what we need, and sometimes he gives us what we do not want in order to show us that it is what we need, and sometimes he just lets things take their course in order to show us that we are free. At any rate, we are told that there is a battle between Israel and the Philistines in which David is nearly killed, leading his men to declare that he will no longer go to battle with them so that "the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished". We are then given brief reports of a further three battles, in which David's men kill four great warriors, because sometimes we all like to show off.
Having come through these battles unscathed and victorious, David sings a song of praise to the Lord. The section in which God is described as what sounds very much like a dragon is a little odd, but it is a beautiful piece of poetry and I'd really recommend giving it a read. I fear David may be overestimating himself slightly when he says that he has not done evil, and I think that if we were truly dealt with according to our righteousness we would be in a lot of trouble, but I do find it interesting that he describes God as shrewd to the crooked and suggests that he seeks to bring the haughty low, because this implies that God does not harm those who are against him but rather tries to improve them. I also squirm a little at the rather violent passage in which David talks about trampling his enemies to dust, and I really don't think that God wants us to smash anyone who gets on the wrong side of us, but I do believe that he will give us the strength to destroy the circumstances and issues that trouble us in no less emphatic a way.
More than anything however, I love the way David pours his heart and soul into praising his God, and I think he sets a wonderful example for all of us.When I first read David's song of praise, I thought that it was about God's faithfulness in protecting him the most recent battles, but it is immediately followed by David's last words, and so I went back and read the introductory verse again. Apparently David sang this when the Lord delivered him from the hands of his enemies and from the hands of Saul, meaning that he has been singing it for quite some time now, and so it seems fitting then that it should appear before his final words, as a hymn of praise to the faithfulness of God throughout his life. With his last words, he declares that God has spoken through him and his house is right with God, so that God will bring his salvation to fruition. Whether or not these words are justified by David's life is up for discussion, but how wonderful it would be to be able to say that!
Now we find a slightly incongruous passage about David's mighty men, warriors of renown who have not been mentioned before, reminding us that many heroes go unnoticed. There is a story of how the Three broke through Philistine ranks to get David a drink of water which would not take because he said it was the blood of the men they had killed, there is a reference to another who is greater than the Three and becomes their commander although he is not counted among them, and finally there is a list of the names of the other members of the Thirty.
We return again to David, who despite having given his final words is still very much alive. Perhaps they were only the last words of his song on that occasion, or perhaps somebody has messed with the chronology. At any rate, the Lord burns with anger against Israel and incites David to take a census. It takes nine months, but eventually the fighting men of Israel are enlisted and counted, and there are eight hundred thousand of them. David is conscience-stricken and begs the Lord to forgive him for his foolishness, and although the nature of this foolishness is never made clear, I can only assume that it is arming nearly a million men and turning God's people into an army. The Lord says he can choose three years of famine or three months of being pursued by his enemies or three days of famine, and David asks to fall into the hands of the Lord rather than his enemies, and so he is given three days of plague.
When the angel who is responsible for the plague stretches out his hand to Jerusalem, God is grieved and tells him to withdraw. David sees the angel at the threshing floor of Araunah and begs that his hand fall on him because he is the one who sinned, but God has already stopped him and so David is safe for the moment, even if he does not realise it. The prophet Gad tells him to build an altar at the threshing floor, and so David goes to Araunah to buy it from him. Araunah says he will give it to David for free and throw in the oxen for the sacrifice, but David insists on paying because he says he will not give an offering that has cost him nothing. It's not about the money, it's about the fact that whatever we give to God must come from us and mean something to us. David builds the altar and makes a sacrifice, ending both the plague and our adventure through 2 Samuel.
David spares Mephibosheth because of his oath with Jonathon, but he hands seven of Saul's descendants over to the Gibeonites, and then the heavens open and the rain starts to fall, much as it is doing outside my window right now. The pact with the Gibeonites required that the bodies of Saul's descendants were left exposed, but one of Saul's concubines guards them so that no bird or animal touches them. David is obviously touched by her care, because he retrieves the bodies of Saul and Jonathon from Jabesh Gilead and gives them a proper burial in the tomb of Saul's father.
We are told that after this God answered every prayer on behalf of the land, and yet the next thing we hear is that Israel is again at war with the Philistines. We must presume that either the Israelites wanted war, or that God wasn't answering their prayers the way they hoped, or that God wasn't answering them at all. Sometimes God gives us what we want in order to show us that it is not what we need, and sometimes he gives us what we do not want in order to show us that it is what we need, and sometimes he just lets things take their course in order to show us that we are free. At any rate, we are told that there is a battle between Israel and the Philistines in which David is nearly killed, leading his men to declare that he will no longer go to battle with them so that "the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished". We are then given brief reports of a further three battles, in which David's men kill four great warriors, because sometimes we all like to show off.
Having come through these battles unscathed and victorious, David sings a song of praise to the Lord. The section in which God is described as what sounds very much like a dragon is a little odd, but it is a beautiful piece of poetry and I'd really recommend giving it a read. I fear David may be overestimating himself slightly when he says that he has not done evil, and I think that if we were truly dealt with according to our righteousness we would be in a lot of trouble, but I do find it interesting that he describes God as shrewd to the crooked and suggests that he seeks to bring the haughty low, because this implies that God does not harm those who are against him but rather tries to improve them. I also squirm a little at the rather violent passage in which David talks about trampling his enemies to dust, and I really don't think that God wants us to smash anyone who gets on the wrong side of us, but I do believe that he will give us the strength to destroy the circumstances and issues that trouble us in no less emphatic a way.
More than anything however, I love the way David pours his heart and soul into praising his God, and I think he sets a wonderful example for all of us.When I first read David's song of praise, I thought that it was about God's faithfulness in protecting him the most recent battles, but it is immediately followed by David's last words, and so I went back and read the introductory verse again. Apparently David sang this when the Lord delivered him from the hands of his enemies and from the hands of Saul, meaning that he has been singing it for quite some time now, and so it seems fitting then that it should appear before his final words, as a hymn of praise to the faithfulness of God throughout his life. With his last words, he declares that God has spoken through him and his house is right with God, so that God will bring his salvation to fruition. Whether or not these words are justified by David's life is up for discussion, but how wonderful it would be to be able to say that!
Now we find a slightly incongruous passage about David's mighty men, warriors of renown who have not been mentioned before, reminding us that many heroes go unnoticed. There is a story of how the Three broke through Philistine ranks to get David a drink of water which would not take because he said it was the blood of the men they had killed, there is a reference to another who is greater than the Three and becomes their commander although he is not counted among them, and finally there is a list of the names of the other members of the Thirty.
We return again to David, who despite having given his final words is still very much alive. Perhaps they were only the last words of his song on that occasion, or perhaps somebody has messed with the chronology. At any rate, the Lord burns with anger against Israel and incites David to take a census. It takes nine months, but eventually the fighting men of Israel are enlisted and counted, and there are eight hundred thousand of them. David is conscience-stricken and begs the Lord to forgive him for his foolishness, and although the nature of this foolishness is never made clear, I can only assume that it is arming nearly a million men and turning God's people into an army. The Lord says he can choose three years of famine or three months of being pursued by his enemies or three days of famine, and David asks to fall into the hands of the Lord rather than his enemies, and so he is given three days of plague.
When the angel who is responsible for the plague stretches out his hand to Jerusalem, God is grieved and tells him to withdraw. David sees the angel at the threshing floor of Araunah and begs that his hand fall on him because he is the one who sinned, but God has already stopped him and so David is safe for the moment, even if he does not realise it. The prophet Gad tells him to build an altar at the threshing floor, and so David goes to Araunah to buy it from him. Araunah says he will give it to David for free and throw in the oxen for the sacrifice, but David insists on paying because he says he will not give an offering that has cost him nothing. It's not about the money, it's about the fact that whatever we give to God must come from us and mean something to us. David builds the altar and makes a sacrifice, ending both the plague and our adventure through 2 Samuel.
Thursday 5 July 2012
2 Samuel 16-20 - The Problems Continue
David is now on the run but he is not without friends, and he has only gone a short distance when he meets Ziba leading a string of donkeys loaded with food and drink for him and his men. David asks where Mephibosheth is, and Ziba replies that he has stayed in Jerusalem in the hope of winning back his grandfather's kingdom, and so David says that all that had belonged to Ziba's master now belongs to him. David may have been usurped by his son, but as far as he is concerned he is still king and he still has authority. The fugitive king is not without enemies either however, and a little further on a man called Shimei from the same clan as Saul curses him and throws stones at him, saying that the Lord has repaid him for the blood he shed in Saul's house and that he has come to ruin because he is a man of blood. One of David's men is ready to have Shimei's head, but David tells his officials to leave him as it may be that the Lord has told him to curse. Perhaps David knows he has blood on his hand and fears that Shimei may be right.
Meanwhile, Hushai has returned to Jerusalem and sworn his allegiance to Absalom, joining the traitor Ahithophel. Ahithophel has a reputation as one who enquires of God, and so when he suggests that Absalom sleep with his father's concubines, the new king follows his advice and thereby fulfils the prophecy made by Nathan after David slept with Bathsheba. Ahithophel then recommends that Absalom set out in pursuit of David to strike him down and bring his men back unharmed. The plan seems good to Absalom but he decides to seek the opinion of Hushai, who now has a chance to frustrate Ahithophel's advice as David asked of him. He argues that David and his men are fierce and experienced and so it would be better to meet them in battle on open ground or besiege them in a city, and wins Absalom and the elders of Israel over to his side. Hushai then sends word of Absalom's plans to David, which just about gets through after the messengers are nearly caught, and so he and his men cross the river and go to Mahanaim, where they are given fresh supplies by the Ammonites. It seems his plan may work.
Absalom and the Israelites also cross the river and set up camp, and it looks like the battle is on. David has always been a great military leader, but this time his men ask him to stay in the city because they know that he is all Absalom is after, and he agrees to do what they think is best, only asking that they be gentle with his son. The two armies meet in the forest of Ephraim and twenty thousand are killed, but ultimately David's men are victorious. Absolom escapes the battle, only to get his head caught in the branches of a tree. David's men will not touch him because they have given their word, but Joab ignores his instructions and plunges three javelins into Absalom's chest as he hangs still alive in the tree. Joab then sounds the trumpet and David's men stop pursuing the Israelites. The battle is over but has it really been won?
Joab throws Absalom into a pit and covers him with rocks, but he knows he cannot keep his death a secret for long. Ahimaaz son of Zadok asks to be allowed to take the news of the victory to David, but Joab says he must wait because the king's son is dead, and instead sends a Cushite to tell David what he has seen. Ahimaaz asks to be allowed to run after the Cushite and Joab reluctantly agrees, but at some point he overtakes the messenger and arrives first to tell David that God has delivered him. David asks if his son is safe and Ahimaaz lies and says he does not know, because he wants the glory of the good news not the pain of the bad news. The Cushite then arrives with the same news and is asked the same question, to which he replies by asking that the enemies of David may all be like that young man.
David knows that this means his son is dead and he goes away to weep, so that for the whole army the day of victory is turned to mourning, and the troops creep back into the city like deserters. Joab chastises him, saying that he has humiliated his men by showing that they mean nothing to him, and that he would rather they had died and Absolom had lived. He says that if he does not go out and encourage the men then not one will be with him by nightfall, and this will be a greater calamity than any he has yet faced. Joab is right to say that Daivd should recognise the loyalty of his men, and from a political and tactical point of view it is vital that he boost their morale and keep them on side, but David has to be allowed to mourn. He is a king but he is still a man, and while it is only right that we have certain expectations of our leaders, we must remember that they are human too.
David takes heed of Joab's advice and takes his seat in the gateway of the city, but the country is in disarray, as the people argue about what should happen now. David replaces Joab with Amasa who was the commander of Absalom's army, and wins over the men of Judah so that they call him back. They meet David at the Jordan to help him cross, and Shimei falls at his feet and begs forgiveness for his curses. One of David's men calls for Shimei to be executed, but David declares that he is king over Israel and no one that shall die that day. Mephibosheth also goes to meet David, and David asks him why he did not leave Jerusalem. Mephibosheth says that the truth is that he stayed behind because he is a cripple but Ziba slandered him in order to get his land, and so David orders that Mephibosheth and Ziba split the fields, to which Mephibosheth replies by saying that Ziba can take everything now that David has returned. It's a sad fact of life that sometimes the jerks come out on top.
Another man called Barzillai also meets David at the river. Barzillai provided for David in Mahanaim, and so David invites him to cross the river and come to Jerusalem so that he can return the favour. Barzillai declines this generous offer on the basis that he is eighty years old and unable to enjoy the pleasures of courtly life, but asks that David take another man called Kimhaum in his place. The finer things of life mean nothing at all if they mean nothing to us, and there is little more gratuitous than wealth for wealth's sake.
Having dealt with his visitors, David crosses the river and returns to Jersualem. A disagreement breaks out between the men of Judah who had gone with David and the men of Israel who had stayed with Absalom. The men of Israel try to absolve themselves of blame by claiming that the men of Judah stole their king away, but the men of Judah argue that they went with him because they are closely related to him, prompting the men of Israel to declare that they have a greater claim on David and were the first to speak of bringing him back. Again we see a tension between Judah and Israel that can only lead to more trouble.
That trouble is not long in coming, as an Israelite called Sheba declares that they have no share in David, leading the men of Israel to desert him once again. When David returns to Jerusalem, he sends Amasa to summon the men of Judah, but he takes longer than he should and we begin to suspect that his appointment may not have been a good move. David is concerned that Sheba will be a greater threat than Absalom and so he sends Joab and his men in pursuit of him. Joab comes across Amasa and kills him, which may prove our suspicions wrongs and explain the delay, then continues his pursuit of Sheba and besieges him in the city of Abel Beth Maacah. As his men are battering the walls, a wise woman calls to Joab and asks why he is trying to destroy their city. Joab tells her of Sheba and she promises him the rebel's head, which she duly provides, so that the rebellion is not put down by the king or the commander but the crone. It jsut goes to show you never know how things will work out.
Meanwhile, Hushai has returned to Jerusalem and sworn his allegiance to Absalom, joining the traitor Ahithophel. Ahithophel has a reputation as one who enquires of God, and so when he suggests that Absalom sleep with his father's concubines, the new king follows his advice and thereby fulfils the prophecy made by Nathan after David slept with Bathsheba. Ahithophel then recommends that Absalom set out in pursuit of David to strike him down and bring his men back unharmed. The plan seems good to Absalom but he decides to seek the opinion of Hushai, who now has a chance to frustrate Ahithophel's advice as David asked of him. He argues that David and his men are fierce and experienced and so it would be better to meet them in battle on open ground or besiege them in a city, and wins Absalom and the elders of Israel over to his side. Hushai then sends word of Absalom's plans to David, which just about gets through after the messengers are nearly caught, and so he and his men cross the river and go to Mahanaim, where they are given fresh supplies by the Ammonites. It seems his plan may work.
Absalom and the Israelites also cross the river and set up camp, and it looks like the battle is on. David has always been a great military leader, but this time his men ask him to stay in the city because they know that he is all Absalom is after, and he agrees to do what they think is best, only asking that they be gentle with his son. The two armies meet in the forest of Ephraim and twenty thousand are killed, but ultimately David's men are victorious. Absolom escapes the battle, only to get his head caught in the branches of a tree. David's men will not touch him because they have given their word, but Joab ignores his instructions and plunges three javelins into Absalom's chest as he hangs still alive in the tree. Joab then sounds the trumpet and David's men stop pursuing the Israelites. The battle is over but has it really been won?
Joab throws Absalom into a pit and covers him with rocks, but he knows he cannot keep his death a secret for long. Ahimaaz son of Zadok asks to be allowed to take the news of the victory to David, but Joab says he must wait because the king's son is dead, and instead sends a Cushite to tell David what he has seen. Ahimaaz asks to be allowed to run after the Cushite and Joab reluctantly agrees, but at some point he overtakes the messenger and arrives first to tell David that God has delivered him. David asks if his son is safe and Ahimaaz lies and says he does not know, because he wants the glory of the good news not the pain of the bad news. The Cushite then arrives with the same news and is asked the same question, to which he replies by asking that the enemies of David may all be like that young man.
David knows that this means his son is dead and he goes away to weep, so that for the whole army the day of victory is turned to mourning, and the troops creep back into the city like deserters. Joab chastises him, saying that he has humiliated his men by showing that they mean nothing to him, and that he would rather they had died and Absolom had lived. He says that if he does not go out and encourage the men then not one will be with him by nightfall, and this will be a greater calamity than any he has yet faced. Joab is right to say that Daivd should recognise the loyalty of his men, and from a political and tactical point of view it is vital that he boost their morale and keep them on side, but David has to be allowed to mourn. He is a king but he is still a man, and while it is only right that we have certain expectations of our leaders, we must remember that they are human too.
David takes heed of Joab's advice and takes his seat in the gateway of the city, but the country is in disarray, as the people argue about what should happen now. David replaces Joab with Amasa who was the commander of Absalom's army, and wins over the men of Judah so that they call him back. They meet David at the Jordan to help him cross, and Shimei falls at his feet and begs forgiveness for his curses. One of David's men calls for Shimei to be executed, but David declares that he is king over Israel and no one that shall die that day. Mephibosheth also goes to meet David, and David asks him why he did not leave Jerusalem. Mephibosheth says that the truth is that he stayed behind because he is a cripple but Ziba slandered him in order to get his land, and so David orders that Mephibosheth and Ziba split the fields, to which Mephibosheth replies by saying that Ziba can take everything now that David has returned. It's a sad fact of life that sometimes the jerks come out on top.
Another man called Barzillai also meets David at the river. Barzillai provided for David in Mahanaim, and so David invites him to cross the river and come to Jerusalem so that he can return the favour. Barzillai declines this generous offer on the basis that he is eighty years old and unable to enjoy the pleasures of courtly life, but asks that David take another man called Kimhaum in his place. The finer things of life mean nothing at all if they mean nothing to us, and there is little more gratuitous than wealth for wealth's sake.
Having dealt with his visitors, David crosses the river and returns to Jersualem. A disagreement breaks out between the men of Judah who had gone with David and the men of Israel who had stayed with Absalom. The men of Israel try to absolve themselves of blame by claiming that the men of Judah stole their king away, but the men of Judah argue that they went with him because they are closely related to him, prompting the men of Israel to declare that they have a greater claim on David and were the first to speak of bringing him back. Again we see a tension between Judah and Israel that can only lead to more trouble.
That trouble is not long in coming, as an Israelite called Sheba declares that they have no share in David, leading the men of Israel to desert him once again. When David returns to Jerusalem, he sends Amasa to summon the men of Judah, but he takes longer than he should and we begin to suspect that his appointment may not have been a good move. David is concerned that Sheba will be a greater threat than Absalom and so he sends Joab and his men in pursuit of him. Joab comes across Amasa and kills him, which may prove our suspicions wrongs and explain the delay, then continues his pursuit of Sheba and besieges him in the city of Abel Beth Maacah. As his men are battering the walls, a wise woman calls to Joab and asks why he is trying to destroy their city. Joab tells her of Sheba and she promises him the rebel's head, which she duly provides, so that the rebellion is not put down by the king or the commander but the crone. It jsut goes to show you never know how things will work out.
Wednesday 4 July 2012
2 Samuel 11-15 - Things Start to Fall Apart
This part of our story begins with the announcement that in the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sends Joab out with the Israelite army but stays at home in Jerusalem. I'm sure there were tactical reasons why kings went to war in the spring, but it almost sounds like a ritual or a habit, something that happened because that's just how the world worked. Conflict may not be quite so ritualised now, but I wonder if it's any less of a habit.
One evening, David is walking on the roof of his palace when he sees a beautiful woman bathing. We've already seen that David has something of a weakness for women, and we'll soon see that this weakness will be his downfall. He sends a messenger to find out who the woman is, and the man reports back that she is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. This should have sounded a great number of alarm bells in David's head, but kings don't let little things like husbands get in the way, and so he sends messengers to bring her to him and he sleeps with her. I wonder if she came to David willingly or because he was her king? How she felt probably meant little to David, and it may have no bearing on what happens next, but it would have made a huge difference to her. We need to look beyond what we are told and think about the people behind the stories, in our reading and in life.
David has satisified his lust and that may have been the end of things, but Bathsheba sends word that she is pregnant. This calls for damage limitation, and so David calls Uriah back from war. He asks him how things are going then tells him to go home, sending a gift after him. We're not told what this gift is, but something tells me it isn't a nice pair of slippers. Uriah does not go home however, choosing to sleep with the kings servants at the palace gates, later explaining that this is because he will not go back to his house to eat and drink and lie with his wife while the ark is in a tent and the army are camped in the open fields.
David then tries another approach, inviting him to stay in the palace and getting him drunk, but again Uriah sleeps at the palace gates. Finally, David writes to Joab to tell him to put Uriah on the front line then pull back so that he will be killed, and that is exactly what happens. Bathsheba mourns for Uriah, but after her time of mourning is over, David has her brought to the palace and makes her his wife. He must think he's got away with his indiscretion, but now he's a murderer as well as an adulterer, and he has displeased the Lord. We all screw up now and then, but sometimes we just need to put our hands to it, instead of digging ourselves into an even deeper hole.
The Lord sends Nathan to David with a parable about two men. The rich man has many sheep but the poor man only has one little ewe, and yet the rich man takes the poor man's sheep and slaughters it to feed a guest. When David hears the story, he burns with anger and declares that the rich man deserves to dies because he has no pity, at which point Nathan tells him that he his the rich man. David must feel overcome with guilt and shame, but there is worse to come. The Lord says that David has despised him and done evil in his eyes even though he gave him everything, and because of that the sword will never leave his house and his wives will be taken by another.
David quietly acknowledges that he has sinned and Nathan tells him that God has taken away his sin so that he will not die, but his son will. He is forgiven but there are still consequences, because there always are. David and Bathsheba's son soon becomes ill, and though David pleads for his life with fasting and weeping, he dies seven days later. The servants who have been watching the boy are afraid to bring David the news, but he sees them whispering among themselves and so they have to tell him. On hearing that his worst fears have been confirmed, he washes and dresses, worships at the house of Lord, then goes back to his own home to eat.
The servants are shocked by his behaviour, but he explains that he fasted and wept while his son was sick because then there was hope that he would live, but now there is no point because he cannot bring him back. The abruptness of this change seems callous, but it doesn't mean he doesn't mourn for his son, it just means that he recognises that life must go on. In accordance with this, David goes to Bathsheba and lies with her again, and she bears him another son called Solomon, who is loved by the Lord. The eldest son should not seen as a mistake or as collateral damage because people are not disposable, but if we step back and look at this metaphorically, then here is a chance for David to start again and get things right this time.
Meanwhile however, Joab captures the royal citadel of Rabbah and sends word to David to bring the rest of the troops to besiege the city, else he will take it and name it after himself. David musters the army and conquers the city, taking a great deal of plunder and pressing the people into forced labour. He's still teh same old david and perhaps the fresh start isn't all that fresh.
David has so many children by now that they are bound to cause some trouble, and they do this in most spectacular style, as Amnon falls in love with his sister Tamar. She is described as his brother Absolom's sister, so she may in fact be his half sister, but it's still wrong and it's still going to get messy. Amnon becomes frustrated to the point of illness by his feelings for Tamar, until his friend tells him to pretend he is ill and ask for Tamar to come and care for him. He takes this frankly stupid advice, and when Tamar comes to him he sends everyone else away and asks her to come to bed with him. She refuses because such a thing should not be done, although she does suggest that her father will let them marry, so it seems to be the fornication rather than the incest she's worried about. Amnon will not listen however, and because he is stronger than her, he rapes her.
Realising what he has done, he hates her more than he ever loved her, and tells her to go. She protests that sending her away would be a greater wrong, but again he will not listen. He calls a servant to throw her out and bolt the door, and so she goes away weeping. Absolom finds her and tells her not to take it to heart because Amnon is her brother, and takes her to live with him. Absolom hates Amnon for what he has done, and he does what he can to protect his sister, but his words astound me with their insensitivity. Perhaps he is genuinely trying to comfort her and just makes a hash of it, but to dismiss rape as though it is nothing is unacceptable. Rape survivors have enough to deal with without being made to feel as though they are overreacting.
Two years later, Absalom invites his brothers to join him and his sheep-shearers, then orders his men to kill Amnon, causing the other brothers flee. David hears that Absolom has killed all of his sons and he tears his robe in grief, but another tells him that only Amnon is dead, and that this had been Absolom's intention since he raped his sister. David is relieved to see his sons return, but he still weeps for the one that is lost, and so Absolom flees and seeks refuge with the son of a neighbouring king for three years.
Eventually David is consoled and wishes to see Absalom again, but he does not bring him back, and so Joab hatches a plan. He finds a wise woman and dresses her in mourning, then sends her to the king. She tells the story of her two sons, one of whom has killed the other and been banished, leaving her and her husband without a descendant. David promises to issue an order to allow her remaining son to return home under protection, at which point she does a Nathan and reveals her true intentions, asking why he has not brought back his own banished son,. She says that God does not take life but seeks to restore it, and so already we see a move towards New Testament theology. David asks if Joab is behind this and she admits that she is acting under his instruction. Joab must have been waiting nervously the while time, but David goes and tells him to brink Absolom back, and Joab falls at his feet, saying that he knows he has found favour in his eyes.
Joab brings Absalom back to Jerusalem but David will not see him, and so he goes to live in his own house. Here we are told that he is the most handsome man in Israel, and that he has three sons and one daughter, who he names after his sister. He lives in Jerusalem for two years without seeing David, at which point ge calls Joab to ask him to speak to his father, but Joab does not come and so he sets fire to his field. This gets Joabs attention and so he goes to see Joab then speaks to David, asking that he see Absalom an punish him for anything he has done wrong or let him leave. David summons Absalom and kisses him, suggesting a reconciliation, but Absalom has had many years to brood over the ways in which he believes he has been wronged, and he is hatching a plan.
He gains a chariot and fifty men, speaks loudly and publicly about how he would bring justice if he were a judge, and ingratiates himself with the people so that he wins their love. He seeks leave to go to Hebron to worship the Lord, and secretly sends out messengers to tell the people of Israel to proclaim him king when they hear the trumpets. When David hears that Absalom has won Israel over to his side, he decides to flee with his household and his official, leaving behind only ten concubines to take care of the palace. He has fought and won many battles and so there is no reason why he should back down so easily now, except that he cannot bring himself to take arms against his own son. He has been hamstrung by his own affections.
David must have taken the ark with him, because at some point in his journey he tells Zadok the priest to take it back to the city, saying that if the Lord is pleased with him then he will return to see it again. He also tells Zadok to stay in the city so that he can send word to him. When David reaches the summit of the Mount of Olives he meets his friend Hushai, who he asks to return to Jerusalem to frustrate Absolom's advisors, including Ahithophel who he knows has betrayed him, and work with Zadok and his sons. It seems he has not given up hope yet.
One evening, David is walking on the roof of his palace when he sees a beautiful woman bathing. We've already seen that David has something of a weakness for women, and we'll soon see that this weakness will be his downfall. He sends a messenger to find out who the woman is, and the man reports back that she is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah. This should have sounded a great number of alarm bells in David's head, but kings don't let little things like husbands get in the way, and so he sends messengers to bring her to him and he sleeps with her. I wonder if she came to David willingly or because he was her king? How she felt probably meant little to David, and it may have no bearing on what happens next, but it would have made a huge difference to her. We need to look beyond what we are told and think about the people behind the stories, in our reading and in life.
David has satisified his lust and that may have been the end of things, but Bathsheba sends word that she is pregnant. This calls for damage limitation, and so David calls Uriah back from war. He asks him how things are going then tells him to go home, sending a gift after him. We're not told what this gift is, but something tells me it isn't a nice pair of slippers. Uriah does not go home however, choosing to sleep with the kings servants at the palace gates, later explaining that this is because he will not go back to his house to eat and drink and lie with his wife while the ark is in a tent and the army are camped in the open fields.
David then tries another approach, inviting him to stay in the palace and getting him drunk, but again Uriah sleeps at the palace gates. Finally, David writes to Joab to tell him to put Uriah on the front line then pull back so that he will be killed, and that is exactly what happens. Bathsheba mourns for Uriah, but after her time of mourning is over, David has her brought to the palace and makes her his wife. He must think he's got away with his indiscretion, but now he's a murderer as well as an adulterer, and he has displeased the Lord. We all screw up now and then, but sometimes we just need to put our hands to it, instead of digging ourselves into an even deeper hole.
The Lord sends Nathan to David with a parable about two men. The rich man has many sheep but the poor man only has one little ewe, and yet the rich man takes the poor man's sheep and slaughters it to feed a guest. When David hears the story, he burns with anger and declares that the rich man deserves to dies because he has no pity, at which point Nathan tells him that he his the rich man. David must feel overcome with guilt and shame, but there is worse to come. The Lord says that David has despised him and done evil in his eyes even though he gave him everything, and because of that the sword will never leave his house and his wives will be taken by another.
David quietly acknowledges that he has sinned and Nathan tells him that God has taken away his sin so that he will not die, but his son will. He is forgiven but there are still consequences, because there always are. David and Bathsheba's son soon becomes ill, and though David pleads for his life with fasting and weeping, he dies seven days later. The servants who have been watching the boy are afraid to bring David the news, but he sees them whispering among themselves and so they have to tell him. On hearing that his worst fears have been confirmed, he washes and dresses, worships at the house of Lord, then goes back to his own home to eat.
The servants are shocked by his behaviour, but he explains that he fasted and wept while his son was sick because then there was hope that he would live, but now there is no point because he cannot bring him back. The abruptness of this change seems callous, but it doesn't mean he doesn't mourn for his son, it just means that he recognises that life must go on. In accordance with this, David goes to Bathsheba and lies with her again, and she bears him another son called Solomon, who is loved by the Lord. The eldest son should not seen as a mistake or as collateral damage because people are not disposable, but if we step back and look at this metaphorically, then here is a chance for David to start again and get things right this time.
Meanwhile however, Joab captures the royal citadel of Rabbah and sends word to David to bring the rest of the troops to besiege the city, else he will take it and name it after himself. David musters the army and conquers the city, taking a great deal of plunder and pressing the people into forced labour. He's still teh same old david and perhaps the fresh start isn't all that fresh.
David has so many children by now that they are bound to cause some trouble, and they do this in most spectacular style, as Amnon falls in love with his sister Tamar. She is described as his brother Absolom's sister, so she may in fact be his half sister, but it's still wrong and it's still going to get messy. Amnon becomes frustrated to the point of illness by his feelings for Tamar, until his friend tells him to pretend he is ill and ask for Tamar to come and care for him. He takes this frankly stupid advice, and when Tamar comes to him he sends everyone else away and asks her to come to bed with him. She refuses because such a thing should not be done, although she does suggest that her father will let them marry, so it seems to be the fornication rather than the incest she's worried about. Amnon will not listen however, and because he is stronger than her, he rapes her.
Realising what he has done, he hates her more than he ever loved her, and tells her to go. She protests that sending her away would be a greater wrong, but again he will not listen. He calls a servant to throw her out and bolt the door, and so she goes away weeping. Absolom finds her and tells her not to take it to heart because Amnon is her brother, and takes her to live with him. Absolom hates Amnon for what he has done, and he does what he can to protect his sister, but his words astound me with their insensitivity. Perhaps he is genuinely trying to comfort her and just makes a hash of it, but to dismiss rape as though it is nothing is unacceptable. Rape survivors have enough to deal with without being made to feel as though they are overreacting.
Two years later, Absalom invites his brothers to join him and his sheep-shearers, then orders his men to kill Amnon, causing the other brothers flee. David hears that Absolom has killed all of his sons and he tears his robe in grief, but another tells him that only Amnon is dead, and that this had been Absolom's intention since he raped his sister. David is relieved to see his sons return, but he still weeps for the one that is lost, and so Absolom flees and seeks refuge with the son of a neighbouring king for three years.
Eventually David is consoled and wishes to see Absalom again, but he does not bring him back, and so Joab hatches a plan. He finds a wise woman and dresses her in mourning, then sends her to the king. She tells the story of her two sons, one of whom has killed the other and been banished, leaving her and her husband without a descendant. David promises to issue an order to allow her remaining son to return home under protection, at which point she does a Nathan and reveals her true intentions, asking why he has not brought back his own banished son,. She says that God does not take life but seeks to restore it, and so already we see a move towards New Testament theology. David asks if Joab is behind this and she admits that she is acting under his instruction. Joab must have been waiting nervously the while time, but David goes and tells him to brink Absolom back, and Joab falls at his feet, saying that he knows he has found favour in his eyes.
Joab brings Absalom back to Jerusalem but David will not see him, and so he goes to live in his own house. Here we are told that he is the most handsome man in Israel, and that he has three sons and one daughter, who he names after his sister. He lives in Jerusalem for two years without seeing David, at which point ge calls Joab to ask him to speak to his father, but Joab does not come and so he sets fire to his field. This gets Joabs attention and so he goes to see Joab then speaks to David, asking that he see Absalom an punish him for anything he has done wrong or let him leave. David summons Absalom and kisses him, suggesting a reconciliation, but Absalom has had many years to brood over the ways in which he believes he has been wronged, and he is hatching a plan.
He gains a chariot and fifty men, speaks loudly and publicly about how he would bring justice if he were a judge, and ingratiates himself with the people so that he wins their love. He seeks leave to go to Hebron to worship the Lord, and secretly sends out messengers to tell the people of Israel to proclaim him king when they hear the trumpets. When David hears that Absalom has won Israel over to his side, he decides to flee with his household and his official, leaving behind only ten concubines to take care of the palace. He has fought and won many battles and so there is no reason why he should back down so easily now, except that he cannot bring himself to take arms against his own son. He has been hamstrung by his own affections.
David must have taken the ark with him, because at some point in his journey he tells Zadok the priest to take it back to the city, saying that if the Lord is pleased with him then he will return to see it again. He also tells Zadok to stay in the city so that he can send word to him. When David reaches the summit of the Mount of Olives he meets his friend Hushai, who he asks to return to Jerusalem to frustrate Absolom's advisors, including Ahithophel who he knows has betrayed him, and work with Zadok and his sons. It seems he has not given up hope yet.
Tuesday 3 July 2012
2 Samuel 6-10 - A Promising Start
David and thirty thousand men set out to fetch the Ark of Covenant, "which is called by the name...of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark", and bring it to Jerusalem. After all that has happened, they still believe God is in the box. We can be so stubborn in our beliefs, but we need to live by experience and not by tradition. Before the ark reaches Jerusalem however, one of the men who is guarding it reaches out and touches it, and he is struck down for his irreverence. This scares David and he refuses to bring the ark into the city, taking it instead to a man named Obed-Edom, but the Lord blesses Obed-Edom and his household, and so David changes his mind and brings the ark into the city with much rejoicing. We do not need to fear God, we only need to give him the respect he deserves.
When his wife Michal sees him dancing in front of the ark she despises him, and when he returns home that night she chastises him for acting "as any vulgar fellow would". David replies that he did not dance before the people but before the Lord, declaring that he will celebrate the Lord and will become even more undignified, even so that he is humiliated in his own eyes. God doesn't want to humiliate us, but sometimes following him will make us stand out or look a little odd, and so we need to be as fearless in our worship as David is. If we're living for God, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
David has settled into Jerusalem and been granted a reprieve from his enemies, and now he gets to thinking. He remarks to the prophet Nathan that he is living in a palace of cedar while the Lord is still living in a tent, and Nathan tells him to go ahead with whatever he has in mind because the Lord is with him. God has other ideas however, and that night he speaks to Nathan, saying that he has not live in a house since he brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and it is not for David to build him one now. He does say that he has been moving from place to place with a tent as his dwelling, and so perhaps I have been wrong to presume that God has always been omnipresent, but I think the point he is making is that he cannot be contained or controlled except by his own power or command.
God then makes a covenant with David as he did with Abraham, promising that he will make his name great and provide a place for his people so that they will not be disturbed or oppressed. He also declares that he will establish his house forever and raise up a son who will be the one to build a house for his Name, and promises that he will punish this son through other men but he will never take his love away from him as he did from Saul. I find the idea of God taking his love away from anyone difficult as it doesn't fit with what I know and believe of God, and so I have tried to skim over it or explain it away, but the truth is that all relationships develop over time. Perhaps the writers of scripture only thought that God had taken his love from Saul because of what happened to him, but perhaps here we see a progression in God's relationship with man as his love becomes unconditional for the first time. It is clear that God never gave up on the Israelites completely and so there was always an element of unconditionality, but people stop loving people all the time, and so we would be in no position to judge God if he ever did the same.
When Nathan tells David all of this, he goes to sit before the Lord and speak with him. He expresses amazement at all God has done and promised to do, and he praises him and his people Israel. He says that God is trustworthy, and he calls on him to keep his word and bless his house. I have been quite critical about the Israelites' belief that God dwells in one place, and therefore that they must approach the ark or use divination to speak with him, but if their relationship with God was different then I must be open to the possibility that this is how they had to communicate with him. At any rate, I think there is some value in approaching God as David does. I believe that we can speak to God whenever and wherever we choose, but sometimes we need to take time out to really focus on him, and it can be helpful mark that time as special by using a stimulus or going to a church.
The reprieve does not last long and David is soon fighting again. He defeats the Philistines and takes some of their land, then despite having previously sought refuge in their land, he defeats the Moabites. In a bizarre and somewhat sadistic ritual which would not be out of place in a horror film, he makes the survivors lie end to end then measures them off with a length of rope, killing two lengths then letting the third live. He goes on defeat the king of Zibah, make the Arameans of Damascus subject to him, increase his wealth with plunder and tributes, and win fame after striking down eighteen thousand Edomites. It seems that we are meant to be okay with this because he's David and because the Lord is on his side, but I think we're allowed to say that we don't agree with his aggressive and greedy behaviour, and we can certainly reject any suggestion that it justifies similar actions now.
David seems determined to show his softer side, and declares that he wants to show kindness to the house of Saul for Jonathon's sake. He finds Jonathon's crippled son Mephibosheth, restores to him all that belonged to Saul, set Saul's servant Ziba to manage the land, and says he will always eat at his table. There's an episode of Doctor Who where the Doctor says that a person can slaughter millions and still live with themselves because once in a while they happen to be kind, and this feels a little like that, but one kindness can not compensate for or wipe out a thousand cruelties. If we want to be good people then we have to be good people all the time, not just when it suits us.
The king of the Ammonites dies and David sends messengers to express his sympathies to his son Hanun, but Hanun's men think that David's men are spies, and so they shave off half their beads and cut their robes. I don't know if these actions had any particular symbolic significance beyond humiliating the men, but I think that itself was probably enough. When Hanun realises that he has angered David, he decides that attack is the best from of defence and hires an army, so David marches out to meet him. The Israelite army is surrounded, but despite this tactical advantage, the Ammonites flee and are defeated. In this way David not only puts down a threat, but also scares a number of other kings into making peace with him. So far, his reign appears to be a political, financial and military success.
When his wife Michal sees him dancing in front of the ark she despises him, and when he returns home that night she chastises him for acting "as any vulgar fellow would". David replies that he did not dance before the people but before the Lord, declaring that he will celebrate the Lord and will become even more undignified, even so that he is humiliated in his own eyes. God doesn't want to humiliate us, but sometimes following him will make us stand out or look a little odd, and so we need to be as fearless in our worship as David is. If we're living for God, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
David has settled into Jerusalem and been granted a reprieve from his enemies, and now he gets to thinking. He remarks to the prophet Nathan that he is living in a palace of cedar while the Lord is still living in a tent, and Nathan tells him to go ahead with whatever he has in mind because the Lord is with him. God has other ideas however, and that night he speaks to Nathan, saying that he has not live in a house since he brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and it is not for David to build him one now. He does say that he has been moving from place to place with a tent as his dwelling, and so perhaps I have been wrong to presume that God has always been omnipresent, but I think the point he is making is that he cannot be contained or controlled except by his own power or command.
God then makes a covenant with David as he did with Abraham, promising that he will make his name great and provide a place for his people so that they will not be disturbed or oppressed. He also declares that he will establish his house forever and raise up a son who will be the one to build a house for his Name, and promises that he will punish this son through other men but he will never take his love away from him as he did from Saul. I find the idea of God taking his love away from anyone difficult as it doesn't fit with what I know and believe of God, and so I have tried to skim over it or explain it away, but the truth is that all relationships develop over time. Perhaps the writers of scripture only thought that God had taken his love from Saul because of what happened to him, but perhaps here we see a progression in God's relationship with man as his love becomes unconditional for the first time. It is clear that God never gave up on the Israelites completely and so there was always an element of unconditionality, but people stop loving people all the time, and so we would be in no position to judge God if he ever did the same.
When Nathan tells David all of this, he goes to sit before the Lord and speak with him. He expresses amazement at all God has done and promised to do, and he praises him and his people Israel. He says that God is trustworthy, and he calls on him to keep his word and bless his house. I have been quite critical about the Israelites' belief that God dwells in one place, and therefore that they must approach the ark or use divination to speak with him, but if their relationship with God was different then I must be open to the possibility that this is how they had to communicate with him. At any rate, I think there is some value in approaching God as David does. I believe that we can speak to God whenever and wherever we choose, but sometimes we need to take time out to really focus on him, and it can be helpful mark that time as special by using a stimulus or going to a church.
The reprieve does not last long and David is soon fighting again. He defeats the Philistines and takes some of their land, then despite having previously sought refuge in their land, he defeats the Moabites. In a bizarre and somewhat sadistic ritual which would not be out of place in a horror film, he makes the survivors lie end to end then measures them off with a length of rope, killing two lengths then letting the third live. He goes on defeat the king of Zibah, make the Arameans of Damascus subject to him, increase his wealth with plunder and tributes, and win fame after striking down eighteen thousand Edomites. It seems that we are meant to be okay with this because he's David and because the Lord is on his side, but I think we're allowed to say that we don't agree with his aggressive and greedy behaviour, and we can certainly reject any suggestion that it justifies similar actions now.
David seems determined to show his softer side, and declares that he wants to show kindness to the house of Saul for Jonathon's sake. He finds Jonathon's crippled son Mephibosheth, restores to him all that belonged to Saul, set Saul's servant Ziba to manage the land, and says he will always eat at his table. There's an episode of Doctor Who where the Doctor says that a person can slaughter millions and still live with themselves because once in a while they happen to be kind, and this feels a little like that, but one kindness can not compensate for or wipe out a thousand cruelties. If we want to be good people then we have to be good people all the time, not just when it suits us.
The king of the Ammonites dies and David sends messengers to express his sympathies to his son Hanun, but Hanun's men think that David's men are spies, and so they shave off half their beads and cut their robes. I don't know if these actions had any particular symbolic significance beyond humiliating the men, but I think that itself was probably enough. When Hanun realises that he has angered David, he decides that attack is the best from of defence and hires an army, so David marches out to meet him. The Israelite army is surrounded, but despite this tactical advantage, the Ammonites flee and are defeated. In this way David not only puts down a threat, but also scares a number of other kings into making peace with him. So far, his reign appears to be a political, financial and military success.
Monday 2 July 2012
2 Samuel 1-5 - David Becomes King
David is in Ziklag when an Amalekite arrives to tell him that the Israelites have been defeated and Saul and Jonathon are dead. When David asks how he knows this, the man says that he found Saul fatally injured and that Saul begged him to kill him, and so he obeyed and took his crown and his armband to bring to David. The Amalekite is not mentioned in the account of Saul's death in 1 Samuel, and it seems strange that he should honour David when he has just defeated his people, but this version of events means that Saul does not die by his own hand and David is immediately acknowledged as king, and so the Amalekite is a useful if improbable plot device. We want history to be accurate and objective, but in reality it often falls far short of that ideal, and many a scholar has fudged the facts to tell a better tale. As I have said before, this means that we must read the scriptures with a critical eye, but it does not mean that they contain nothing of value or significance. As anybody who has studied history will know, there is a difference between reliability and usefulness, and it is quite possible to have one without the other. I spent some time considering the Bible as history for the first year of my degree, so I may do a sperate post on this issue at some point in the future.
David has the Amalekite executed for his part in Saul's death, then he takes up a lament for Saul and Jonathon and orders that the men of Judah be taught it. The lament mourns that the glory of the Lord has been slain and the mighty have fallen, instructs the people not to tell the Philistines lest they rejoice, curses the mountain on which Saul and Jonathon died, celebrates that the two men were loved and gracious in life and not parted in death, and calls for the women of Israel to weep for their king. It also includes a personal tribute to Jonathon, where David calls him brother and says his love for him was wonderful, and I can't think of a better tribute than that. It's interesting that I should get this passage today, because I read an opinion piece earlier about the strange wilderness that is mourning, and about the need for some sort of ritual which recognises that things are wrong and tells us what to do, and here we find an expression of grief that does just that. I think David wanted the people to learn this lament not only to mourn Saul and Jonathon, but also to help them they mourned their own friends and family.
David is in no rush to assume his kingship and God graciously does not force it upon him, but eventually he enquires of the Lord and is sent to the town of Hebron, where he is anointed as king over the house of Judah. It looks like things are beginning to fall into place, but then Saul's commander Abner anoints Saul's son Ish-Bosheth as king over all Israel, and this leads to a war which last seven years and foreshadows the eventual separation of Israel into two kingdoms. In an early battle, Abner is being chased by Joab and other of David's men when he turns and cries, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you see this will end in bitterness?". These words echo down the ages and there is little I can say to add to their potency, but they can only halt the fighting for a little while, and David continues to grow stronger while Ish-Boseth grows weaker. During this time, David also takes at least three more wives and has six sons, but they do not figure greatly in our story.
Despite his plea to end the fighting, Abner continues to strengthen his own position in the house of Saul, until Ish-Bosheth accuses him of sleeping with one of Saul's concubines, at which point he loses his temper and declares that he will do as the Lord has promised and hand Israel over to David. He sends messengers to David offering his help, and David says that he will make an agreement with him as long as he brings Michal, the daughter of Saul who he married before he was forced into exile. He doesn't seem to trust Abner however, as he also sends messengers to Ish-Bosheth, who orders for Michal to be taken from her husband and sent back to David. Perhaps wishing to demonstrate his new loyalty, Abner confers with the elders of Israel and encourages them to make David their king, saying that they have wanted it for some time and the Lord has promised to bring deliverance through him, then speaks to the Benjamites in person.
Abner visits David to tell him all that he has done and is sent away in peace, but Joab mistrusts his political intentions and wants vengeance for his brother's death, and so he has Abner brought back to the city then takes him to one side and kills him. When David learns of this he declares that a prince and a great man has fallen, buries Abner with great ceremony and mourning, refuses to eat until the sun sets, and curses Joab and his descendants. Apparently this pleases the people, and so even though David declares that the incident has made him weak, he strengthens his hold on the throne.
When Ish-Bosheth hears what has happened to Abner, he loses courage. The whole of Israel is alarmed, but two men who lead raiding bands spy an opportunity, and break into Ish-Bosheth's house and kill him as he sleeps. They cut off his head and take it to David, declaring that the Lord has avenged him against Saul and his offspring. The smallest part of David must be relieved that his enemy is dead, but he is an honourable man and he knows that this is not how it should have happened, and so he has the two men put to death. The ends do not always justify the means, and things must be done properly or there will be consequences further down the line.
The people of Israel come to David now, saying that he has led their military campaigns and God has promised that he will be their ruler, the subtext being that they would like him to be their king. The elders make an agreement with David and he is anointed king over all of Israel at the tender age of thirty. The Bible does not always give a very clear timeframe for events, but the flow of the narrative seems to suggest that David marks his ascension by taking Jerusalem from the Jebusites, forever placing at the centre of Israelite history and identity. From there he begins to build his dynasty, taking even more wives and fathering even more children; and he consolidates his power, defeating the Philistines in battle twice. A new era has begun.
David has the Amalekite executed for his part in Saul's death, then he takes up a lament for Saul and Jonathon and orders that the men of Judah be taught it. The lament mourns that the glory of the Lord has been slain and the mighty have fallen, instructs the people not to tell the Philistines lest they rejoice, curses the mountain on which Saul and Jonathon died, celebrates that the two men were loved and gracious in life and not parted in death, and calls for the women of Israel to weep for their king. It also includes a personal tribute to Jonathon, where David calls him brother and says his love for him was wonderful, and I can't think of a better tribute than that. It's interesting that I should get this passage today, because I read an opinion piece earlier about the strange wilderness that is mourning, and about the need for some sort of ritual which recognises that things are wrong and tells us what to do, and here we find an expression of grief that does just that. I think David wanted the people to learn this lament not only to mourn Saul and Jonathon, but also to help them they mourned their own friends and family.
David is in no rush to assume his kingship and God graciously does not force it upon him, but eventually he enquires of the Lord and is sent to the town of Hebron, where he is anointed as king over the house of Judah. It looks like things are beginning to fall into place, but then Saul's commander Abner anoints Saul's son Ish-Bosheth as king over all Israel, and this leads to a war which last seven years and foreshadows the eventual separation of Israel into two kingdoms. In an early battle, Abner is being chased by Joab and other of David's men when he turns and cries, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you see this will end in bitterness?". These words echo down the ages and there is little I can say to add to their potency, but they can only halt the fighting for a little while, and David continues to grow stronger while Ish-Boseth grows weaker. During this time, David also takes at least three more wives and has six sons, but they do not figure greatly in our story.
Despite his plea to end the fighting, Abner continues to strengthen his own position in the house of Saul, until Ish-Bosheth accuses him of sleeping with one of Saul's concubines, at which point he loses his temper and declares that he will do as the Lord has promised and hand Israel over to David. He sends messengers to David offering his help, and David says that he will make an agreement with him as long as he brings Michal, the daughter of Saul who he married before he was forced into exile. He doesn't seem to trust Abner however, as he also sends messengers to Ish-Bosheth, who orders for Michal to be taken from her husband and sent back to David. Perhaps wishing to demonstrate his new loyalty, Abner confers with the elders of Israel and encourages them to make David their king, saying that they have wanted it for some time and the Lord has promised to bring deliverance through him, then speaks to the Benjamites in person.
Abner visits David to tell him all that he has done and is sent away in peace, but Joab mistrusts his political intentions and wants vengeance for his brother's death, and so he has Abner brought back to the city then takes him to one side and kills him. When David learns of this he declares that a prince and a great man has fallen, buries Abner with great ceremony and mourning, refuses to eat until the sun sets, and curses Joab and his descendants. Apparently this pleases the people, and so even though David declares that the incident has made him weak, he strengthens his hold on the throne.
When Ish-Bosheth hears what has happened to Abner, he loses courage. The whole of Israel is alarmed, but two men who lead raiding bands spy an opportunity, and break into Ish-Bosheth's house and kill him as he sleeps. They cut off his head and take it to David, declaring that the Lord has avenged him against Saul and his offspring. The smallest part of David must be relieved that his enemy is dead, but he is an honourable man and he knows that this is not how it should have happened, and so he has the two men put to death. The ends do not always justify the means, and things must be done properly or there will be consequences further down the line.
The people of Israel come to David now, saying that he has led their military campaigns and God has promised that he will be their ruler, the subtext being that they would like him to be their king. The elders make an agreement with David and he is anointed king over all of Israel at the tender age of thirty. The Bible does not always give a very clear timeframe for events, but the flow of the narrative seems to suggest that David marks his ascension by taking Jerusalem from the Jebusites, forever placing at the centre of Israelite history and identity. From there he begins to build his dynasty, taking even more wives and fathering even more children; and he consolidates his power, defeating the Philistines in battle twice. A new era has begun.
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