Pam Padgett ... teacher
When Saul died, David asked God whether he should go to any of the
cities of Judah. God told David to go to Hebron. Although God had chosen David to be king over Israel and Samuel had
previously anointed David as God instructed, Saul had still been
recognized as king among the people. But now the men of Judah came and
anointed David king over Judah ...
2 Samuel 2:1 And it came to pass after this, that David
enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of
Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I
go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. 2 So David went up thither, and his
two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the
Carmelite. 3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every
man with his household:and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. ....
But Abner, who had been captain of Saul's armies, made Saul's son, Ishbosheth, king over the rest of the kingdom.
2 Samuel 2:8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host,
took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 And
made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel,
and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
A king's son would be expected to inherit his father's kingdom. But God had ordained David to reign,
and Ishbosheth would not long reign over Israel. David came to reign
over the entire kingdom as a series of events unfolded:
There was war between the house of Saul and the house of David. The house of Saul grew increasingly weaker while the house of David grew stronger.
2 Samuel 3:1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul
and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the
house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.
Although Abner strongly fought for the house of Saul, Ishbosheth confronted Abner about Saul's concubine. Abner was angry and turned from Ishbosheth, vowing to turn Israel to David ...
2 Samuel 3:6 And it came to pass, while there was war between
the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong
for the house of Saul. 7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was
Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore
hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? 8 Then was Abner very
wroth for the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which
against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy
father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee
into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault
concerning this woman? 9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as
the Lord hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 10 To translate the
kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over
Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba. 11 And he could not
answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
Abner sent messengers to David to make a league with him, to be with
David and bring all of Israel to David. David agreed to this league if
his wife, Michal (Saul's daughter), was brought back to David. This was
done, and Abner communicated with the elders of Israel to turn them to
David ...
2 Samuel 3:17 And Abner had communication with the elders of
Israel, saying, Ye sought for David in times past to be king over you:
18 Now then do it: for the Lord hath spoken of David, saying, By the
hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of
the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies. 19 And Abner
also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to speak in the
ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to Israel, and that seemed
good to the whole house of Benjamin. 20 So Abner came to David to
Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that
were with him a feast. 21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and
go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make
a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine
heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.
Before Abner could gather Israel to David, however, he was murdered
by Joab. David mourned Abner's death and spoke strongly against the
wickedness Joab had done and brought judgment on him ...
2 Samuel 3:28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and
my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord for ever from the blood of
Abner the son of Ner: 29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his
father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that
hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that
falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread. 30 So Joab and Abishai his
brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon
in the battle. 31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that
were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn
before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier. 32 And they
buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at
the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
Ishbosheth was also murdered by wicked men who thought David would be pleased. But David judged what they had done as wickedness and had them slain ...
2 Samuel 4:8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David
to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son
of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the Lord hath avenged my
lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. 9 And David answered
Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and
said unto them, As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all
adversity, 10 When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking
to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in
Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his
tidings: 11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person
in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his
blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth? 12 And David
commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and
their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took
the head of Ishbosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in
Hebron.
Then Israel came and anointed David king over them, as Judah had already done ...
2 Samuel 5:1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto
Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 2 Also
in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out
and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my
people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel. 3 So all the
elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a
league with them in Hebron before the Lord: and they anointed David king over Israel.
God chose David to rule over all of Israel. When Abner set Saul's
son Ishbosheth over all but Judah, this did not stand. Abner, himself,
even came to support David and set out to bring the entire kingdom under
David's reign.
And as the various events unfolded, David was established before the people. They saw that the
armies under David grew stronger and stronger, were reminded how David
had led them in times past, and that God had said David would save
them from their enemies, feed them, and be a captain over them.
The people also saw that David dealt justly with the murderers of Abner
and Ishbosheth.
David was king over the entire kingdom, as God had ordained.
What God has said will stand.