II Samuel 5
All Israel comes to Davidverses 1-2
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron
and spoke – saying
BEHOLD – we are your bone and your flesh
also in time past – when Saul was king over us
you were he that led out and brought in Israel
And the LORD said to you
You shall feed MY people Israel
and you shall be a captain over Israel
David anointed King of Israelverse 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
David started being king at age thirtyverses 4-5
David was thirty years old when he began to reign
and he reigned forty years
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months
and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years
over all Israel and Judah
David captures Zion (Jerusalem)verses 6-7
And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites
the inhabitants of the land – which spoke unto David
saying
Except you take away the blind and the lame
you shall not come in hither – thinking
David cannot come in hither
Nevertheless – David took the stronghold of Zion
the same is the city of David
David conquered Zion through a water tunnelverse 8
And David said on that day
Whosoever get up to the gutter – and smite the Jebusites
and the lame and the blind – that are hated of David’s soul
he shall be chief and captain
Wherefore they said
The blind and the lame shall not come into the house
David strengthened the City of David (Jerusalem)verses 9-10
So David dwelt in the fort – and called it the city of David
and David built round about from Millo and inward
and David went on – and grew great
and the LORD God of hosts was with him
David built a house in Jerusalemverses 11-12
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David
cedar trees – carpenters – masons – and they built David a house
And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel
and that HE had exalted HIS kingdom for HIS people Israel’s sake
Names of the children of David born in Jerusalemverses 13-16
And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem
after he was come from Hebron
and there were yet sons and daughters born to David
And these be the names of those that were born to him in Jerusalem
Shammuah – Shobab – Nathan – Solomon – Ibhar – Elishua
Nepheg – Japhia – Elishama – Eliada – Eliphalet
David seeks and receives blessing to fightverses 17-19
But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel
all the Philistines came up to seek David
and David heard of it – and went down to the hold
The Philistines also came and spread themselves
in the valley of Rephaim
And David inquired of the LORD
saying
Shall I go up to the Philistines?
Will YOU deliver them into mine hand?
And the LORD said to David
Go up – for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand
David defeats Philistinesverses 20-21
And David came to Baal-perazim – and David smote them there
and said
The LORD has broken forth on mine enemies before me
as the breach of waters
Therefore he called the name of that place
Baal-perazim
And there they left their images
and David and his men burned them
LORD instructs David a second timeverses 22-25
And the Philistines came up yet again
and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim
And when David inquired of the LORD
HE said
You shall not go up – but fetch a compass behind them
and come upon them over against the mulberry trees
And let it be – when you hear the sound of a going in the
tops of the mulberry trees
that then you shall bestir yourself
FOR then shall the LORD go out before you
to smite the host of the Philistines
And David did so – as the LORD had commanded him
and smote the Philistines from Geba
until you come to Gazer
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were he that led out and brought in Israel: and the LORD said to you, You shall feed my people Israel, and you shall be a captain over Israel. (7462 “feed” [ra’ah] means graze, to drive out to pasture, to shepherd, to rule over a group of people, conceived of as tending sheep or goats, herdsman, or enable)
DEVOTION: David was going to be the leader of all of Israel from this time forth. He was one who led them in the past to battle, now he is going to not only lead them in battle but in their daily life.
There was a transition of leadership. This happened in Israel and it happens today in our local churches as well. Once a pastor is called to lead a group of people, he is the one who gives daily direction to what is to happen in the ministry of the church.
David had to deal with the daily problems that he faced as their king. It was a battle even when he was not on the battle field because people can cause problems all the time. He had to get his wisdom from the LORD.
All leaders need to get their instructions from the LORD through prayer Once the instructions come through to the leader, he has to give these instructions to those who follow him.
As a team a church can move forward for the LORD. If everyone is doing their own thing than the team is not working together. God wants us to work together for HIS good in our world.
Are we leading as a team member or as an individual going in our own direction? This is an important question to ask regularly in every Bible believing church. There needs to be accountability to the LORD and to each other if the church is to move forward in reaching the world for the LORD.
Leadership requires strength and co-operation to move forward in the church. Without everyone working together the mission to reach our world for the LORD will not move forward.
CHALLENGE: Pastors need to be feeding God’s people for them to have the strength necessary to reach others with the message of salvation.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spoke to David, saying, Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in hither thinking, David cannot come in hither. (559 “thinking” [‘amar] means to say, mention, to express in words, utter, to say in one’s heart, or to intend)
DEVOTION: David was not king over all the nation of Israel. He wanted a capital for his nation. He chose the city of Jerusalem. This city was called Zion. This city was also called the city of David.
The Jebusites were the ones who lived in the city and they didn’t want to give it to David. In fact, they said that the blind and the lame could defeat David’s army. They were making fun of David and his army.
David didn’t like this. He told his men that the Jebusites were blind and lame and that they could defeat them. They did defeat them and Jerusalem became the capital of the nation of Israel.
Today the nation of Israel still considers Jerusalem their capital. The rest of the world doesn’t seem to want to recognize this fact. Even nations that support Israel are not willing to go against the Arab nations that don’t want the Jews to be in Jerusalem or even in the land of Israel. They are a small nation fighting against most of the nations around them.
One day the LORD is going to return and set up HIS millennial kingdom in Jerusalem. HE is going to reign in Jerusalem. Those who are believers are going to reign with HIM.
The battle is not over concerning Jerusalem today but one day we will see the LORD reigning in Jerusalem and we will be living in our mansions in the New Jerusalem that is going to be brought down from heaven and placed above the earthly Jerusalem.
We all should be looking forward to reigning with Christ at that time. Remember only those who are genuine followers of Jesus Christ will reign with HIM. Have you made a genuine commitment to following Jesus Christ? If so, that means that you love to read HIS word the Bible and witness to others for HIM. This also means that we are serving the LORD with the gifts HE has given us. Are these battles part of your life right now?
HE doesn’t want us to be blind and lame to our service to HIM today.
CHALLENGE: We are in HIS army and we need to be fighting for HIM.
: 13 And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. (6370 “concubines” [piylegesh] means wife of secondary rank, paramour -Webster: lover who unlawfully takes the place of a husband or wife, or illicit sexual partner)
DEVOTION: Concubine was an Old Testament individual, who was subject to the legal wife. Their children were not always given an inheritance from the husband. The book of Deuteronomy tells kings not to multiply wives. Here we have David multiplying wives. He had two wives when he came to Hebron. Now we have a list of his children that were born in Jerusalem.
The Bible uses many names for the city of Jerusalem. The other names for Jerusalem in this chapter are “city of David” and “Zion.”
Today we have many “Christians” who think that God would approve relationships with those other than their spouses but that is not true. God would like husbands- male and wives- female to marry and stay together until they die. One husband and one wife for life is God’s plan for all marriages. HE seems to allow for more than one wife in the Old Testament. However, in the New Testament have many references to one man marrying one woman for life.
Death frees to remarry someone of the opposite sex who is a Christian. There is a reference that seems to imply that marriages can end if the unsaved spouse leaves the saved spouse. Also, there is a reference that seems to imply that adultery can be a reason for divorce. However, Christians are in the business of forgiveness and reconciliation.
Having more than one wife caused much trouble in the lives of the men who practiced having more than one. Mixed families can cause problems for the children. Confusion seems to be a pattern in our nation for especially the children.
David had a problem with the disciplining of his children. Many of his children were problems in his reign over Jerusalem. In fact, one caused the division of the children of Israel. There were only three kings that had a United Kingdom.
On a further note: Divorce is not the unpardonable sin, not accepting Christ is. Today about half of “Christian” marriages end in divorce. Brothers and sisters this ought not to be.
Faithfulness to one wife for entire life is W.O.R.K. There must be WORSHIP where two individuals share a spiritual life together in Christ. There must be organization of responsibilities that works for both partners, it is shared tasks. There must be a realization that marriage can be routine at times, some say even boring times. Finally, there must be keepsakes or pictures of times of enjoyment together.
CHALLENGE: Marriage an institution that the LORD established in the Garden of Eden to be a pattern for human history.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? Will YOU deliver them into my hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up, for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hands. (7592 “enquired” [sha’al] means ask, request, consult, beg for, to address a question and expect an answer from, asking for God’s direction and counsel, look for, or desire.)
DEVOTION: What a difference a king makes. David had tried to be faithful to the LORD throughout his time of running from Saul. The Bible never hides the faults or sins of those who were followers of the LORD. The Bible never hides the sins of those who claimed to be followers but never seemed to consult the LORD before they committed their actions against individuals or nations.
David was anointed king by Samuel when he was sixteen years old. He became king of Judah when he was thirty years old and reigned for seven years and six months in that position. Then he became king of Israel for the next thirty-three years. So he was anointed king at least fourteen years before he became king.
Lesson had to be taught through adversity for him to understand that he needed to be totally dependent on the LORD. Here we have him asking the LORD what he should do with the Philistines. The LORD answered HIS prayer. Some think through the High Priest. Others thought that the LORD spoke to him personally. It seems from the text that they were speaking to each other.
I tend to be jealous of that time period in the history of Israel. It would be nice sometimes for the LORD to give us a verbal answer to our question we bring to HIM in prayer.
We are to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and individuals that we consider to be close to the LORD. HE does speak through HIS Word the Bible to us and give us general instructions. The Holy Spirit can speak to us as we are meditating on the Word of God. Sermons by Godly men can help us understand how to practice what is taught in the Word of God.
We need to be listening when we are searching for answers. It takes a quiet time with the LORD. It sometimes takes prayer and fasting to show our complete desire to have the LORD give us instructions. When was the last time we prayed and fasted over a decision we needed to make?
CHALLENGE: Listen to the LORD with all your heart seeking HIS direction as we face the many battles in our lives. HE knows our hearts and well respond.
: 23 And when David inquired of the LORD and HE said, “You shall not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees”. (4141 “compass” [muwcab] means encompassing, surrounding, round about, to go in a circle, to go around something, surround, march around, or reverse.)
DEVOTION: The LORD has different strategies for different battles that we face. It is never the same way to win our battles. We are not to be in a rut when we face our enemy the devil. He comes at us from different directions and we need to find out from the LORD which way to fight him.
David was facing the Philistines a second time in this chapter. He asks the LORD a second time how he should fight the Philistines. The first time he was supposed to go face to face with them. This time he is to maneuver around the Philistines and hit them from the rear.
The mulberry trees would be helping by making a sound because of the wind the LORD was going to send. This sound would make the Philistines think that there was a larger army than the one that David was leading.
The LORD was going before them into the battle to give them this second victory, just as HE gave them their first victory after David was king over all of Israel. This confirmed in the minds of the soldiers and the people of Israel that the LORD was with him.
Victories in our life help others know that the LORD is using us for HIS glory. HE wants us to have victories in the battles we face. We are to put on the whole armor of God each day before we face any enemy. The armor represents us putting on Jesus Christ. HE is the one who gives us the strength to fight the battles. Without HIM we will NOT win.
Remember prayer should start our days, so that, we are asking the LORD for wisdom for each day for each battle we are going to face. HE has promised to never leave us or forsake us but we have to keep our fellowship with HIM real. We have to remember to confess our sins to HIM on a daily basis, so that, we can have fresh oil. Look at Psalm 92: 10, 11 for David’s desire to have victory over his enemies. Remember “oil” is used of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Word of God.
CHALLENGE: We need to be sure to consult the LORD before we go into action in our service for HIM.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level
David inquired of the LORDverses 19, 23
LORD answeredverses 19, 23
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 3, 10-12, 19, 20, 23-25
God – Elohim (Creator)verse 10
LORD God of hostsverse 10
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Jebusites lived in Jerusalemverses 6, 8
Hiram – king of Tyreverse 11
cedar trees
carpenters
masons
Philistinesverses 17-25
Set up in valley of Rephaim
Enemiesverse 20
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Hatedverse 8
Images (false gods)verse 21
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Anointed of the LORDverses 3, 17
Perceivedverse 12
Enquire of the LORDverses 19, 23
Deliveranceverse 19
Burned false gods (images)verse 21
Presence of the LORDverse 24
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
All tribes of Israelverse 1
David = king and captain over Israelverses 1-25
Reigned 40 years
Reigned over Judah – 7 years
Reigned over Israel – 33 years
Took stronghold of Zion
Defeated Philistines
Jerusalem = capital = city of David verses 6, 9
David more concubines and wivesverse 13
Children of David listedverses 14- 16
Baal-perazimverse 20
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
5:11–12 One measure of David’s growing reputation is the fact that a regional monarch, “Hiram king of Tyre, sent” an ambassadorial delegation (Hb. malʾākîm) to David at Jerusalem (v. 11). Accompanying this official party was a group of skilled “carpenters and stonemasons,” as well as a supply of “cedar logs.” These human and material resources were used to build “a house [NIV, “palace”] for David” in the expanding city.
Hiram’s generous gifts to David, coming as they were from one of the historically most powerful city-states of the eastern Mediterranean seaboard, helped David to know that the Lord “had exalted his kingdom.” But David also understood that he had not received this unparalleled success so that he might experience personal aggrandizement; rather it was “for the sake of his [= the Lord’s] people Israel.” Some scholars believe that Hiram’s gift may have come to David as many as twenty-five years after he had become Israel’s king. (Bergen, R. D. (1996). 1, 2 Samuel (Vol. 7, p. 323). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
5:10–12. David’s capture, expansion, and occupation of Jerusalem made it clear to all Israel and to surrounding peoples as well that God … was with him and that he was not a renegade tribal chieftain but a political power with whom they must reckon. This is seen in the attention he received from Hiram, king of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre, who provided materials and men to build David a palace (cf. 1 Kings 5:1–11). Recognition by a person of such stature convinced David that God indeed had established him and exalted his kingdom. (Merrill, E. H. (1985). 2 Samuel. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 461). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
5:12 the Lord had established him as king. Witnessing God’s evident blessing on his life, David recognized the Lord’s role in establishing his kingship. (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Sa 5:12). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 12. And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, &c.] By the prosperity and success which attended him in everything he set his hand to: and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake; for their advantage and glory more than for his own. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 585). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
No sooner was David established in his own city than the old enemy, the Philistines, returned. How true this is in our personal lives: Satan waits for the “peace after the storm” to attack us again. David knew that the Lord’s will was the only way to victory, so he immediately consulted Him. Note that the second attack (vv. 22–25) was different from the first, and that David was wise enough to seek God’s guidance again. God led him in a new way. We must take care not to keep “carbon copies” of the Lord’s will, but to seek Him anew for each new decision. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (2 Sa 5). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
David’s road to the throne covered many years and many trials, but throughout that journey he put God first and never sought vengeance or retaliation against Saul. God saw to it that David was protected and promoted according to His time and plan. He will do the same for us if we will but trust Him. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (2 Sa 5). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Every Breath
I will put breath in you. Ezekiel 37:6
When Tee Unn came down with a rare autoimmune disease that weakened all his muscles and nearly killed him, he realized that being able to breathe was a gift. For more than a week, a machine had to pump air into his lungs every few seconds, which was a painful part of his treatment.
Tee Unn made a miraculous recovery, and today he reminds himself not to complain about life’s challenges. “I’ll just take a deep breath,” he says, “and thank God I can.”
How easy it is to focus on things we need or want, and forget that sometimes the smallest things in life can be the greatest miracles. In Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 37:1–14), God showed the prophet that only He could give life to dry bones. Even after tendons, flesh, and skin had appeared, “there was no breath in them” (v. 8). It was only when God gave them breath that they could live again (v. 10).
This vision illustrated God’s promise to restore Israel from devastation. It also reminds me that anything I have, big or small, is useless unless God gives me breath.
How about thanking God for the simplest blessings in life today? Amid the daily struggle, let’s stop occasionally to take a deep breath, and “let everything that has breath praise the Lord ” (Psalm 150:6).
By Leslie Koh (Our Daily Bread Devotional)
Jesus chooses 12 followers to be His disciples.
INSIGHT
God takes ordinary people and does extraordinary things through them because of their devotion to Him. A look at the 12 men Jesus chooses to be His disciples does not reveal a “Who’s Who” in Judea. Rather, the men seem to be unknown and undistinguished.
The work of God does not depend on talent or intelligence. Different people have different strengths, but God uses all of us to accomplish His purposes. The body of Christ is made up of many parts — some highly visible, some hidden, all useful. God makes the most of the talents and spiritual gifts He has given each of us. (Quiet Walk)
GOD’S NAME MANIFESTED
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.
John 17:6
Notice that our Lord says here that He has “manifested” the name of God unto men whom God had given Him out of the world. He does not say merely that He told them about it. He goes beyond that. He says, “I have manifested”—there has been a revelation, there has been an expounding of the name. That which was concealing it has been taken away, and there has been an unveiling or an unfolding—that is the meaning of the word “manifested.” Our Lord has made the name appear, and He has put it obviously before them. This is a very rich and comprehensive term, and our Lord undoubtedly uses it deliberately so that these men who are listening to Him as He prays to God might realize the variegated and manifold character of this manifestation of the name of God that He has given.
So how does the Lord Jesus Christ manifest the name of God, and especially how does He do so in a way that is superior to the Old Testament revelation? The author of the letter to the Hebrews argues for the preeminence of Christ. The Old Testament was a true revelation, but it was only in part and in pieces; now, in Christ, it has come in all its fullness and glory.
Here, then, our Lord says that because He is the Son of God, He has manifested the name of God in a way that nothing and no one else could ever have done. He puts it like this: “They have received them [the words God gave Him], and have known surely that I came out from thee.” “These,” He says in essence, “are Your people; these are true Christians because they know that I have come out from You.” That is just another way of saying that these people knew that He was, in a unique and absolute sense, the Son of God.
A Thought to Ponder
These people knew that He was, in a unique and absolute sense,the Son of God.
(From Safe in the World, pp. 59-60, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
The Limited Knowledge of Jesus
“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32)
This verse has always been difficult to understand. If Jesus was God, how could He be ignorant of the time of His second coming? Indeed He was, and is, God, but He also was, and is, man. This is a part of the mystery of the divine/human nature of Christ. In the gospel record, we see frequent evidences of His humanity (He grew weary, for example, and suffered pain), but also many evidences of deity (His virgin birth, His resurrection and ascension, as well as His perfect words and deeds)
He had been in glory with the Father from eternity (John 17:24), but when He became man, “in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren” (Hebrews 2:17), except for sin. As a child, He “increased in wisdom and stature” like any other human (Luke 2:52). Through diligent study (as a man), He acquired great wisdom in the Scriptures and the plan of God. After His baptism and the acknowledgment from heaven of His divine Sonship (e.g., Matthew 3:16-17), He increasingly manifested various aspects of His deity, but He still remained fully human.
With respect to the time of the end, this depends in some degree on human activity. For example, He said that “the gospel must first be published among all nations” (Mark 13:10), and only God the Father could foresee just when men will have accomplished this. Although the glorified Son presumably now shares this knowledge, in His self-imposed human limitations He did not.
In no way does this compromise His deity. In our own finite humanity, we cannot comprehend fully the mystery of the divine/human nature of Christ, but He has given us more than sufficient reason to believe His Word!
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
America is still mostly classified as Christian. Evangelicals make up 26.3% of churches, mainline Protestants are 18.1%, and Catholics 23.9% (for a total of 68.3% of the population). However, of all the religious groups surveyed, only Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses contained a majority who believe that their beliefs represent the “only” way to heaven.
Here’s the startling fact: Over half (57%) of evangelical Protestant church members believe that other religions can lead to eternal life. How can the Church impact the world for Christ if so few professing Christians understand, much less witness to, the truth of their faith? (p. 5-6, The Foundation of Jesus Christ by Henry M. Morris III in Acts and Facts Magazine)
Earlier, Samuel had anointed David-then a young, inexperienced boy-to be king over Israel. Fourteen years elapsed between Samuel’s anointing and the time when David actually assumes the rule over all of Israel.
Instead of luxuriating in the royal palace during these years, David runs from cave to cave, trying to escape from Saul who is bent on killing him. But it is these difficult experiences that build into David the strength of character, the convictions, the sensitivity to right and wrong, and the vision to be a great king. Even for us today, the road to transformation always goes through the tunnel of trials.
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