Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake saying, Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh.
David king over all Israel
It was probably very soon after the death of Ishbosheth that this visit of the tribes of Israel to Hebron occurred. Now, in this request the elders urged three reasons why David should be their king.
1. Blood-relationship: “We are thy bone and thy flesh.” It was with these words that Laban welcomed his nephew Jacob to Haran (Genesis 29:14); with these words also Abimelech sought the allegiance of the men of Shechem (Judges 9:2).
2. David had been, under Saul, their leader in war, and as he had been a victorious leader they are ready to acknowledge him as their king.
3. He had been called of God to be a shepherd and a prince over Israel.
As the representatives of the tribes the elders come to Hebron with this petition, and a covenant is entered into “before the Lord.”
1. All the tribes of Israel were now united and the family circle was one under David.
2. There was peace in Israel, instead of the long, bitter strife of so many years.
3. Their anointed king was he whom God had selected, so that, instead of fighting against the Divine purpose, they were now in harmony with that purpose, and the smile of Jehovah rested on their union.
4. The future was bright before them. So long as they were contending with one another they had no strength to overcome the enemies of God, and the Jebusites could not be driven out of Jerusalem. But now, the tribes united, led by such a prince as David and with God on their side, they were strong to conquer all their enemies.
There are two profound thoughts in this closing verse:
1. The recognition by David of the hand of God in his position as king over Israel.
2. The recognition of the truth that the purpose of this providence was for the temporal and spiritual interests of the people of God. The people are not created for the king, but the king for the people. (A. E. Kittredge, D. D.)
David king ever Israel
I. Look at Israel in those years of waiting for their king. Near five centuries before the founding of the kingdom, the rule which was to govern the conduct of their coming king had been lodged in the archives of their nation. He had been seen at the helm of human affairs, of whom it was written: “He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” The steppings of God are not swift enough for us. Time spent waiting for deliverance or advancement seems lost time. We forget that preparation is demanded for all promotions, all changes that are radical. Because Israel would not wait for God to choose for them a king in his own time, he gave them Saul, of their own choosing. They, however, found little comfort in him. His life was “one long tragedy.” Human wisdom is often folly. That which we judge will be for our large advantage often proves our peril. There is no safety but in waiting for God to go before and lead.
II. Notice God’s choice of David as king. In the midst of the commotion and desolation of Israel, Samuel was commanded to go to Bethlehem, and there anoint one of the sons of Jesse. No explanation was given of the meaning of that anointing. Neither Jesse nor David understood it, though both must have had conception of some great honour indicated. The choice was of God. Mighty changes were to take place in the rule of Israel; a mighty man was required. He was found. God always has instruments at hand for use.
III. Notice David’s preparation for the kingship. God was preparing him, through the persecutions of enemies and the treachery of friends, by a long and painful discipline, for the kingship of Judah, at Hebron. There he reigned seven and a hail years, when the throne of Israel became vacant. Purified in the furnace of affliction and humiliations, grown strong in faith through wonderful deliverances and exaltations, he was ready for the place which God had made ready for him.
IV. Notice David’s exaltation to the throne. (Monday Club Sermons.)
David a type of Christ
David is made fully king. He has been, so to say, partially king; now his kingship is to be completed. It is legitimate to inquire into the typology of the whole case. Being the father of Christ according to the flesh, it will be to our edification to ask where the lines coincide, where they become parallels, and where they again touch one another. The study will be at once interesting and profitable.
1. “David was thirty years old when he began to reign” (v. 4). How old was Christ when he entered his public ministry? Was he not thirty years old? The full meaning of this it is impossible to find out; nevertheless the coincidence itself is a lesson: we stop, and wonder, and think. Providence thus reveals itself little by little, and we are permitted to take up the separate parts, bring them together, and shape them into significance.
2. “And they anointed David king over Israel” (v. 3.) Is that the word which is used when men are made kings? Is there not another word which is employed usually? Do we not say, And they crowned the king? The word here used is anointed--a better word, a word with more spiritual meaning in it, and more duration. The oil penetrated; the oil signified consecration, purity, moral royalty. There was a crown, but that was spectacular, and might be lost. Was not Jesus Christ anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows? Have not we who follow Him and share His kingship, an unction, or anointing, from the Holy One, through whom we know all things?
3. David reigned forty years. Forty is a perfect number. There are many numerals which represent perfectness, and forty--the four tens--is one of them. Or making the whole life seventy years we come again upon another aspect of perfectness: perfectness in the life and in the royalty: perfectness in both senses and in both aspects. And is not Jesus Christ to come to a perfect reign? Has He not His own forty and His own seventy--His own secret number, which represents to Him mysteriously the perfectness of His reign? He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.
4. The Jebusites mocked David when he would go and reign in Jerusalem; they said, “Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither” (v. 6). In other words: If you can overcome the lame and the blind, you may enter into Jerusalem, but other soldiery we will not interpose: even they will be strong enough to break the arms of David. Has no defiance been hurled at the Messiah? Has He not been excluded from the metropolis of the world? Are there not those who have mocked Him and wagged their heads at Him? Are there not those who have spat upon His name, and said, We will not have this man to reign over us? Let history testify, and let our own conscience speak.
5. David advanced more and more. The tenth verse has a beautiful expression: “And David went on, and grew great.” The words are short, but the meaning is boundless. David was a persistent man--he “went one” It is the man who steadfastly goes on, who enters the city and clears a space for himself, in all departments and outlooks of life. And is not Jesus Christ going forth from conquering to conquer? Is He not moving from land to land, from position to position. “And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.” “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ.” Go on thou mighty Son of God!
6. Then we read in the eleventh verse, “And they built David a house.” Even those who were averse to Him came to this at the last. And is no house being built for Christ? Once He said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” Is it to be always so? or is not the whole earth to be the house of the living Christ, the sanctuary of the crowned Lord? This is the voice of prophecy; this is the testimony of all history: in this inspiration we pray our bolder prayer and utter our grander hope. Jesus shall reign, and a house shall be built for Him, and it shall be called the house of God.
7. “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” (v. 17). Christ has enemies to-day. There are Philistines who are banded against Him: they want to deplete His name of all spiritual meaning, to take away from Him all the glory of His miracles, to deny even His incarnation, to treat Him as a myth, a vision, or a dream; but still He goes down to the hold, and still He advances His position.
8. Having overthrown the Philistines in one conflict, we read in the twenty-second verse, “And the Philistines came up yet again.” These words have modern meaning--namely, the words “yet again.” The enemy is not easily foiled. One repulse is not enough. The victory is not secured until the enemy is under foot--no truce, no compromise, no modification, no temporising, no living by mutual concession. (J. Parker, D. D.)
King David a type of Christ
David, as king, was an illustrious type of Christ. “I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” (Psalms 2:6.) “All Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the deliverer.” (Romans 11:26.) Jesus was recognised as “The Son of David”; He is “King of the Jews”; “King of kings,” and “of His kingdom there shall be no end.” This passage suggests several analogies between King David and King Jesus.
1. David was king by Divine ordination (v. 2, 12.) And so Christ was elected from eternity to be the Monarch of mankind, was predicted of old. “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” (Daniel 4:3; Daniel 4:34.) It was asserted by Himself, “My kingdom is not of this world.” He claimed kingship of Divine origin and authority.
2. David was ordained to be king for two purposes: “Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.” It is the function of a shepherd to feed; of a captain to guide and protect. So Christ is the good Shepherd and the Captain of Salvation. He supplies the need of His people, and leads them to victory.
3. David was qualified by kindred relationship. “We are thy bone and thy flesh.” So Jesus took our nature, “in all things was made like unto His brethren.” “He is not ashamed to call us brethren.” His humanity, linked with His deity, qualified Him to be the “Mediator between God and men”; the Shepherd-King of His people; “the Man Christ Jesus.”
4. David was king by mutual covenant. The Son of David is proclaimed from heaven as King of men; and He engages to rule in equity, and to guard His people from harm. We, on our part, accept Him as our Lord: we declare that we desire Him to rule over us; there is a mutual covenant. He says, “Ye are My people”; and we say, “Thou art our King.”
5. David assailed the strong fortress of his foes. David’s greater Son lays siege to the human heart, fortified against Him by unbelief and sin. He summons it to surrender; brings the battery of truth against its walls; promises pardon if it will open its gates.
6. David conquered the-fortress and dwelt in it. So Jesus has entered many a heart by its opened doors, and has proved His power to subdue the most determined resistance. He then makes it His abode.
7. David enlarged the captured city. “He built round about.” Thus the kingdom of David’s Son is constantly being enlarged. Faith in the soul grows as seeds. The leaven leavens the whole lump. Every part of our nature progressively owns the sway of its Lord.
8. The King of Tyre sent cedar-trees and carpenters to help to build David’s house. So the Gentiles built up the Church of Christ. Earthly wealth is consecrated to His service. Not Tyre alone, but every people and clime shall help in raising up Jerusalem, and making Zion a praise throughout the earth.
9. David reigned in Hebron and Jerusalem forty years. David’s Son reigns everywhere, and His kingdom shall have no end. “He shall reign for ever and ever.”
10. David had the joy of being assured that God had exalted His throne. “He perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel.” And David’s Son “shall see of the travail of His soul and be satisfied.” Lessons:--Let us individually enter into covenant with Christ as our King. Let us open our hearts for Him to dwell in. Though “blind and lame,” He will heal us, and help us to fight His battles and share His triumph. (N. Hall, D. D.)