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David-Brings the Ark of the Covenant to the Tabernacle
September 5, 2020

In our study of David, we most recently saw how the internal fight between the house of David and the house of Saul came to an end with the murder of Ishbosheth, Saul’s son. This left David poised to rule of Israel and Judah. Representatives of all the tribes came to David while he was in Hebron and acknowledged that David would now be their king recognizing that even in the time of Saul, it was David who had accomplished much. Together with the tribal representatives, David made an agreement with them to be their king, and David would rule over all of Israel and Judah for thirty-three years after having ruled over the house of Judah for six and one-half years.

David and his men then went to Jerusalem to take it from the Jebusites who lived there. The Jebusites told David that if he wanted to take Jerusalem he would not only have to kill them, they would have to kill the lame and blind who lived there, thinking this would stop David. The Jebusites were using a tactic employed by dictators and corrupt governments of today, they used the lame and blind as human shields, much like people are used today as human shields to dissuade averse military action. Just like children are used by warlords in Africa to wage war, the Jebusites likely employed the lame and blind to fight David and his men. David would not let these human shields stop him from his military goal of taking Jerusalem. He told his men to kill all who would fight him, including the lame and the blind. Anyone who would fight with the Jebusites would be killed.

Some reading this passage from second Samuel mistakenly think David committed acts of genocide against people with disabilities. In this situation, David killed the blind and the lame not because they had disabilities but because they were aligned to the Jebusites. When we read the lame and blind are hated of David’s soul, that passage could also be translated as the lame and blind were enemies of David, and in this case solely because they were aligned with the Jebusites, not because they had disabilities. Later we will read how David protected Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, who had a disability. Thousands of year later in the time of Jesus, we know Jesus healed people with disabilities often irritating the religious elite because sometimes this would happen on the Sabbath. If what David did to the blind and lame was indeed bad, Jesus could have, using language from today, cancel David for this action, and we know Jesus did not do this. We know from the verses that David built his powerbase around Jerusalem and became very strong.

As David’s power grew, soon other rulers nearby sought to find favor with David. Hiram, king of Tyre not only sent cedar trees to David, but also sent the artisans to build David a house. It was with this gift that David understood that God had established him as king of all Israel and had given the kingdom of Israel favor with other nearby countries. While living in Jerusalem, David had more concubines and wives and had more sons and daughters born to him. It didn’t take long for the Philistines to hear that David was now king over Israel and they weren’t pleased with this development. They were fully aware of the threat the David posed to them and they sought to engage David in battle just as his kingdom was being established in an effort to eliminate the threat posed by David. Once again, David showed faith not by assuming that God was with him and his plan, and in faith David asked God if the Philistines should be engaged in battle, and God told David to fight them, because they would lose to David.

David came to what he named Baalperazim, because his enemies came against him as a breach of waters where David and the army of Israel destroyed the Philistines. Ballperazaim means possessor of the breaches. Left behind where Philistines idols which David and his men burned. It didn’t take long for the Philistines to regroup to once again threaten David. With victory after victory behind David it would be easy to assume that God would David, and yet when threatened again, and when David asked if he should confront the Philistines, this time God said no. God instead told David to perform a flanking maneuver and engage the Philistines from the side. God knew the Philistines would be prepared in the front lines to engage and destroy David. By attacking from a different angle David and his men were able to destroy the Philistines. In trusting God, we must always rely on God, not our own understanding. Just because an approach has consistently worked in the past and had God’s blessing does not mean that same approach will find favor with God. The story from David shows that how God blesses us is not always through divine intervention, but through the result of our own actions that are aligned to God’s will. God could easily take out any enemy threatening us without any action needed by us, the stories of David shows that God rarely does this and instead uses each of us as we heed and obey God’s will, and it comes through faith in asking God what God would have us do.

2 Samuel 5:1-25
Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. 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. 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 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. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David. And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth 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. 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. And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an 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. 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 unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet. 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 enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

After settling his enemies, David turned from military conflict with neighboring lands and focused on an internal matter or relocating the Ark of the Covenant to the city of David. A huge group of men, thirty thousand, were assembled to march with the Ark of the Covenant. Part of the group was a marching band. It was a huge parade. The group eventually came to a stop at Nachon’s threshing floor where the ox pulling the cart that had the Ark of the Covenant became restless. Uzzah wanted to prevent the Ark from falling over, and put his hand on the Ark to steady it, and because of this God took his life. This upset David and David stopped bringing the Ark to him and instead left it with the house of Obededom the Gittite.

Uzzah died because of presumptuousness, presuming that God was unable to protect His Ark, and touched the Ark which he could not do. We cannot presume that we can take away or add to what God tells us to do, and when we do, like Uzzah, death is a very real possibility. Even though David was frustrated that Uzzah had been killed by God, eventually word got back to David that Obededom’s household was incredibly blessed because the Ark of the Covenant was there. David reconsidered his frustration at the death of Uzzah and decided to bring the Ark up to the city of David. Along the way there were sacrifices and offerings to the sound of the trumpet, and David was so happy, he danced along the way.

As the procession came to the city of David, David’s wife, Michal, saw him dancing in the street and this upset her. After David had the Ark of the Covenant brought to the tabernacle, he returned to his house and found that Michal was still upset. She felt that David had acted shamelessly, and David shared there was no dishonor in doing what God expects. As a result, the marriage faded and Michal had no more children until she died.

2 Samuel 6:1-23
Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me? So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household. And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David with gladness. And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to everyone a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

After the Ark of the Covenant was at the tabernacle, David spoke to Nathan with a concern that even though he lived in a very fine house built of cedar, there was no home for God. David was concerned that the curtains of the tabernacle were not good enough for God. Initially, Nathan told David to do what he wanted to do because God was with him and later that night it didn’t take long for Nathan to see he didn’t give advice reflective of God’s will.

God went on to tell Nathan that David’s throne would be established forever, and that a son of David, and not David would build a house for God. When David was told what God’s will was, that he would not be building a house for God, David instead of getting angry at God humbled himself before God.

2 Samuel 7:1-29
And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee. And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant. For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God. And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

With an understanding that he was not to build a house for God, David instead returned his focus to the aggressors living nearby and destroyed the Philistines and took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines. History has lost sight of what Methegammah was. This is the only verse using this word. Many think Methegammah was a city or region that became part of Israel. In addition to destroying the Philistines, David also took on the people of Moab and it didn’t take long for the people of Moab to bring tribute to David. David’s conquests went as far as the Euphrates river where he captured a thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen. David had all but one hundred of the chariot horses. David would take on the Syrians and became so powerful he was able to establish garrisons in Syria and had the Syrians bring tribute to David. Wherever David went, he had military success after military success, eventually even establishing garrisons in the land of Edom. In each location the people became servants of David.

2 Samuel 8:1-18
And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines. And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts. David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates. And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots. And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men. Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went. And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much brass. When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host of Hadadezer, Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass: Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men. And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went. And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe; And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

David continued to reign over Israel and was well respected as king and established an inner cabinet to support his leadership.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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