David King over All Israel II Samuel 5

II Samuel 5:3 "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."

The elders give David their blessings and anoint him king but the LORD has already anointed him king long ago through the prophet Samuel. See I Samuel 16.

v5 "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."

I don't know that it means anything profound but David was 30 years old when he began to reign and Christ was 30 years old when he started his ministry. David reigned 33 years in Jerusalem and Christ lived from his physical birth to his physical death 33 years (about).

v4 "David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years."

Up until now Hebron has been David's home base. In this chapter he moves to Jerusalem. There are several names we should become familiar with or we will get confused. One is found in this verse.

v7 "Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David."

In CI Scofield's notes, he says the is located in the southwest portion of Jerusalem. So we may find that David is in Zion or Jerusalem and be the same place. In the New Testament we read that Christ was born in the city of David which we know to be Bethlehem. I'll have to sort that out in my studies. I don't remember where David was born. Maybe some of you can help me on that one.

We have to remember that Jerusalem is in the development stages now. The temple has not yet been built and I expect it is somewhat like a large city in development with different parts being called by different names like NY. You could say you were in Manhattan but you would still be in NYC. Anyway, David has moved and the king of Tyre has sent him a nice gift.

v9 "So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built round about from Millo and inward. v10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him."

v11 "And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house."

Verses 13-16 gives a list of the children born to David in Jerusalem. Remember Jerusalem is Jesbus, where the people dwelt that they did not kill or run out of the country.

The Philistines are back. We have gone through a civil war but the long time enemy is still there. Remember reading about when our country (the US) was being forged. We were in war. We fought on every side and are still fighting. I heard a saying from an actor playing an old American Indian last night. He said: Freedom is our most precious gift and the hardest to keep.

The Philistines are gathered in the valley of Rephaim. David prayed.

v19 "And David enquired of the LORD saying Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them unto mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand."

David won the victory but again the Philistines gathered in the same valley. Here we have the very moving story of the second battle. David was instructed of the LORD to use a different strategy this time.

v23 "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."

Now we come to a verse that is used often in sermons. The LORD himself was to be obvious in this battle. The mulberry trees leaves would move and I got a feeling that was the LORD gliding through the tree tops on the way to battle.

v24 "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."

Isn't that just the greatest picture? The One Joshua saw with his sword raised leads the charge with David. Joshua 5.

v25 "And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer." Geba is Gibeon I Chronicles 14:16.

By the way, First Chronicles covers these events in a different way. It clarifies some things and leaves out others. Perhaps, we will get to discuss why that can happen later. It deals with the captivity.

Psalm 33:1 "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright."

Keywords: Old Old Story, Bible Study, Old Testament, David, Jerusalem, Zion, Hebron, Samuel, Philistines, Hiram, Tyre, Milton Southerland. David is king of all Israel and moves to Jerusalem.