1-12 Death of Saul and His Sons - A repeat of details stated in 1 Samuel 31, with this addition:
13-14 Reason for Saul's death
- Saul died for his unfaithfulness
- He did not keep the command of the LORD
- He consulted a medium, seeking guidance, and did not seek guidance from the LORD
- Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David (in God's own time and in his own way, sacrificing Jonathan as well. Could this have been to prevent more bloodshed, knowing some would follow him, pitting him against David? Some did support Ishbaal, after all. But he was weak. Chronicles skips over that story, which appears in 2 Samuel 2-4.)
1-3 David Anointed King of Israel
- All Hebron at Israel: Even when Saul was king it was you who commanded Israel.
- Elders of Israel anoint David as King.
- David and "all Israel" march to Jerusalem (Jebus), home of the Jebusites.
- David takes the "stronghold of Zion, now the city of David."
- He promises that whoever attacks Jebus first will be his commander; Joab goes first.
- David becomes greater and greater "because the LORD is with him."
- Jashobeam son of Hachmoni- killed 300 men at one time - Chief of the Three
- Eleazar son of Dodo - He defended a plot of barley with David against the Philistines, after the other people had run away - One of the Three
- 3 of the 30 chiefs (including Jashobeam and Eleazar) had fetched water at the well of Bethlehem for David, risking their lives. David refused to drink the water because of that risk.
- Abishai brother of Joab - fought and killed 300 - Commander of the Thirty. (So who is the 3rd of the Three? Abishai? The NRSV translates it as "Thirty" in verse 20. Some may say "Three" here.)
- Benaiah son of Jehoida - killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, killed a lion, and killed a 7-1/2 foot Egyptian - renowned among the Thirty, but not one of the Three
- 26-47 - A list of David's warriors. One familiar name: Uriah the Hittite.
1-22 David's Followers in the Wilderness
- A list of ambidextrous Benjamite warriors -- relatives of Saul - who were with David in Ziklag. (Remember Ehud, the left-handed Benjamite?)
- List of Gadites - expert with shield and spear, with faces like lions, swift as gazelles, the least equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand.
- Manassites, who deserted David when he returned to Ziklag after being rejected by Philistine commanders in their attack on Israel.
- "Indeed, from day to day people kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God." Interesting phrase, which implies that an army of God is large and has no trouble recruiting warriors. Not so true of today's "army of God," as we would understand it.
- Details of those who came to Hebron to help turn the kingdom over to David. All tribes are included, which I guess is why, in 11:1, it says "all Israel."
- Judah - 6,800
- Simeon - 7,100
- Levi - 4,600 (I'm surprised to see Levites listed here. Did they fight?)
- Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron - 3,700 (Also Levites)
- Zad0k - 22 commanders (Also a Levite. See comments on 1 Samuel 2. Search for "Zadok." Also 2 Samuel 14, 15)
- Benjamites (Saul's kindred) - 3,000
- Ephraim - 20,800
- Half-tribe of Manasseh - 18,000
- Issachar - 200 chiefs and their kindred
- Zebulun - 50,000 seasoned troops
- Naphtali - 1,000 commanders, with 37,000 soldiers
- Dan - 28,600
- Asher - 40,000
- Reuben, Gad, and other half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan - 120,000
- They eat and drink with David for 3 days, having brought their own provisions.
- Also, neighboring inhabitants (as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, Naphtali) bring food, "for there was joy in Israel."
No comments:
Post a Comment