1-17 David and God's House
- David observes to the prophet Nathan that while he lives in a house of cedar, God's house is still a tent.
- God comes to Nathan and tells him to pass this word on to David:
- I have not lived in a permanent house since I brought the people out of Egypt.
- I have never asked for a house of cedar.
- I took you from being a shepherd to being a prince, defeated your enemies, and will make for you a great name.
- I will appoint a place for my people where enemies will not disturb them.
- I will make you a house.
- I will establish a kingdom for you through your son, and he will build a house for my name.
- He will be my child, and I his father, and I will discipline him, but I will never take the kingdom away from him, as I did from Saul.
- David speaks directly to God in prayer and in questions:
- What more can David say to you?
- Who is like your people, like Israel?
- Is there another God who would do such great things for his people?
- As to the house, do as you have promised.
- You have revealed to your servant that you will build a house, therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. Notice that throughout the prayer David speaks of himself in the third person. It brings back the memory of a South African 18-year-old Christian woman who spoke to me in such a way. Even though I was only 27 at the time, I was married, with a child, and a preacher's wife, and that was her way of showing respect.
1-14 David's Wars
- The Philistines at Metheg-ammah
- The Moabites, marking those who should be put to death with two lengths of cord, and those who were to be spared with one length; survivors became servants
- With 1700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers, King Hadadezer of Zobah at the river of Euphrates, killing 22,000 Arameans who came to King Hadadezer's aid and bringing back the gold shields carried by the King's servants.
- King Toi Hamath sends his son Joram to David with tribute for defeating Hadadezer - silver, gold, and bronze -- which David dedicated to God, along with all the other silver and gold from nations he subdued.
- Edomites - 18,000 in the Valley of Salt.
- "And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went."
- David administered justice and equity to all his people.
- His officers:
- Commander of the army: Joab son of Zeruiah
- Recorder: Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud
- Priest: Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar
- Secretary: Seraiah
- Over the Cherethites and Pelethites: Benaiah son of Jehoiada. According to Nave's Topical Bible, these were Philistine tribes who formed David's bodyguard. (See 1 Chronicles 12:3 for more about Pelet.)
- Priests: David's sons. Other translations call them "chief ministers."
1-13 David's Kindness to Mephibosheth
- David asks if there is anyone in Jonathan's house to whom he can show kindness for Jonathan's sake.
- A servant of Saul, Ziba, is called, who knows of Mephibosheth, who is crippled (2 Samuel 4:4)
- David calls for Mephibosheth to come, and tells him he will restore his grandfather's land to him. Mephibosheth bows before him: "What is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog such as I?"
- The king instructs Ziba that he and his 15 sons and 20 servants will till the land David has restored to Mephibosheth, to provide him with produce, and that Mephibosheth would eat at the king's table.
- Mephibosheth has a son named Mica.
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