Reading: 2 Samuel 4-8, Psalm 88
Today’s story contains the peak of David’s life, and in many ways the peak of the story of the people of Israel. David’s choice to let God elevate him to leadership of the people of Israel has served him well, and now he is being acknowledged by everyone as the rightful ruler. His enemies at home are dead, and not by his hands. His enemies abroad are afraid and respectful of him. He decides to restore the ark of the God of Israel, which has been away from it’s rightful place in the tabernacle since 1 Samuel 4. His joy at the restoration of the covenant law is unrestrained. His desire to build a grander place than a tent for the ark to dwell prompts a magnificent promise from God: You will not build me a house, David, I will build you a house.
The tragic end of Ish-bosheth is recounted here, as he is murdered in his bed by his own servants. David reacts to their “good news” the same way he reacted to the Amalekite who claimed to have killed Saul, and he treats the body of Ish-bosheth honorably. He also brings the last survivor to Saul’s house, Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth, into his house. The former followers of Abner and Ish-bosheth acknowledge David as king. The civil war is over. Pay attention, though, to what they say God says about David: he will be the shepherd and prince of Israel. The picture of a shepherd as the leader and guardian of God’s people will persist through the rest of the story in some very meaningful ways, and David is the progenitor of this image. He is the shepherd-prince.
Though the competition for the throne is over, there are still plenty of enemies to smite. These chapters cover David’s long string of victories, including the conquest and occupation of Jerusalem, the ancient city of Melchizedek and according to Jewish tradition the site of Mount Moriah, where Abraham went to sacrifice Isaac. Though there is no direct evidence for this, there is also no particular reason to doubt the ancient tradition. In any event, David conquers the city and makes it his capital, building a magnificent house for himself and his family. He also goes out and smites the Philistines, Amalekites, and pretty much everyone who has been a problem for Israel since the days of Joshua. He leaves garrisons in foreign capitals and exacts tribute from as far away as the Euphrates. Under David, Israel becomes an international power.
Oh yes, David’s family. In the midst of this good run, we are reminded that David is continuing to acquire more wives, some from the surrounding kingdoms, and having a whole bunch of sons. This will come back to bite David in the long run, and when his son follows his example it will spell disaster for the unity of the kingdom.
On the other hand, now that he’s got a secure location, David decides to bring the ark back from it’s the house it’s been in since the Philistines returned it. There is a minor mishap when a guy puts his hand on the ark when the animals pulling it on a cart stumble, and God strikes him dead. There are a couple of things that could be going on here, but I think the primary thing the story is trying to tell us is that despite David’s apparent success, God still needs to be taken seriously. The people of Israel have largely lost the knowledge and respect for God’s house and God’s throne, and this little incident reminds us: God is incredibly dangerous for the unclean people of Israel. This was the whole point of the tabernacle and the priests. On the other hand, God’s presence is very much a blessing, as the house the ark is diverted to becomes incredibly prosperous. David gets the point and continues the plan to bring the ark to Jerusalem, but this time in tremendous honor. Singers, sacrifices, dancing- David was making a big deal of the ark before, this time his doubles down. He personally goes out and dances his way into the city.
There is a little scene following about Michal, the daughter of Saul. She finds David’s debasement of himself before God distasteful, but David is not deterred, and says he would do even more to honor God above himself. We are also told Michal has no children, which means the house of Saul has no part of the line of Davidic kings.
Speaking of which, chapter 7 brings us one of the most important interactions in the Biblical story. David looks at the tabernacle, which is a fancy tent, and compares it to his own house of wood and stone. He decides God should have a house grander than his own. God, though, has another idea, which he bring through the prophet Nathan. You shall not build me a house, I will build you a house. God makes a radical series of promises to David, and give him and his descendants a sign of their favor by the God of Israel. God promises to put a descendant of David on an eternal throne. He promises that this descendant will build a house for the name of God. He promises to be a father to him. He gives him a sign: this descendant will be disciplined with the rod of men, with the wounds brought on by men. This is a complicated promise, as it seems to apply to David’s immediate successor, the line of kings that proceed from him, and to some final figure in the future. David, though he cannot possibly understand all the implications of this promise, gets the point: his line will never fail. He responds with one of the greatest prayers of thanksgiving recorded in the Scripture. David’s prayer of thanksgiving is a model of the declaration of dependence. This is David’s best moment, his highest point, the closest he comes to his own distant descendant: the eternal king, the builder of a house for God’s name, the Son of God.