2 Samuel 2:1

DAVID BECAME KING OVER JUDAH;

ABNER PROCLAIMED SAUL'S SON AS KING OVER ALL ISRAEL;

CIVIL WAR ENSUED.

This chapter relates the beginning of David's long struggle to become king over all Israel. Of course, true to the prophecy of God, he eventually succeeded. And what a success that actually was!

"David took an insignificant nation, and within a few years, built it into a mighty kingdom. In the southwest, the Egyptian world empire had declined, and over in the east, the Assyrian and Babylonian world empires had not yet appeared. Here in Israel, on the highway between, under David, the kingdom of Israel, almost overnight, became not a world empire, but perhaps the most powerful single kingdom on earth at that time."[1]

This speaks only of his ultimate success, a success which did not come at once, and which involved many bloody events before it was finally realized. If one should inquire "Why did not God grant David such wonderful success immediately upon Saul's death, the answer is not far to seek. David himself was to blame. R. P. Smith has what we consider a perfectly reasonable explanation of this.

"If David had continued in Israel instead of moving to Gath and later to Ziklag as a vassal of the Philistine Achish, David might indeed have become king over all Israel at once. But he was too entangled with the Philistines and too much distrusted by the Northern Israel to be trusted by them."[2]

Had it not been for David's foolish and sinful alliance with Achish, he and his six hundred faithful men could easily have rescued all of Northern Israel from the Philistines, who following Saul's death, had quickly overrun all of the central districts of Northern Israel, and in fact, practically all of Palestine west of the Jordan river. This is indicated by the fact that Abner could find no place for Ishbosheth's capital except east of the Jordan.

It is Smith's opinion that had it not been for David's involvement with the Philistines and the consequent distrust of many Israelites, David could quickly have achieved the unity and rescue of all Israel, pointing out that:

"Detachments from the tribes of Gad and Manasseh, instead of joining Saul at Mount Gilboa, went to David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12); also a very large company from Benjamin and Judah under the command of David's nephew Amasa joined the forces of David. Thus, with all the disadvantages that David had brought upon himself through his Philistine involvement, his military strength continued to grow and became very great."[3]

The Scriptures report that, "From day to day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God" (1 Chronicles 12:22).

Such events only stress how it might have been, but David's position was very precarious, loaded with all kinds of dangers. Oh yes, this chapter relates that the men of Judah anointed him king over Judah, but it is evident that, "This was done with the consent of the Philistines and with David's continued acceptance of his status as their vassal."[4]

If we should speculate on just why the Philistines allowed such an arrangement, we may suppose that they were happy indeed to see Israel divided into two hostile states with the inevitable war that was certain to develop.

In this very complicated and uncertain situation David did what every man of God should do; he consulted the will of the Lord, through the services of Abiathar and the Urim and Thummim.

DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD

"After this David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah"? And the Lord said to him, "Go up." And David said, "To which shall I go up"? And he said, "To Hebron." So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David brought up his men who were with him, every one with his household; and they dwelt in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah."

"After this David inquired of the Lord" (2 Samuel 2:1). It is not recorded that David inquired of the Lord prior to his making that foolish flight to Achish at Gath; and, therefore, we may interpret the words "after this" which are found here as meaning that, "after the dangerous and complicated situation in which David realized he had maneuvered himself by NOT inquiring of the Lord, he now decided to do so."

"So David went up there (to Hebron)" (2 Samuel 2:2). This was an ideal place for the location of David's capital at that time. High in he mountains, it was relatively safe from the power of the Philistines whose chariots were not very effective in mountainous terrain. Additionally, it was a productive and very fruitful area and one of the major cities of Judah. Besides, it was very rich in historical and traditional significance, being also one of the cities of refuge designated by Joshua.

"And they dwelt in the towns of Hebron" (2 Samuel 2:3). This is a reference to the suburbs of Hebron. All ancient villages were understood as including the settlements surrounding the central metropolis.

"There they anointed David king over the house of Judah" (2 Samuel 2:4). There were three anointings of David as king:

(1) His first anointing was by Samuel (1 Samuel 10:1) which indicated God's secret purpose and ultimate intention.

(2) Here is the second anointing when the men of Judah elevated him over the house of Judah.

(3) His third and final anointing made him king "over all Israel" (1 Chronicles 14:8).

The delay between David's anointing and his ultimate assumption of the throne correspond in some degree with the four-year time interval between the anointing of Christ in his baptism and reception of the Holy Spirit and his reception of His Kingdom upon the occasion of His Ascension into heaven, which correspondence, "Seems to be thus typified,"[5] here.