We see another example of David as a messianic figure. He has “bloody hands” so his heir, Shlomo (Solomon), another messianic figure, will be able to reign in peace and build God’s temple undistracted by threats of war. There are a number of parallels between the David’s subjugation of Israel’s enemies to bring in Shlomo’s peace and the dual functions of Messiah Yeshua at His return as bringer of war to the enemies of God and the eternal peace of God’s presence on Earth.
Category: Prophets and Writings
These studies cover the ancient grouping of Hebrew Bible writings called Nevi’im (Prophets) and Ketuvim (Writings). These books include from Joshua through Malachi in the conventional Christian canon.
Many who read this text think that God is somehow rejecting David or turning away from him, but this is not the case at all. God is not rejecting David but He is giving David a great insight into God’s purpose for him. David finds out what God really thinks of him. How many of us hear straight from God what He thinks of what we are doing for ourselves and our future generations? So, rather than thinking of this story as a type of rebuke to David, consider it God’s gift to David.
David moves the Ark of the Testimony to Yerushalayim. Along the way, a priest is killed when he tries to “help” God in keeping the Ark from falling from a cart.
David begins to establish himself in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). He builds a home and continues to establish his household. The Philistines find out about David’s promotion and attacks him but God helps David prevail against his enemies. After David pushes the Philistines back to their historic borders, David starts to bring the Ark of the Testimony from its place of exile back to Yerushalayim but the endeavor runs into trouble and the Ark’s trip to Yerushalayim stalls.
David finally brings all the tribes of Israel under one ruler and starts considering Yerushalayim as the center for the nation.
Saul is dead but David is not yet king over all of Israel. As the chapter begins “Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually” (2nd Sam. 3:1). Most of Saul’s sons are dead but David’s family is growing.
David is anointed king of Yehudah (Judah), but he must now fight the house of Saul for control of all the tribes.