As time passed David began to question whether or not he should stay in Gath, so he asked Yahweh, “Should I return to Judah, the land of my fathers?”
Yahweh instructed David to settled in the Judean city of Hebron. With their most famous commander returned, the people of Judah soon declared him king of Judah, where he reigned for seven years. During this time, having already married Michal and Abigail, David soon found he desired yet more wives and soon married Ahinoam, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah. Except for Michal, each of these wives gave David children: first Ahinoam’s son Amnon, then Abigail’s son Kileab who died at a young age, Maacah’s son Absalom and daughter Tamar, Haggith’s son Adonijah, Abital’s son Shephatiah, and Eglah’s son Ithream.
But David didn’t know that Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, had escaped with one of Saul’s sons, Ish-Bosheth, and had crowned him the new king over all of Israel. When the Judeans heard the news they refused to acknowledge him as their king over David, sparking a Civil War which lasted years. But with the hand of Yahweh guiding David’s forces, they became stronger and stronger while Abner’s slowly became weaker. As the war continued, Ish-Bosheth began to suspect that Abner was in fact only seeking power for himself. When Ish-Bosheth confronted Abner he replied, “Do you think me a Judean lapdog? My whole life I have been loyal to your father and his family. I could have easily handed you over to David, but I didn’t. And now you treat me like this? I swear to Yahweh that I will fulfill the promise made to David and make him king over all of Israel.” Ish-Bosheth was afraid of Abner, so he said nothing.
Abner then sent a message to David, “Make peace with me and I will help extend your rule over all of Israel.”
David replied, “Good, I will make peace with you, but I have one condition. You must bring me the daughter of Saul, whom I earned the right to marry through combat. So Abner took Michal away from her new husband and brought her to David. He then went about speaking to all the leaders of Israel under a banner of peace to make David king over all of Israel.
When Joab, a nephew of David, learned he had made peace with Abner he said, “What have you done? This man killed our people in combat, even my own brother Asahel. He’s lying to you so he can get an advantage over you.” But when Joab saw that David was unmoved he left to track Abner down without David’s knowledge. He took Abner aside, telling him that they needed to speak privately, and then killed him to avenge the blood of his brother.
When David learned what he had done he cursed Joab and wept in mourning over Abner. For the entire day, David refused to eat so that everyone who saw him would know that he had no part in Abner’s death. David gathered his men and said, “Do you not understand that a great commander and great man has died? Even as I become king over all of Israel I am weakened because of his death. Without his aid my enemies may be too strong for me. May Yahweh’s justice be brought upon Joab.” But because he was family and David did not want to weaken his position further, Joab remained in his army.
With Abner dead, Saul’s army knew that remaining loyal to Ish-Bosheth would bring them nothing. Two soldiers, Baanah and Rekab, hoped to ingratiate themselves to David, so they snuck into Ish-Bosheth’s tent and killed him. They then traveled to David saying, “We have killed Ish-Bosheth’s, the son of Saul, your greatest enemy. Today God has gotten revenge for you over Saul’s family.”
David replied, “The last person who sought to use the turmoil of this nation for their own self-interest is dead. How much worse will it be for you who murdered an innocent man in his own tent in the hopes of ingratiated yourself to me?” After dealing with the two assassins, David located Ish-Bosheth’s body and had him buried with honor alongside Abner. Despite the murder of David’s enemies, the peace pursued by Abner held. Soon the leaders of Israel came to David to make him king over all of Israel.
Now the city of Jerusalem, which had first been conquered in the time of Jushua, had fallen under the control of Canaanites who remained in the city. So David’s first act as king was to gather his army to retake it. David said to his men, “Whoever leads the attack will become my top general.” Joab saw this as an opportunity to gain goodwill with David and volunteered. Under Joab, the Israelites quickly captured Jerusalem and made it their capital city and set about fortifying it to even greater heights.
But David’s coronation kindled the fury of Philistines against Israel, believing David had betrayed their trust. As they sent their army towards him, Yahweh said to David, “Go, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.” And by the insurmountable will of Yahweh, David’s army decimated the Philistines when they met in battle.
With his capital established and his enemies defeated for a time, David next ordered the ark of the covenant be brought to Jerusalem. When it entered the city, David’s joy was uncontainable. He took to the streets and among his people he danced with all of his heart, removing all his kingly attire in his jubilation. The Holy Spirit was on him and a song sprang forth:
The earth is Yahweh’s, and everything within it.
Yahweh laid its foundations upon the seas.
Who will ascend the mountain of Yahweh?
Who will stand in Yahweh’s holy place?
The one that has clean hands, and a pure heart.
The one who has not given into vanity or spoken deceitfully.
Let the everlasting doors be lifted up so the glorious one can come in.
Who is the glorious one? Yahweh, the strong and mighty.
But when Michal, looking down from the palace, beheld the revelry of David, she was disgusted at his impropriety. In that moment she knew that the love she once had for David had been extinguished. After she had risked her life to rescue him from the wrath of her father he had abandoned her for years, even marrying another to increase his own wealth and power, and then, when it was advantageous for him, he had her torn from her second husband. Now, as she looked at him, she did not see the valiant commander who had defeated Israel’s enemies time and again, but an undignified churl. So after the celebration had concluded and David returned to the palace, Michal confronted him saying, “Is this how the king of Israel ought to act, dancing around half-naked for everyone to see like some commoner?”
But David replied, “My ecstasy is for Yahweh alone, who chose me over your father or anyone in his household to rule Israel. And yes, to honor our God I am willing to be even more undignified than this. But the commoners you look down on will honor me.” The two were cold with each other from that day forth and they had no children together.
After the ark was brought to Jerusalem, a prophet named Nathan came to the city to share the word of Yahweh with David. One day, David said to him, “Here I am living in a palace and the ark of the covenant sits in a tent.”
Nathan replied, “Whatever you are thinking of doing, you know Yahweh is with you.” But that night Yahweh spoke to Nathan in a dream and the next morning he delivered these words to David,
“God says, Will you build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelled in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt until now, but have been in a tent. In all the places where I have travelled with the children of Israel did I say to anyone in Israel, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ I took you from a shepherd to be ruler over my people. And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you like the greatest men in this world. And when your days are done, and you sleep with your ancestors, your offspring will then become king. He will be the one to build my house and his kingdom will reign forever. He will be my son. The spirit of God will never depart from him. You wish to build me a house, but I will build you a house. And your house, your throne, your kingdom will last forever after you.’”
After hearing this David, left Nathan and went in private. There he said to Yahweh, “Who am I and who is my family that you have taken us this far? And as if that wasn’t enough now you give me this vision of the future. What can I say? You know my heart God. You are the great Yahweh. There is no other, as your people have witnessed for themselves. And who is like us, the nation that Yahweh adopted. You performed miracles and defeated our enemies and their false gods so your name would once again be known throughout the world. We are yours forever and you are our God. Keep the promises you have made to me about the future so the people will see you as the God of Israel.
“The kings of the earth rise up against you and your annointed.
But on your throne in heaven you scoff at them
And rebuke them in anger, saying, ‘I have installed my king on my holy mountain.’
You said, ‘You are my son, and today I have become your father.
I will make the nations your inheritance.
Sit at my right hand and I will make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’
Serve God with fear. Celebrate Yahweh’s rule with trembling.
For the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
Yahweh has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
So be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Kiss his son or your ways will lead to destruction.
But blessed are those who take refuge in God’s house.
The years of David’s reign continued under the blessing of Yahweh. Whether it be the Philistines, Moabites, Arameans, or Ammonites, no invader could stand against the might of Israel. Indeed under the command of Joab, the Edomites were almost entirely destroyed, with only a few fleeing to Egypt. Having already defeated the remnant of the Amalekites, David fulfilled the prophecy made by Balaam who said to Balak that, “a ruler will rise up out of Israel who will crush Moab, Edom, Amalek, and all those who oppose him.”
When David wasn’t engaged in statecraft his mind often turned to the loss of his beloved friend Jonathan. Thinking aloud he asked his attendant Ziba, who had also served under Saul, “Does anyone in Saul’s family remain alive that I can show kindness to in memory of my friend Jonathan?”
Ziba answered, “While you were in exile Jonathan was married and had a son named Mephibosheth. The boy was only five years old when his father and grandfather were killed. The woman taking care of him picked him up and fled from the approaching Philistines, but she stumbled and his feet were crippled in the fall.”
David immediately sent for Mephibosheth. When he arrived David said, “Though your grandfather saw me as his enemy, do not be afraid. The friendship I had with your father is far stronger. I wish to bless you as your father blessed my life, so I am giving you all of the land that was once Saul’s. I want you to live here with me in the palace and dine at my table as though you were my own son.”
Mephibosheth bowed and said, “Who am I that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
Then David said to Ziba, “I have given everything that belonged to Saul to his grandson. I now have a new job for you and your family: be the caretakers of his land, bringing him the harvest so he will never lack anything ever again.”
Though Mehibosheth was now well taken care of, the rest of David’s kingdom soon suffered through a famine. When David spoke to Yahweh about it, he was told, “Your kingdom is suffering because the murder of the Gibeonites by Saul has gone unpunished.”
So David summoned the remaining Gibeonites and asked, “How can I give you the justice you deserve?”
They replied, “We have no right to demand anything of you.”
But David insisted, “Just ask what you want me to do.”
“Saul decimated our people. We have no city to call our own in all of Israel. Let the blood that is on his hands fall on the heads of seven of his offspring in the sight of God.”
David replied, “I will give them to you to atone for their murderous father.” When justice had been served, the famine ended.
Times of peace were always fleeting for David. One night, as as he stood atop his palace balcony thinking of the war that was currently being brought to them by the Ammonites he looked out over the city and saw a woman bathing on her rooftop. She was beautiful and he asked one of his attendants who she was. “Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, a soldier in your army.” He ordered that she be brought to him and they spent the night together. She returned home and as the weeks passed she realized that she was pregnant.
When word of this reached David he had her husband Uriah returned from the battlefield and brought before him. He feigned interest in the war, asking about the soldiers’ morale before saying, “Why don’t you go home and spend some time with your wife.” David hoped to convince him that he was the father of Bathsheba’s child. But when Uriah left the palace he instead spent the night in the servants’ quarters. The next day David asked him, “You’ve been fighting hard, why didn’t you spend the night with your wife?”
Uriah replied, “The ark of the covenant is in a tent, my fellow soldiers are in tents on the battlefield, and you want me to relax in my own house and spend the night with my wife. It would be disrespectful to my fellow soldiers to do such a thing.” David invited him to spend the day in the palace and even gave him too much to drink so he would return home in a drunken stupor but he again spent the night with the servants.
Fearing that what he had done would be soon be discovered, David sent Uriah back to the battlefield with a letter for Joab which said, “Uriah longs for the glory of battle. Put him in the vanguard where the fighting is fiercest and back away from him for he desires to prove his mettle by battling our enemies alone.” In the heat of battle the next day, with no one to defend him, Uriah was killed. When Bathsheba learned of her husband’s death, she mourned him. After her mourning ended David took pity on her and took her as another wife and she gave birth to a son. Though what he had done could not be proven, rumors crossed the land like strong winds about the father of Bathsheba’s baby and the fate of Uriah.
But Yahweh would not allow the actions of David to stay in the shadow of his heart. So when Nathan next met with David he said to the king, “I have a matter for you to adjudicate. There are two men in a nearby town, one of them is rich, owning lots of sheep and cattle, while the other is poor, having just one lamb. He raised it. It grew up with his children. He shared his food with it and it even slept with him. It was like one of his own children. One day, a guest arrived at the rich man’s house, but the rich man did not use any of his own animals to make a meal for him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb.”
David was very angry to hear this so he said, “Whoever did this deserves to die. He should repay that man four times the value of the lamb he stole. Who could be so heartless?”
“You are that man. Yahweh made you king over all of Israel, rescued you from Saul, and gave a princess as your wife. And if that had not been enough, Yahweh would have given you even more. Why have you shown contempt for Yahweh’s law by doing this evil thing? You stole the wife of Uriah and had him killed by the swords of the Ammonites. Now the sword will always threaten your house. From within your own family you will face disaster.”
With the horror of his actions laid bare before him, a wave of guilt crushed David’s spirit. In that moment, this man who had fended off beasts, soothed a king, defeated a giant, escaped persecution, spared his enemies, and conquered armies could only reply, “Though the evil I have done has hurt the innocent, my family, my country, and myself, in my heart I know it is Yahweh I have wronged the most.”
Nathan replied, “Because you have repented, merciful Yahweh forgives you. This evil you have done will not be the end of you, but the child you had with Bathsheba will die.” Then Nathan left David alone. His soul still in agony and his mind racing he sought to once again distill his feelings into a psalm:
Have mercy upon me, God, and wipe clean the stain of my wrongdoing.
I confess my sins, though they will always be in front of me.
It is you, the king of this world, that I have wronged.
Though there was evil in me from the moment my mother conceived me,
You desire truth from us from the beginning.
And so from the beginning you teach us your wisdom.
Make me hear joy and gladness again
So that these bones of mine, that feel now broken, may rejoice.
Do not dwell upon my evil actions.
Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation; and lift me up with your spirit.
Then may I teach others your ways and lead them back to you.
Save me from the guilt of the bloodshed I have caused
And I will sing aloud of your righteousness.
For I know that in your heart you do not desire a sacrifice; or I would give it.
The sacrifice you desire is not burned on an altar,
It is a contrite spirit, which you will never scorn.
Soon David’s son became very sick. Though he knew what Nathan had prophesied, David prayed ceaselessly for the child. He dressed in rags and would not eat anything. But after seven days the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him because his grief was already so great.
David saw them whispering among themselves and asked them, “Is the child dead?”
“Yes, he is dead.” With those words, David got up, washed himself, put on his clothes, and worshipped God. Then he returned to his house and ate.
His attendants asked, “Why are you acting this way? When the child was alive you fasted and wept. But now that he is dead you get up and eat?”
“When the child was alive I fasted because I thought perhaps God might have mercy on me. But now that he is dead what good does fasting do? Can I bring him back to life? I will go to him someday even though he will never come to me.”
In spite of what David had done, Bathsheba found comfort in him as they mourned the loss of their son. In time, when they had recovered from their grief Bathsheba once again became pregnant and gave birth to a son who they named Solomon.
The years passed, and though the memory of David’s wrongdoing never faded, because of the forgiveness of Yahweh, David continued to strive towards holiness as a man and a king. David grew especially close with Solomon and with him in mind, made extensive preparations for the building of the temple including the materials and craftsmen that would be needed and he also assigned duties to the priests, musicians, gatekeepers, and treasurers that would be needed to work in the temple. He said to Solomon, “Son, I had it in my heart to build a temple for Yahweh. But Yahweh has told me that because my life has been marked throughout by war, I am not the one for this task. Yahweh has told me that you have been anointed as the next king. You will be a man of peace and so the building of this temple will fall to you. May Yahweh be with you and may you have success in this task. May Yahweh give you wisdom when you rule and may you always keep Yahweh’s commands. Don’t be afraid or be discouraged, take heart.”
Then David summoned the people and said to them, “Listen to me, my people. I had a it in my heart to build a temple for Yahweh, a permanent home for the ark of the covenant, the footstool of God. But it is not for me to build it because of my warbound life. Yet Yahweh chose me from my family and my family from the tribe of Judah to be king over Israel. Though he is not my eldest son, Yahweh has chosen Solomon to be the next king and to build the temple. I charge all of you now, before each other and Yahweh, to be careful to keep the commands of God so that we may remain in this land and pass it on to our descendents forever. And to you, my son Solomon, follow the God of your father with your whole heart and mind. Remember, Yahweh knows your every thought and feeling. But if you reject Yahweh, you will be lost.”
In addition to his plans, David donated large amounts of his personal treasure to pay for the construction of the temple. Many people followed his lead and donated as well. Then David offered this prayer, “ Praise you, everlasting God of our father Israel. You are great and powerful and everything in creation is yours. You rule over all and all good things come from you. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to do this. We give back to you just a portion of what you have blessed us with. I know you see our intentions and know we give willingly. Remember this and bless us.”
And though he had lost much and done much to atone for his sins, the doom prophesied by Nathan had not yet fully come to pass and David never forgot these words: ”the sword will always threaten your house. From within your own family, you will face disaster.”
Yahweh instructed David to settled in the Judean city of Hebron. With their most famous commander returned, the people of Judah soon declared him king of Judah, where he reigned for seven years. During this time, having already married Michal and Abigail, David soon found he desired yet more wives and soon married Ahinoam, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah. Except for Michal, each of these wives gave David children: first Ahinoam’s son Amnon, then Abigail’s son Kileab who died at a young age, Maacah’s son Absalom and daughter Tamar, Haggith’s son Adonijah, Abital’s son Shephatiah, and Eglah’s son Ithream.
But David didn’t know that Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, had escaped with one of Saul’s sons, Ish-Bosheth, and had crowned him the new king over all of Israel. When the Judeans heard the news they refused to acknowledge him as their king over David, sparking a Civil War which lasted years. But with the hand of Yahweh guiding David’s forces, they became stronger and stronger while Abner’s slowly became weaker. As the war continued, Ish-Bosheth began to suspect that Abner was in fact only seeking power for himself. When Ish-Bosheth confronted Abner he replied, “Do you think me a Judean lapdog? My whole life I have been loyal to your father and his family. I could have easily handed you over to David, but I didn’t. And now you treat me like this? I swear to Yahweh that I will fulfill the promise made to David and make him king over all of Israel.” Ish-Bosheth was afraid of Abner, so he said nothing.
Abner then sent a message to David, “Make peace with me and I will help extend your rule over all of Israel.”
David replied, “Good, I will make peace with you, but I have one condition. You must bring me the daughter of Saul, whom I earned the right to marry through combat. So Abner took Michal away from her new husband and brought her to David. He then went about speaking to all the leaders of Israel under a banner of peace to make David king over all of Israel.
When Joab, a nephew of David, learned he had made peace with Abner he said, “What have you done? This man killed our people in combat, even my own brother Asahel. He’s lying to you so he can get an advantage over you.” But when Joab saw that David was unmoved he left to track Abner down without David’s knowledge. He took Abner aside, telling him that they needed to speak privately, and then killed him to avenge the blood of his brother.
When David learned what he had done he cursed Joab and wept in mourning over Abner. For the entire day, David refused to eat so that everyone who saw him would know that he had no part in Abner’s death. David gathered his men and said, “Do you not understand that a great commander and great man has died? Even as I become king over all of Israel I am weakened because of his death. Without his aid my enemies may be too strong for me. May Yahweh’s justice be brought upon Joab.” But because he was family and David did not want to weaken his position further, Joab remained in his army.
With Abner dead, Saul’s army knew that remaining loyal to Ish-Bosheth would bring them nothing. Two soldiers, Baanah and Rekab, hoped to ingratiate themselves to David, so they snuck into Ish-Bosheth’s tent and killed him. They then traveled to David saying, “We have killed Ish-Bosheth’s, the son of Saul, your greatest enemy. Today God has gotten revenge for you over Saul’s family.”
David replied, “The last person who sought to use the turmoil of this nation for their own self-interest is dead. How much worse will it be for you who murdered an innocent man in his own tent in the hopes of ingratiated yourself to me?” After dealing with the two assassins, David located Ish-Bosheth’s body and had him buried with honor alongside Abner. Despite the murder of David’s enemies, the peace pursued by Abner held. Soon the leaders of Israel came to David to make him king over all of Israel.
Now the city of Jerusalem, which had first been conquered in the time of Jushua, had fallen under the control of Canaanites who remained in the city. So David’s first act as king was to gather his army to retake it. David said to his men, “Whoever leads the attack will become my top general.” Joab saw this as an opportunity to gain goodwill with David and volunteered. Under Joab, the Israelites quickly captured Jerusalem and made it their capital city and set about fortifying it to even greater heights.
But David’s coronation kindled the fury of Philistines against Israel, believing David had betrayed their trust. As they sent their army towards him, Yahweh said to David, “Go, for I will deliver the Philistines into your hands.” And by the insurmountable will of Yahweh, David’s army decimated the Philistines when they met in battle.
With his capital established and his enemies defeated for a time, David next ordered the ark of the covenant be brought to Jerusalem. When it entered the city, David’s joy was uncontainable. He took to the streets and among his people he danced with all of his heart, removing all his kingly attire in his jubilation. The Holy Spirit was on him and a song sprang forth:
The earth is Yahweh’s, and everything within it.
Yahweh laid its foundations upon the seas.
Who will ascend the mountain of Yahweh?
Who will stand in Yahweh’s holy place?
The one that has clean hands, and a pure heart.
The one who has not given into vanity or spoken deceitfully.
Let the everlasting doors be lifted up so the glorious one can come in.
Who is the glorious one? Yahweh, the strong and mighty.
But when Michal, looking down from the palace, beheld the revelry of David, she was disgusted at his impropriety. In that moment she knew that the love she once had for David had been extinguished. After she had risked her life to rescue him from the wrath of her father he had abandoned her for years, even marrying another to increase his own wealth and power, and then, when it was advantageous for him, he had her torn from her second husband. Now, as she looked at him, she did not see the valiant commander who had defeated Israel’s enemies time and again, but an undignified churl. So after the celebration had concluded and David returned to the palace, Michal confronted him saying, “Is this how the king of Israel ought to act, dancing around half-naked for everyone to see like some commoner?”
But David replied, “My ecstasy is for Yahweh alone, who chose me over your father or anyone in his household to rule Israel. And yes, to honor our God I am willing to be even more undignified than this. But the commoners you look down on will honor me.” The two were cold with each other from that day forth and they had no children together.
After the ark was brought to Jerusalem, a prophet named Nathan came to the city to share the word of Yahweh with David. One day, David said to him, “Here I am living in a palace and the ark of the covenant sits in a tent.”
Nathan replied, “Whatever you are thinking of doing, you know Yahweh is with you.” But that night Yahweh spoke to Nathan in a dream and the next morning he delivered these words to David,
“God says, Will you build me a house to dwell in? I have not dwelled in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt until now, but have been in a tent. In all the places where I have travelled with the children of Israel did I say to anyone in Israel, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ I took you from a shepherd to be ruler over my people. And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you like the greatest men in this world. And when your days are done, and you sleep with your ancestors, your offspring will then become king. He will be the one to build my house and his kingdom will reign forever. He will be my son. The spirit of God will never depart from him. You wish to build me a house, but I will build you a house. And your house, your throne, your kingdom will last forever after you.’”
After hearing this David, left Nathan and went in private. There he said to Yahweh, “Who am I and who is my family that you have taken us this far? And as if that wasn’t enough now you give me this vision of the future. What can I say? You know my heart God. You are the great Yahweh. There is no other, as your people have witnessed for themselves. And who is like us, the nation that Yahweh adopted. You performed miracles and defeated our enemies and their false gods so your name would once again be known throughout the world. We are yours forever and you are our God. Keep the promises you have made to me about the future so the people will see you as the God of Israel.
“The kings of the earth rise up against you and your annointed.
But on your throne in heaven you scoff at them
And rebuke them in anger, saying, ‘I have installed my king on my holy mountain.’
You said, ‘You are my son, and today I have become your father.
I will make the nations your inheritance.
Sit at my right hand and I will make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’
Serve God with fear. Celebrate Yahweh’s rule with trembling.
For the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
Yahweh has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
So be warned, you rulers of the earth.
Kiss his son or your ways will lead to destruction.
But blessed are those who take refuge in God’s house.
The years of David’s reign continued under the blessing of Yahweh. Whether it be the Philistines, Moabites, Arameans, or Ammonites, no invader could stand against the might of Israel. Indeed under the command of Joab, the Edomites were almost entirely destroyed, with only a few fleeing to Egypt. Having already defeated the remnant of the Amalekites, David fulfilled the prophecy made by Balaam who said to Balak that, “a ruler will rise up out of Israel who will crush Moab, Edom, Amalek, and all those who oppose him.”
When David wasn’t engaged in statecraft his mind often turned to the loss of his beloved friend Jonathan. Thinking aloud he asked his attendant Ziba, who had also served under Saul, “Does anyone in Saul’s family remain alive that I can show kindness to in memory of my friend Jonathan?”
Ziba answered, “While you were in exile Jonathan was married and had a son named Mephibosheth. The boy was only five years old when his father and grandfather were killed. The woman taking care of him picked him up and fled from the approaching Philistines, but she stumbled and his feet were crippled in the fall.”
David immediately sent for Mephibosheth. When he arrived David said, “Though your grandfather saw me as his enemy, do not be afraid. The friendship I had with your father is far stronger. I wish to bless you as your father blessed my life, so I am giving you all of the land that was once Saul’s. I want you to live here with me in the palace and dine at my table as though you were my own son.”
Mephibosheth bowed and said, “Who am I that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
Then David said to Ziba, “I have given everything that belonged to Saul to his grandson. I now have a new job for you and your family: be the caretakers of his land, bringing him the harvest so he will never lack anything ever again.”
Though Mehibosheth was now well taken care of, the rest of David’s kingdom soon suffered through a famine. When David spoke to Yahweh about it, he was told, “Your kingdom is suffering because the murder of the Gibeonites by Saul has gone unpunished.”
So David summoned the remaining Gibeonites and asked, “How can I give you the justice you deserve?”
They replied, “We have no right to demand anything of you.”
But David insisted, “Just ask what you want me to do.”
“Saul decimated our people. We have no city to call our own in all of Israel. Let the blood that is on his hands fall on the heads of seven of his offspring in the sight of God.”
David replied, “I will give them to you to atone for their murderous father.” When justice had been served, the famine ended.
Times of peace were always fleeting for David. One night, as as he stood atop his palace balcony thinking of the war that was currently being brought to them by the Ammonites he looked out over the city and saw a woman bathing on her rooftop. She was beautiful and he asked one of his attendants who she was. “Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, a soldier in your army.” He ordered that she be brought to him and they spent the night together. She returned home and as the weeks passed she realized that she was pregnant.
When word of this reached David he had her husband Uriah returned from the battlefield and brought before him. He feigned interest in the war, asking about the soldiers’ morale before saying, “Why don’t you go home and spend some time with your wife.” David hoped to convince him that he was the father of Bathsheba’s child. But when Uriah left the palace he instead spent the night in the servants’ quarters. The next day David asked him, “You’ve been fighting hard, why didn’t you spend the night with your wife?”
Uriah replied, “The ark of the covenant is in a tent, my fellow soldiers are in tents on the battlefield, and you want me to relax in my own house and spend the night with my wife. It would be disrespectful to my fellow soldiers to do such a thing.” David invited him to spend the day in the palace and even gave him too much to drink so he would return home in a drunken stupor but he again spent the night with the servants.
Fearing that what he had done would be soon be discovered, David sent Uriah back to the battlefield with a letter for Joab which said, “Uriah longs for the glory of battle. Put him in the vanguard where the fighting is fiercest and back away from him for he desires to prove his mettle by battling our enemies alone.” In the heat of battle the next day, with no one to defend him, Uriah was killed. When Bathsheba learned of her husband’s death, she mourned him. After her mourning ended David took pity on her and took her as another wife and she gave birth to a son. Though what he had done could not be proven, rumors crossed the land like strong winds about the father of Bathsheba’s baby and the fate of Uriah.
But Yahweh would not allow the actions of David to stay in the shadow of his heart. So when Nathan next met with David he said to the king, “I have a matter for you to adjudicate. There are two men in a nearby town, one of them is rich, owning lots of sheep and cattle, while the other is poor, having just one lamb. He raised it. It grew up with his children. He shared his food with it and it even slept with him. It was like one of his own children. One day, a guest arrived at the rich man’s house, but the rich man did not use any of his own animals to make a meal for him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb.”
David was very angry to hear this so he said, “Whoever did this deserves to die. He should repay that man four times the value of the lamb he stole. Who could be so heartless?”
“You are that man. Yahweh made you king over all of Israel, rescued you from Saul, and gave a princess as your wife. And if that had not been enough, Yahweh would have given you even more. Why have you shown contempt for Yahweh’s law by doing this evil thing? You stole the wife of Uriah and had him killed by the swords of the Ammonites. Now the sword will always threaten your house. From within your own family you will face disaster.”
With the horror of his actions laid bare before him, a wave of guilt crushed David’s spirit. In that moment, this man who had fended off beasts, soothed a king, defeated a giant, escaped persecution, spared his enemies, and conquered armies could only reply, “Though the evil I have done has hurt the innocent, my family, my country, and myself, in my heart I know it is Yahweh I have wronged the most.”
Nathan replied, “Because you have repented, merciful Yahweh forgives you. This evil you have done will not be the end of you, but the child you had with Bathsheba will die.” Then Nathan left David alone. His soul still in agony and his mind racing he sought to once again distill his feelings into a psalm:
Have mercy upon me, God, and wipe clean the stain of my wrongdoing.
I confess my sins, though they will always be in front of me.
It is you, the king of this world, that I have wronged.
Though there was evil in me from the moment my mother conceived me,
You desire truth from us from the beginning.
And so from the beginning you teach us your wisdom.
Make me hear joy and gladness again
So that these bones of mine, that feel now broken, may rejoice.
Do not dwell upon my evil actions.
Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me away and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation; and lift me up with your spirit.
Then may I teach others your ways and lead them back to you.
Save me from the guilt of the bloodshed I have caused
And I will sing aloud of your righteousness.
For I know that in your heart you do not desire a sacrifice; or I would give it.
The sacrifice you desire is not burned on an altar,
It is a contrite spirit, which you will never scorn.
Soon David’s son became very sick. Though he knew what Nathan had prophesied, David prayed ceaselessly for the child. He dressed in rags and would not eat anything. But after seven days the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him because his grief was already so great.
David saw them whispering among themselves and asked them, “Is the child dead?”
“Yes, he is dead.” With those words, David got up, washed himself, put on his clothes, and worshipped God. Then he returned to his house and ate.
His attendants asked, “Why are you acting this way? When the child was alive you fasted and wept. But now that he is dead you get up and eat?”
“When the child was alive I fasted because I thought perhaps God might have mercy on me. But now that he is dead what good does fasting do? Can I bring him back to life? I will go to him someday even though he will never come to me.”
In spite of what David had done, Bathsheba found comfort in him as they mourned the loss of their son. In time, when they had recovered from their grief Bathsheba once again became pregnant and gave birth to a son who they named Solomon.
The years passed, and though the memory of David’s wrongdoing never faded, because of the forgiveness of Yahweh, David continued to strive towards holiness as a man and a king. David grew especially close with Solomon and with him in mind, made extensive preparations for the building of the temple including the materials and craftsmen that would be needed and he also assigned duties to the priests, musicians, gatekeepers, and treasurers that would be needed to work in the temple. He said to Solomon, “Son, I had it in my heart to build a temple for Yahweh. But Yahweh has told me that because my life has been marked throughout by war, I am not the one for this task. Yahweh has told me that you have been anointed as the next king. You will be a man of peace and so the building of this temple will fall to you. May Yahweh be with you and may you have success in this task. May Yahweh give you wisdom when you rule and may you always keep Yahweh’s commands. Don’t be afraid or be discouraged, take heart.”
Then David summoned the people and said to them, “Listen to me, my people. I had a it in my heart to build a temple for Yahweh, a permanent home for the ark of the covenant, the footstool of God. But it is not for me to build it because of my warbound life. Yet Yahweh chose me from my family and my family from the tribe of Judah to be king over Israel. Though he is not my eldest son, Yahweh has chosen Solomon to be the next king and to build the temple. I charge all of you now, before each other and Yahweh, to be careful to keep the commands of God so that we may remain in this land and pass it on to our descendents forever. And to you, my son Solomon, follow the God of your father with your whole heart and mind. Remember, Yahweh knows your every thought and feeling. But if you reject Yahweh, you will be lost.”
In addition to his plans, David donated large amounts of his personal treasure to pay for the construction of the temple. Many people followed his lead and donated as well. Then David offered this prayer, “ Praise you, everlasting God of our father Israel. You are great and powerful and everything in creation is yours. You rule over all and all good things come from you. But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to do this. We give back to you just a portion of what you have blessed us with. I know you see our intentions and know we give willingly. Remember this and bless us.”
And though he had lost much and done much to atone for his sins, the doom prophesied by Nathan had not yet fully come to pass and David never forgot these words: ”the sword will always threaten your house. From within your own family, you will face disaster.”
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