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2 Samuel 4
Rechab and Baanah kill Saul's son, Ish-bosheth.
Saul's son, Ish-bosheth, heard that Abner died. He
was very weak. He had no support. All of the Israelites were afraid and
confused.
[1] And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron,
his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
| The city of Beeroth was first in Gibeon's land. Later, it was in Benjamin's land. After Saul died, many Israelites left their homes. They were afraid of the Philistines. The people in Beeroth escaped and went to the city named Gittaim. |
There were 2 leaders in Ish-bosheth's army. One man was named Baanah. The
other man was named Rechab. Baanah and Rechab were brothers. Their father's
name was Rimmon. Their father was from the city of Beeroth. Beeroth was
located in the land of the tribe of Benjamin. The people in Beeroth escaped to
the city named Gittaim. When this book of the Bible was written, the Beeroth
people were still living in Gittaim.
[2] And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the
one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a
Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to
Benjamin:
[3] And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this
day.)
Jonathan had a son named Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was 5 years old when
Saul and Jonathan died. His nurse took him and escaped. While they were
escaping, Mephibosheth fell and hurt his leg. Now, he cannot walk.
[4] And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five
years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his
nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee,
that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
The brothers, Rechab and Baanah, went to Ish-bosheth's house. Ish-bosheth was
laying on his bed. Rechab and Baanah pretended they were getting wheat. Then
they stabbed Ish-bosheth under his 5th rib and killed him. They cut off
his head and escaped. They traveled through the flat land all
night.
[5] And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came
about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at
noon.
[6] And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would
have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and
Baanah his brother escaped.
[7] For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber,
and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat
them away through the plain all night.
They took Ish-bosheth's head to David in Hebron. They
said this was the head of Saul's son, Ish-bosheth. They said they killed Saul's son to get revenge for David. They
said Saul tried to kill David, and now they killed Saul's son for David.
[8] And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to
the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which
sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul,
and of his seed.
David talked to Rechab and Baanah. He swears he is
now telling them the truth. It is true the same as God lives. God rescued him
from his bad times. He told them what happened in the past when David was living in Ziklag. He told them about the man who informed him that Saul died. That man
thought he was telling David good news. He thought David would be happy.
But David was not happy, and David killed the man.
[9] And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the
Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul
out of all adversity,
[10] When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought
good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I
would have given him a reward for his tidings:
David said these men were worse. They
killed Ish-bosheth in his own house in his own bed. David said that
Ish-bosheth was an innocent person. Now David says he will kill Rechab
and Baanah because they killed Ish-bosheth.
[11] How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own
house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand,
and take you away from the earth?
David told his soldiers to kill them. They killed
them and cut off their hands and feet. They hanged their bodies over water in
Hebron. Then they took Ish-bosheth's head and buried it. They buried it in the
same place that they buried Abner.
[12] And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their
hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they
took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in
Hebron.
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David became the king of the tribe of Judah back in 2 Samuel 2. Now the other tribes of Israel make David their king. |
2 Samuel 5
David is now king of all Israel.
The other 11 tribes wanted David to be their king. Their leaders met with
David in Hebron. They said they were all family (they were all descendants of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob). They said when Saul was king, David was the
person who led the army. God told David that he would be Israel's
leader. God said He will take care of the Israelite people like a shepherd
takes care of sheep. David made an agreement with the tribes' leaders. God was
the witness. Then the leaders poured oil on David's head to anoint him. David
was now king of all of Israel.
[1] Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron,
and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.
[2] Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest
out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou shalt feed my
people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.
[3] So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David
made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they anointed David
king over Israel.
When David became the king of Judah, he was 30 years
old. He had been Judah's king for 7½ years. Then
he was all of Israel's king for 33 more years. Altogether, he was king for 40
years.
[4] David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty
years.
[5] In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in
Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.
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The city of Jerusalem and its early history |
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In the book of Genesis, Abram (the first name of Abraham) met a man
named Melchizedek. He was king of Salem. Salem may have been the name
for the area of Jerusalem.
Good sources:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vie/Jerusalem1.html |
David captures the city of Jerusalem
David and his soldiers went to the city named Jerusalem. The group of
people called the Jebusites were living in Jerusalem. The Jebusite people
thought their city was very strong. They did not think David could capture
their city.
The Jebusites said that even blind people or people who couldn't walk
could keep
David out of Jerusalem.
[6] And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the
inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away
the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot
come in hither.
But David defeated the Jebusites. He took control of
Jerusalem. Jerusalem became the City of David.
[7] Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of
David.
| This verse is not clear. People who study the Bible have different opinions about it. Some people say that David hated blind people and people who could not walk. Other people say that blind Jebusites and Jebusites who could not walk hated David. Also, some people say that "blind and lame" means statues and idols instead of real people. |
David talked to his soldiers. He made a deal with
them. The man who could climb up the gutter (pipe or place for water) and kill the Jebusites would win. The winner would become the new captain (leader).
[8] And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and
smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's
soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said, The blind and the
lame shall not come into the house.
David lived in the city of Jerusalem. He called it
"the city of David". He built from the place called Millo (no one knows for
sure what Millo was. It may have been a terrace or flat place).
[9] So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David
built round about from Millo and inward.
God is helping David to be powerful.
God helped David, and David became great.
[10] And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with
him.
The king in the area named Tyre was called Hiram.
Hiram sent men to David. The men were carpenters and men who worked with
stone. They brought cedar trees with them. They built David a house.
[11] And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and
carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
David knew that God made him the king of Israel. God
made him a powerful leader so that it would be good for Israel.
[12] And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel,
and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.
David had more wives and concubines (women he was not married to) after he came to
Jerusalem. The children David had in Jerusalem were:
Shammua
Shobab
Nathan
Solomon
Ibhar
Elishua
Nepheg
Japhia
Elishama
Eliada
Eliphalet
[13] And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he
was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.
[14] And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem;
Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon,
[15] Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia,
[16] And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
David and the Israelites defeat the Philistines at the
place named Rephaim.
The Philistines heard that David was now the king of
Israel. The Philistines came to fight a war with David. The Philistines were
in the valley name Rephaim. David heard about this. He went down
to a strong place and prayed to God. He asked God if he should go and fight
the Philistines. He asked God if He would make the Philistines lose the war.
God told David to go fight the Philistines. God said that David will defeat
the Philistines.
[17] But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over
Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and
went down to the hold.
[18] The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.
[19] And David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines?
wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up:
for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
David defeated the Philistines. David named the place
Baal-perazim. The name means "breach" or broken place like when water breaks
a wall in front of it and goes through it. David said that God broke through the
Philistine soldiers.
[20] And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The
LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters.
Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.
The Philistines left their idols and statues of false
gods. David and his soldiers burned them.
[21] And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.
The Philistines came back to fight again in the area
of Rephaim. David prayed and asked God what the Israelites should do.
God said that the Israelites should not go to meet the Philistines. They
should go around in back of them. They should go to the area where the
mulberry trees were growing. When they heard the wind blowing the tops of the
mulberry trees, they should go out and attack the Philistines. God would be
leading them.
[22] And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the
valley of Rephaim.
[23] And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but
fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry
trees.
[24] And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the
mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD
go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.
David obeyed God. He did what God told him to do. He
killed the Philistines from the areas of Geba to the area of Gazer.
[25] And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the
Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.
2 Samuel 6
David starts to bring the Ark of the Covenant
part of the way to
Jerusalem.
David met together with 30,000
Israelite leaders.
[1] Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of
Israel, thirty thousand.
David and his soldiers went to the place named Baale in the land of Judah (Baale
is also called Kiriath-Jearim). They wanted to get the Ark of the
Covenant. Another name for God is the Lord of Hosts or the Lord of everything.
God's place was between the angels on top of the Ark.
(Note: Kiriath-Jearim is about 2 miles from
Jerusalem.)
[2] And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called
by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims.
  Photos from BiblePlaces.com |
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The Ark of the Covenant |
The Ark was at the home of a man named Abinadab in
the town called Gibeah. They put the Ark
on a new cart. Abinadab's sons, Uzzah and Ahio, drove the cart. Ahio
went in front of the cart.
[3] And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the
house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab,
drave the new cart.
[4] And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah,
accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.
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| Timbrel (Tambourine) | Harp | Cymbal | Psalteries (Lute) | Cornet (horn) |
| Pictures from Bible Picture Gallery | ||||
David and the other Israelites played
music on instruments. Some of the instruments had wood. They played harps,
timbrels, cornets, psalteries, and cymbals.
[5] And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner
of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on
timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
They arrived in Jerusalem at the threshing floor (place
where they beat the wheat to separate the food part from the plant part). Nachon was the man who owned the threshing floor. Uzzah saw that the oxen
pulling the cart were causing the Ark to shake. He reached out and put his
hand on the
Ark to hold it steady.
[6] And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to
the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
God was very angry at Uzzah because he touched the
Ark. God killed Uzzah. Uzzah died by the Ark.
[7] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him
there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
David was not happy about what happened to Uzzah. He
named the place where Uzzah died Perez-uzzah. This means the place where God
"burst out against Uzzah".
[8] And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah:
and he called the name of the place Perez-uzzah to this day.
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Art by Paul Hardy |
David was afraid of God that day. He wasn't sure if
he should take the Ark to Jerusalem or not.
[9] And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of
the LORD come to me?
David decided not to take the Ark to Jerusalem. He
took it to the house owned by a man named Obed-edom. Obed-edom was from the
group of people called the Gittites.
[10] So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of
David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.
David brings the Ark to Jerusalem.
The Ark stayed at Obed-edom's house for 3 months. God
blessed Obed-edom and everyone who lived in his house.
[11] And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite
three months: and the LORD blessed Obed-edom, and all his household.
People told David that God blessed Obed-edom and the
people who lived in his house. They said God blessed him because he had the
Ark in his house. David decided to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.
[12] And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the house of
Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So
David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the
city of David with gladness.
People carried the Ark. After they walked 6 steps,
David sacrificed some oxen and sheep.
[13] And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six
paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
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"David Dancing Before the Ark" |
David was very happy. He was wearing a linen cloth
and dancing.
[14] And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded
with a linen ephod.
David and the Israelites were all happy and making
music. They were bringing the Ark into Jerusalem. David's wife, Michal (Saul's
daughter) looked out a window. She saw David jumping and dancing to worship
God. She felt disgusted.
[15] So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with
shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.
[16] And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's
daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing
before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
They brought the Ark to the place David made. It was
a tent tabernacle. David made burnt offerings and peace offerings to God.
[17] And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the
midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
After David finished his offerings,
he blessed the people in God's name. Then he gave every Israelite man and
woman one bread cake, one piece of meat, and some wine. Then everyone left and
went to their own homes.
[18] And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and
peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.
[19] And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of
Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good
piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to
his house.
David went to his home. He wanted to bless everyone in his house. His
wife, Michal, came out to meet him. She talked badly to David. She said it was
bad that he was dancing in a linen cloth. She said the female servants and
helpers saw him. She said he behaved like a man who was vain (too proud).
[20] Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of
Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to
day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his
servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
David said he was dancing for God. God chose him to
be the king instead of Michal's father, Saul, and all of Saul's family. God made him
the king over His people the Israelites. David said that is why he will make music for God.
[21] And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before
thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of
the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
He said if dancing and making music
for God is bad, then he will behave worse. He will continue to dance and sing
for God. He said the female servants and helpers will honor him.
[22] And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own
sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be
had in honour.
For the rest of her life, Michal did not have any
children.
[23] Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her
death.
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