Thoughts from my personal time with God.
Once more David called together the best soldiers in Israel, a total of thirty thousand men, and led them to Baalah in Judah, in order to bring from there God’s Covenant Box, bearing the name of the Lord Almighty, whose throne is above the winged creatures.
All those people – and it only took two to transport it?!
…They took it from Abinadab’s home on the hill and placed it on a new cart.
After moving from Hebron to Jerusalem, David took more concubines and wives, and had more sons and daughters. The following children were born to him in Jerusalem: …Nathan, Solomon…
David was not prepared for the transition to city life and all its tentations (2 Samuel 11:1-4); he was better suited to be where the wild goats roam (1 Samuel 24:1-3).…
2 Samuel 5:1-13 – * Read More »
…Then all the tribes of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, “…In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the Lord promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler.” So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron.
.When Saul’s son Ishbosheth heard that Abner had been killed in Hebron, he was afraid, and all the people of Israel were alarmed.
It must have been similar for the disciples at the death of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:10-13) and and Jesus (Matthew 27:50-56). I likewise will die one day – may I be anxious for nothing, Father (Philippians 4:6-7).…
…Joab and David’s other officials returned from a raid, bringing a large amount of loot with them.
Pirates…
…When Joab and his men arrived, he was told that Abner had come to King David and had been sent away with a guarantee of safety. So Joab went to the king and said to him, “What have you done? Abner came to you—why did you let him go like that? He
As the fighting continued between David’s forces and the forces loyal to Saul’s family, Abner became more and more powerful among Saul’s followers. One day Ishbosheth son of Saul accused Abner of sleeping with Saul’s concubine Rizpah…
It’s as if touching someone’s wife touches the husband – usurps something from him (2 Samuel 16:20-22; 20:3; 1 Kings 2:13-35) – authority?…
…twelve men, representing Ishbosheth and the tribe of Benjamin, fought twelve of David’s men. Each man caught his opponent by the head and plunged his sword into his opponent’s side, so that all twenty-four of them fell down dead together. And so that place in Gibeon is called “Field of Swords.”
How barberic! To what end?
…David’s men had killed 360 of Abner’s men from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 Samuel 2:8 – 3:5 Read More »
……a young man arrived from Saul’s camp. To show his grief, he had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head. He went to David and bowed to the ground in respect.
“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and I saw that Saul was leaning on his spear and that the chariots and cavalry of the enemy were closing in on him.
2 Samuel 1:1 – 2:7 Read More »
David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod,” and Abiathar brought it to him. 8 David asked the Lord, “Shall I go after those raiders? And will I catch them?”
He answered, “Go after them; you will catch them and rescue the captives.”
How long had it been since David consulted God last? May I remain ever close to you, Father – even in a foreign land.…
1 Samuel 30:7 – 31:* // Read More »
At once Saul fell down and lay stretched out on the ground, terrified by what Samuel had said. …Saul and his officers… left that same night.
Saul finally comes to realize that his entire life has been a complete failure – much like my professional life. Does something else remain for me before I pass from the scene, Lord?
…The five Philistine kings marched out with their units of a hundred and of a thousand men; David and his men marched in the rear with King Achish.
1 Samuel 28:20 – 30:6 Read More »