David's Reign and Kingdom Establishment Against Saul
The establishment of David's kingdom against Saul's house was a protracted process, marked by divine appointment, popular support, and civil conflict. God commanded Samuel to anoint David privately as king after Saul's transgression of prophetic commands [4, 9]. This divine decree set the stage for a transition of power that would unfold over many years.
Saul, the first king of Israel, was chosen by God through Samuel at the people's pressing desire [8, 11]. However, Saul's disobedience led to God turning away from him as king, and his kingship was destined to fail while David's would succeed [12]. Even during Saul's reign, while David was a fugitive, warriors from various tribes began to support David, indicating that the will of the people was aligning with God's will for David to be king [10]. Some of Saul's own relatives even deserted to David [10].
After Saul's death, a long war ensued between the house of Saul and the house of David [2, 3]. David reigned over one tribe, Judah, from Hebron, while Saul's son, Ish-bosheth, reigned over the rest of the tribes [6, 7]. This period saw David's strength grow steadily, while the house of Saul became progressively weaker [2, 3]. David's anointing by the people of Judah at Hebron provided the legal basis for his kingship over that tribe, following his earlier anointing by Samuel [13].
The transfer of the kingdom from Saul's house to David was a deliberate act, intended to establish David's throne over all Israel and Judah, "from Dan, even unto Beer-sheba" [1, 5]. This transition was not without human opposition, as some sought to establish Ish-bosheth as king despite David's divine designation and popular support [15]. However, David consistently honored Saul as king, even when Saul became his enemy [17].
Following the suppression of rebellions and the consolidation of his power, David spent the remaining years of his reign strengthening the kingdom. This included organizing the army, establishing the administration of justice, and preparing for the construction of the Temple, ensuring a stable government for his successor, Solomon [14]. The monarchy, under David, represented a stable and durable kingdom, chosen by God as the form of government for his people [16].
Sources
- II Samuel “II Samuel 3:10 (Rotherham) — by turning over the kingdom from the house of Saul,—and establishing the throne of David, over Israel and over Judah, from Dan, even unto Beer-sheba.”
- II Samuel “II Samuel 3:1 (BBE) — Now there was a long war between Saul's people and David's people; and David became stronger and stronger, but those on Saul's side became more and more feeble.”
- King James Version “[KJV] 2 Kings 3:1 — Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 1: . How, Upon Saul's Transgression Of The Prophet's Commands, Samuel Ordained Another Person To Be King Privately, Whose Name Was David, As God Commanded Him.”
- King James Version “[KJV] 2 Kings 3:10 — To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 1: . How David Reigned Over One Tribe At Hebron While The Son Of Saul Reigned Over The Rest Of The Multitude; And How, In The Civil War Which Then Arose Asahel And Abner Were Slain.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 1: . How David Reigned Over One Tribe At Hebron While The Son Of Saul Reigned Over The Rest Of The Multitude; And How, In The Civil War Which Then Arose Asahel And Abner Were Slain. 1. This fight proved to be on the same day whereon David was come back to Ziklag, after he had overcome the Amalekites. Now when he had been already two days at Ziklag, there came to him the man who slew Saul, which was the third day after the fight. He had escaped out of the battle which the Israelites had with the Philistines, and had his clothes rent,”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 4, section 1: . The Appointment Of A King Over The Israelites, Whose Name Was Saul; And This By The Command Of God.”
- Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 8, section 1: . How, Upon Saul's Transgression Of The Prophet's Commands, Samuel Ordained Another Person To Be King Privately, Whose Name Was David, As God Commanded Him. 1. Now Saul being sensible of the miserable condition he had brought himself into, and that he had made God to be his enemy, he went up to his royal palace at Gibeah, which name denotes a hill, and after that day he came no more into the presence of the prophet. And when Samuel mourned for him, God bid him leave off his concern for him, and to take the holy oil, and go to Bet”
- 1 Chronicles (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Chronicles 12:1: 12:1-22 Support for making David king did not begin with Saul’s demise. When Saul was king and David was a fugitive, warriors went to David and eventually became a vast camp of various tribes, representing all of Israel. Even relatives of Saul deserted to David and supported him as king (12:2). Of course, David was prudent about such deserters (12:17), making sure they were not traitors who would betray him to Saul. Before David’s actual anointing took place at Hebron, the will of the people reflected the will of God that David should become king.”
- 1 Samuel (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Samuel 8 (introduction): II. The Monarchy of Saul from His Election Till His Ultimate Rejection - 1 Samuel 8-15 The earthly monarchy in Israel was established in the time of Samuel, and through his mediation. At the pressing desire of the people, Samuel installed the Benjaminite Saul as king, according to the command of God. The reign of Saul may be divided into two essentially different periods: viz., (1) the establishment and vigorous development of his regal supremacy (1 Samuel 8-15); (2) the decline and gradual overthrow of his monarchy (1 Samuel 16-31). The establish”
- 1 Samuel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Samuel 18:12: 18:12 the Lord . . . had turned away from Saul as king as punishment for his disobedience. Saul’s kingship would fail, and David’s would succeed (18:14).”
- 2 Samuel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Samuel 2:7: 2:7 David’s anointing by the people of Judah provided the legal basis of his kingship, just as it had for Saul (1 Sam 11:15). He had been anointed by the prophet Samuel years earlier (1 Sam 16:13).”
- 2 Samuel (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on 2 Samuel 21 (introduction): IV. Close of David's Reign - 2 Samuel 21-24 After the suppression of the rebellion headed by Sheba, David spent the remaining years of his reign in establishing the kingdom upon a firmer basis, partly by organizing the army, the administration of justice, and the general government of the realm, and partly by making preparations for the erection of the temple, and enacting rules for the service of the Levites; that he might be able to hand over the government in a firm and satisfactory state to his youthful son Solomon, whom the Lord had appointe”
- 2 Samuel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 2:8: Here is, I. A rivalship between two kings - David, whom God made king, and Ishbosheth, whom Abner made king. One would have thought, when Saul was slain, and all his sons that had sense and spirit enough to take the field with him, David would come to the throne without any opposition, since all Israel knew, not only how he had signalized himself, but how manifestly God had designated him to it; but such a spirit of contradiction is there, in the devices of men, to the counsels of God, that such a weak and silly thing as Ishbosheth, who was not thought fit to go ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 2 (Gen 24-50), section 26.17: the honor of Joseph was temporary; but here a stable and durable kingdom is treated of, which should be under the authority of the sons of Judah. Hence we gather, that when God would institute a perfect state of government among his people, the monarchical form was chosen by him. And whereas the appointment of a king under the law, was partly to be attributed to the will of man, and partly to the divine decree; this combination of human with divine agency must be referred to the commencement of the monarchy, which was inauspicio”
- 1 Samuel (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Samuel 18:29: 18:29 even more afraid: Saul’s fear was unfounded. Although he made himself David’s enemy, David consistently honored Saul as king (see chs 24, 26).”