Week 8 - David as King
867 words by jbunton
When Israel’s High Priest, Eli, dies Samuel, having been promised to God upon conception, becomes responsible for all of Eli’s past duties. These duties included taking care of the Tabernacle and being the religious and political leader of Israel. Although Samuel successfully fills Eli’s shoes, the people of Israel not wanting to be ruled by Samuel’s not so perfect sons request to be ruled under a monarchy, a form of government where a king or queen have supreme rule over a nation or country.
Upon hearing the request of the people Samuel is outraged and relates their suggestion to turning their backs on their real king, God. God hears of the people’s request and tells Samuel to go through with their wishes because they were not rejecting Samuel, but God as their ruler just as they did when He brought them out of Egypt. After hearing this Samuel complies with the Israelites’ wish, but first warns them about the problem with having a king. Samuel states that kings are not necessarily good because they will recruit your sons to battle in war, make your daughters become members of the royal harem, and demand that you work on any royal building projects. The people pay no attention to Samuel’s warnings and ultimately get what they ask for.
I think David was a good king, he just was not as good of a person. David begins his reign by killing the man who hands him the crown of Israel. Most people might determine this a cruel and evil act, but I see it as a sign of David’s loyalty and respect for the past king. He kills the soldier who took the life of the king, even though the king was dying, because at no cost should you ever kill your leader. It is true though that without the death of Saul and later Ishbaal, also known as Ishbosheth, David would never have become king.
David’s true reign over Judah and the northern tribes of Israel began with the move of the capital from Hebron, which was in Judah, to Jerusalem, which was never in control by either Judah or the northern tribes. In fact Jerusalem sits on the border of the north and south. David also solves a religious dispute over who should be made the High Priest of Israel. One of the candidates was able to trace his ancestors back to Moses, while the other candidate could trace his lineage back to Aaron. David solves the problem by simply making both priests High Priest. Another one of David’s good actions was to offer to build God a new “home” after he himself moves into a grand palace. While god appreciates the thought, He prefers to keep the Tabernacle rather than have David build him a new, lavish home and instead builds David a house in the form of a dynasty that will endure forever.
After David establishes himself as a good king and successful ruler temptation takes over and later ruins his record. David sees a woman, who he later discovers is the wife of one of his soldiers, bathing and invites her to his palace where they commit adultery. Bathsheba later becomes pregnant leaving David in a bind and causing him to concoct a plan so that no one associates her pregnancy with the king. David attempts to get her husband to sleep with her when he comes home from battle, but he will not so then David sends him to the front where he dies. Bethsheba then mourns an appropriate amount of time before marrying David and having their son. David’s actions are morally wrong and he should have set an example for his kingdom, but it does not change the fact that he did some great things. David reminds me of President Clinton in that everyone remembers his affair and not the other positive things that took place during his administration.
David’s son Solomon takes over the thrown and reigns for about forty years and eventually passes the thrown on to his son Rehoboam. Rehoboam is unfortunately not as successful as his predecessors and causes the nation to divide in two. The northern tribes question him about his intentions for taxes and labor and when they do not receive the correct response secede. This all takes place around 922 B.C.E. which begins the Period of the divided Monarchy. The northern portion of the kingdom becomes Israel and is made up of the ten northern tribes of Israel. Over the next 200 hundred years there are many capital cities, but the most notable is Samaria. The southern kingdom is now called Judah and the capital remains Jerusalem representing the fairly stable state of the kingdom.
The northern kingdom has many problems and is eventually conquered in 721 B.C.E. by the Assyrians. The southern kingdom on the other hand is able to remain in the hands of a descendent of David until 586 B.C.E. when it is conquered by the Babylonians who destroy Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple.