IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

David Anointed King over Judah

Date: Sep. 2, 2018

Passage

2 Samuel 2:1-11 (ESV)

After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.” So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”

But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim, and he made him king over Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel and Ephraim and Benjamin and all Israel. 10 Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David. 11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 2:1

After this David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?” And the LORD said to him, “Go up.” David said, “To which shall I go up?” And he said, “To Hebron.”

1. David anointed king over Judah (1-4a)

David knew that he should be king. But he did not act on his own. He humbly inquired of the Lord about what he should do next. God directed him to Hebron, where the people of one accord made him king of Judah. David carefully followed God's leading and timing and did not go ahead of the Lord. Then, God could establish him as king, first in Judah.

2. Moving towards unity (4b-11)

The people of Jabesh Gilead bravely recovered Saul's body and gave him a proper burial. When David heard of this, he did not misunderstand their actions as betrayal. Rather, he commended them for their faithfulness and kindness to Saul. Hence, David's first action as king moved towards unity and obtaining the support of courageous people like them. Meanwhile, Saul's cousin, Abner, the head of Israel's army, set up Saul's weak son Ish-bosheth as king of Israel. Thus, David had to wait on God's timing to make him king over all Israel.

Prayer: Lord, help me to humbly follow your leading and wait on your timing.

One Word: Humbly follow God's leading and timing

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