The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-06-24
9si-1.

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m ~ ~ our lesson today, IN or
NJ E>zT' der that we may see
~ kM@. c,early the principles by
NJ Mich he was prepared
&N for his life work, and the
~ steps by which he gained
il, The smaller king
dom was conducted so
wisely and with such eX-
cellent success that this
soron and half years experience prepared
Dorid for tke wider kingdom ana opencu
10 WOW, to its attainment. The divine
49,, ~, human elements in the experience
and success of David may we'll be stuuleu
ana o+tort;on called to the Interviewing OF
the two in his life as they are interviewer
in all lives, The practical lessons as APP
n}ied 70 our own lives will naturally now lroin
the study if rightly pursued. me sec'lon
ino,rdos a review of the life OF David from
his chi)dho ID to the death Of Saul ana 'he
story of his seven years reign az lleptoh.
The text of the lesson for today includes
3 Samuel 9: LII.
I "After this" the events above de-
scribed, and those connected with the fepof'
TO David. "Inquired of the Lord prop
ably Through the high priest Ablathar.
David desired divine direction how to act
in this crisis."- cambridge Bible. herein
David was both Cyse and religious He
would not take orb step that was not right.
The kingdom wa trom God, and God would
guide him into tS best way of reaching it.
"Whither shall 20 up" The northern
oart of the kingdom was held by the Phil
istine invaders, aid David was in no posi-
ton to drive the1 out. A large part of the
population fled atoss the Jordan. Saul left
one son. the heirlto the throne according to
custom in other Nations, and the great gen
eral and politician Abner, Sauls cousin ana
the rival of David's chief man and cousin,
Joab, adhered to the cause of Saul. David's
conduct in joining the Philstines needed eX-
PLANTATION before all could trust him. On the
other hand, judah was his own tribe, and
had escaped the invading forces. And he
said, Unto Hebron one Of the most ancient
cities of the world. The central position
Of Hebron in the tribe of Judah, its noun
famous and defensible situation It's import
ance as a priesty settlement and an ancient
royal city, the patriarchal associations con-
neced with it, combined to render 1t the
most suitable capital for the new kingdom.
| Q And his two wives" because he was
intending to settle down. 'Nabal's wife"
his widow.
g. "And his men," The six hundred Of
his chosen band (see above) Every man
with his household" Henceforth there was
to be no roaming in exile, but each one was
to settle down to the duties of peace. David
was planning for peace, not war. awaiting
patiently the time when the larger Kingdom
| should come to him.
4. "And the men Of Judah an
ointed David king" David had already been
anointed privately by Samuel. But this was
his public formal inauguration by the peo-
pie. The kingdom came to him, not only by
Irvine appointment, but by choice Of the
people themselves ". Z; l Chron. II: 49,.
The two conceded. vs.. All. Seven and one
half years, B. G. 1055-loiS. David took sew
eral wise measures: He had already. before
coming to Hebron, sent presents from the
spois he recovered from the Amalekites
near Ziklag, to the local chiefs Of the various
districts Of Judea q Sam. 80: $3.50. He
sent messengers to 'the men Of Jabesh,
gllead that buried Saul" The
Philistines, in glorying over the death OF
Saul, had put his armor in an idol temple
and hung his body and those of his three
sons upon the wall OF the city Of Bethshen
four miles from the Jordan, that all who
passed by might exult in his defeat. But
the men of Jabesh gilead, a town east Of the
Jordan, whom Saul had once helped when ii
great straits q Sam. II: LID, most valiant
ly entered the lines Of the victorious enemy
took down the bodies, and buried them, sc
that they could suffer no further indignity
6. Il also will requite manifest toy yor
this Kindness" Saul was an enemy tt
David, but David was not an enemy to Saul
David assures these men that they need hay.
no fear of harm from him On account o.
what they have done, but, rather, he es
teens them for it.
7. 1.-The house of Judah have anolnted m,
king over them" This gave them an oppor
tunity to join David, if they wished.
s. "Abner the son of Ner' was cousin t,
Saul q Sam. II: 5O. Captain of SAUL
host" and great general. For both rea
sons he would seek to retain the kingdom
to the house of Saul. He would thus retail
his position as chief. which he could not d.
if David were king. since in his army tn
y place of general was already filled by Joat
David's nephew. His power would be almos
supreme II Ish-bosheth,' the eldest sur
viving SOL of Saul, became king, for h
; was weak man, with no kingly spirit
/ brought him over to Mahanam," a vale
city Of Giead, east Of the Jordan, on tn
Jabbok, near where Jacob wrestled with tn
angel. This was in the country Of the tw
and half tribes. The main part OF tn
: kingdom Of Saul was at this time In posses
, sion of the Phiistines, so that the kingdOr
could not then be set up in Palestine proper
g. And made him king gradually cS
9 tending his nominal sway over "the Ashu
rites" members OF the tribe Of Asher in tn
northwestern part OF Galilee, ''Jezreel,"
0 the southern part, "Ephraim," in the mour
s tains south Of Galilee, and Benjamin." sti
further south on the borders Of judah. "A
Israeli" "Ish-bosheths domnions wei
: gradually extended until they included a
the country which afterwards formed II
kingdom of Israel as distinguished from TIL
) of Judah. "-Cambridge Bible.
[. TO- "Ish -bosheth reigned ~
o years" The duration OF Ish-bosheth's reif
is probably reckoned from the time wht
e Abner succeeded in establishing his author
/ ty over all Israel. Five years and ha
we're occupied with the re-conquest OF Il
land from the Phiistines, and these t,
: years synchroHze with the last two
- DavJs reign at Hebron
II. Seven years and six months" !
'o this time there was a mild civil war b
n tween the kingdoms, which increased
/; Abner reganed control over northern Isra
This was wholly defensive on David's pa