Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-07-02
Thg SUNDAY scaool.
International Lesson for ,Jaiy 8. 1896
David, king of Judah-2 Sam. 2:I-Il.

/ David, King of Judah-2 Sam. 2:1-Il.
ARRANGED from Peloubets Notes.I
GOLDEN TExT.-The Lord reigneth let
/ the earth rejoice.-Psa. 97.1.
THE SECTION includes a review of the
/ life OF David from his chhancea 20 the
death of Saul, and the story of his seven
years reign at Hebron
| TrIE.--David was king over Judah for
/ seven and a half years. B. c.. 1o55-l04S. be-
fore he received the full kingdom.
PLAcE.-His capital was at Hebron, Is
miles south of Jerusalem.
NoTE.-Ish- Bosheth; the son OF saul,
was nominally king of the northern tribes,
with his capital at Mahaim. east of the
/ Jordan. Civil war existed all this time in
a mild form, with only one great battle.
LESSON NOTES.
I. David's Early Life and Training
He had a good Inheritance. The kind
~ and fatherly disposition of Boaz and
/ the holy devotion and warm attach
ment of Ruth were very Apparent in
their great-grandson. Just what
his education was we cannot tell,
but he certainly had an education.
especially in religion and in the
Scriptures then known. His duties
led him to spend much time alone
with nature and natures God.
David was trained TO work. His
daily duties with the sheep gave
him an opportunity for training in
business, skill, attention, courage, gov
ernment. He gained great skin with
the sling. There was also full oppor-
| tunity 10 develop his musical talent.
When David was IS or 20 years old
he was anointed by the prophet Sam
uel to be the future king of Israel.
After the victory over Goliath, David
came to Saul's court. Here he learned
to do right amid great temptations to
wrong doing; he learned to act wisely
amid great difficulties, and he gained
some of that courtly manner which
adds luster and power and attractive
ness to his stern sense of justice and
duty. Every one should gain the
beauty of holiness Here, too, he
gained knowledge of the men of the
court, their strength and their weak
ness, and here he formed the friend
ship and love of Prince Jonathan.
Seven years, B. C. 1062-1055, David
was an exile; part of the time among
Philistines and partly among the
businesses of his native land. One
( of these was the cave of Adullam, 13
miles west of Bethlehem. Here there
/ gathered about him large band Of dis
Saurs oppression. They numbered 400
at first, and, later ON, 600. Hard as
| these seven years of exile were for
David to bear, yet they were most fruit
full years to him, as his apprenticeship
for the kingdom, as his school, ard
schoolmasters.
The death of Saul and Jonathan oc-
CURED, B. C. 1855. In a battle with the
Philistine invaders on the plain OF
! Esdraelon and the slopes of Mt Gilboa
| they fell while defending their country.
III David Becomes King of Judah
Verses l. At the time of the death of
Saul on Mt. Gilboa David was at Zillag.
i He and his band had gone north with
the invading Philistines in their march
against Saul. But the Philistine lead
ers feared that Ae might attack their
rear, instead of fighting against Saul.
and sent him back to Ziklag. This
town had been ravaged by Amalekite
marauders. David Immediately pur-
sued and overcame them. 1t was at
this iuncture that news came to David
OF the death of Saul and Jonathan.
Then we are told that David inquired
of the Lord Herein David acted wise
| iy. The kingdom was from God, and
God would guide him into the best way
of reaching it.
III. David's Reign at Hebron.-vs.
Ali. David took several wise meas
ures. First. he had already, before
coming to Hebron, sent presents from
/ AZ. L. 4 Al.
Amalekites near Ziklsg, to the local
chiefs of the various districts of Judea
| u Sam. 3o:26-31).
Second, he sent messengers to the
men of Jabesh-gilead that buried Saul.
The Philistines, in glorying over the
death of Saul, had put his arnor in an
idol temple and hanged his body and
those of his three sons upon the wall of
/ the city of Bethshan, 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 in great straits q Sam. 1x1-11).
most valiantly entered the lines of the
victorious enemy, took down the bodies
and burned them, so that they could
suffer no further indignity. We note
here that though Saul was an enemy
| to David, David was not an enemy to
| Saul. David assures these men that he
esteems them for what they have done,
Third, Abner was cousin to Saul and
a great general. So he desired to see
Ish-bosheth king. He would thus re-
tain his position as chief. and his pow
er would be almost supreme, for Ish-
boshcth, SauI's eldest surviving son,
was weak man, with no kingly spirit.
Ish-bosheth reigned two years. Five
years and a half were occupied with
the reconquest of the land from the
| Philistines. and these two years syn
chronic with the last two Of David's
4 reign at Hebron. All this time there
IN. ....L- ..-.l l..-.--.., lie linz