Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-09-11
THE SABBATH SCHOOL
International Lesson Comments for
September Is.
Subject: David Becomes King, Sam. H., Ito
Golden Text: Pisa. 3.l-Memory
Verses, I.3-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.

!. David anointed king at Hebron Tvs:
10. Il. After this" After the death OF
Saul and his sons. Inquired OF the LORD"
BY means of .Abiathor the priest who was
with David during his fugitive life AT
that decisive turning point in his life,
David wished to know the will of the Lord.
lie saw that the promise of the kingdom
was now to be fulfilled to him. As he could
no longer remain in the land of the Philis.
tines, but must return TO his own country,
and as the northern part of the land was
held by the Philistines, the return to the
territory of his own tribe was most nat
ural; for there, where he had long time
found refuge Il Sam. 22:5) he might count
out large following, and firm support and
protection against the remains of Saul's
army under Abner." "Cities of Judah"
1t would be useless to think of undertake
ing to assume control of the country in the
northern part of the kingdom, as that was
in the hands of the Philistines, and David
was in no position to drive them out.
eco up" "Going up" meant assuming
royal authority. Gods answer was imme-
date and clear. Davids decision, guided
by God, was to establish himself as the
king at once. Unto Hebron" One of the
most ancient cities of the world. "The
Judah, its mountainous and defensible
situation, its importance as prestly set
Element and an ancient royal city, the
patriarchal associations connected with it,
combined to render it the most suitable
capital for the new kingdom. In its neigh
borhood. moreover, David had spent con:
siderable part of his fugitive life and
gained many supporters. See l Sam. 30,
81"
2. "Sc David went up" 1T may be well
to note some of the leading clements which
we discern in David's life and character as
he enters upon his new life. HE had, /.
A vivid sense of Gods presence. 2; Per
sonal proves. g. Prompttude in all his
movements 4. A patience that was sub
lime 5. An affectionate heart. 6. A cool
head and steady nerve. 7. Wide expert
ence s. A heart loyal to God. This 10y.
atty wal so intense that his cause and
Gods cause became Identical and he could
not readily distinguish between Gods enc
mics AMI his own; and in spite of all his
sins and blunders, this must impress every
impartial reader as the leading character
istic of King David. 'Thither." We are
to think of this journey as a march OF an
army, or, rather, the migration of large
household effects and few women and
children in the company; it was made up
of bron%ed youths Injured to hardship,
among whom rank and fame were secured
by daring deeds rather than by anything
comparable to modern military skill.
"a "His men," The six hundred men
of his chosen band. "With his household"
There was to be no more roaming in exile,
but each one was to settle down to the
duties of peaceful and quiet life: Cities
of Hebron" The small towns WHICH SUI sur
elders Of Judah the official representatives
of the t:ibe. Amounted" He had been
privately anointed by Samuel, by which
he acquired a right to the kingdom. The
other parts of the kingdom were, as yet,
attached to the family of Saul.
5. David sent messengers This was
David's first act as king, and it was worthy
O. him. He had been informed of the
manner in which the Philistines had car
ried awaY the bodies of Saul and his sons
after tho battle. He had also been told
that the inhabitants Of Jabesh-giiead had
sent forth party by night and had taken
the bodies from the wall and carried them
safely to their own town and buried them.
blessed be ye.' David respected Saul as
his once legitimate sovereign; he loved
Jonathan as his most intimate friend.
Saul had greatly injured David, but that
cid not cancel his respect for him as the
anointed Of God, and as the king of Israel.
No mean spirit of revenge found place IN
his breast. He showed also that he had
no wish or intention to punish Sauls adj.
herents, but was kindly disposed toward
them.
6, 7. "Will rcouite you" Will show
you this kindness; that is, the attention
and honor shown in the blessings | give
You through these messengers. BE We
valiant" Be of good courage; be strong
and show yourselves brave men. Saul
is dead" And therefore We are without a
king unless We acknowledge me, as the
housc.of Judah has done.
IT, bosheth king over Israel Tvs. S-l0).
8. "Ish-bosheth." SauPs fourth and only
surviving son. He was mere tool in the
hands Of Abncr Abner was a great gen.
eral and if Ish-bosheth, who was weak
man, could be made king, Abner would be
almost supreme "Mahanaim." Abner
chose this town because it was on the
eastern side Of the Joroan, and so beyond
the range of the Philistines, who never
seemed to have crossed the river.
8. Made him king" Here was the
establishment of rival kingdom, which
probably would have had no existence
but for Abner. He was cousin to Saul
Loyalty to the house of his late master
was mixed up with opposition to David,
anu views VI pelSondl dlHulIloli III mo
originating this factous movement. He,
too, was alive to the Importance of secur.
ing the eastern tribes. 'Gilead." The land
beyond Jordan. "Ashurtes" The tribe
of Ashur in the extreme north. "Jezreel."
The extensive valley bordering on the cen.
trail tribes. "Ephram . . Benjamin"
These tribes, which had not vet been con.
auered by the Philistines, holding no doubt
to the house OF Saul. Cover all Israel"
The majority . Israel, not of judah.
10. "Reigned two years" Five years
and more had passed since the death of
Saul, and Abner now proclaimed lsh
bosheth king of Israel, and thought him
self powerful enough to reduce Judah to
obedience. David seems to have been
anointed very soon after Saul's death, but
it must have taken Abner some time to
gather up the scattered army and recover
from the defeat and losses of Gilboa, where
Saul and his three sons died. sufficiently
to attend to the Inauguration of ]sh-
boshetb.
III. David king over all Israel Is: l-l0).
After Abner and Ish-bosheth were assas-
siuated, the tribes of Israel came to David,
through their elders. and urged him to be-
come king over all Israel They gave good
reasons for this: l. David was one OF their
race. 2. He had shown himself worthy.
3. He was divine,y appointed. 4. He I'M
derstooI the duties of a king. David was
then anointed king over all Israel. This
was his third amounting The king then
went 20 Jerusalem to reign.
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