David, the king of Judah
in Hebron for seven years and a half, becomes the king of
all Israel upon Ishbosheth's death And now David is no
longer the man of faith who, himself the head of the
armies of Israel walking in dependence upon God, guided
the enterprises which the circumstances of Israel
required of faith; but he is a king who can exalt whom he
will The man very soon appears, the energetic man, but
not the man of God. "Whosoever getteth up to the
gutter," the king said should be rewarded; "he
shall be chief and captain" (chap. 5: 8). Joab goes
up, and he has natural claims upon David [1].
Nevertheless, in the main
David is guided by God, and he takes the city which God
had chosen for His throne upon the earth. It was on this
account he could say of those who had it in possession,
"they are hated of David's soul"; for in fact
they who possess the true seat of God's power, the place
which He loves, and who, trusting to their natural
strength, resist and scoff at the king whom God has
chosen, are more hateful than any people, and are hated
by those who have the Spirit of the Lord who establishes
His throne upon the earth.
David and Solomon
as types of Christ
It is well to remark here,
that David is a type of Christ in rejection, and of
Christ making war in power for the establishment of the
millennium; as Solomon is of Christ reigning in
millennial peace. David's wars with the Philistines are
subsequent to the taking of Jerusalem, and to the entire
subjugation of Israel to David. It is not David, neither
is it Christ reigning over the earth, who takes Jerusalem.
Christ will descend from heaven for the destruction of
Antichrist; but He destroys the enemies of Israel by
means of His own people, after having established His
throne in Zion (compare Zech. 9 and 10). I do not enlarge
upon this; I merely point out the grand features which
the word supplies on this subject.
Awakened by danger
David turns to God
David establishes himself
in Zion; he is acknowledged by some friendly Gentiles; he
is conscious too that it was God who made him king. But
the natural heart soon shews itself. Strengthened in his
kingdom by Jehovah, he does what he likes, he follows his
own will (compare Deut. 17: 17).
Nevertheless the
consolidation of his power does not overthrow the hopes
of his former enemies [2]; it excites their jealousy. They neither
know the arm of his strength, nor the purpose of Jehovah
who exalted him. They rush on to destruction. And now,
with the danger that awakens him, we find again the man
of God, the type of the Lord Jesus, inquiring of Jehovah,
and obedient to His word. He gains signal victories under
the express guidance of God, whose strength goes before
him and puts his enemies to flight. Accordingly he gives
God the glory.
[1] Joab was
evidently clever and enterprising: but it is remarkable
that he is not named among those who distinguished
themselves by brilliant exploits, when individual faith
had to fight for God's glory When it is a question of
being chief and captain, a place which David had held
till then, Joab immediately comes forward.
[2] It is evident, from many Old
Testament prophecies, that it will be the same when
Christ returns to the earth. And yet at that period, if
man exalts himself, it will be but for sudden destruction.
2 Samuel 5 Bible Commentary
John Darby’s Synopsis
David, the king of Judah in Hebron for seven years and a half, becomes the king of all Israel upon Ishbosheth's death And now David is no longer the man of faith who, himself the head of the armies of Israel walking in dependence upon God, guided the enterprises which the circumstances of Israel required of faith; but he is a king who can exalt whom he will The man very soon appears, the energetic man, but not the man of God. "Whosoever getteth up to the gutter," the king said should be rewarded; "he shall be chief and captain" (chap. 5: 8). Joab goes up, and he has natural claims upon David [1].
Nevertheless, in the main David is guided by God, and he takes the city which God had chosen for His throne upon the earth. It was on this account he could say of those who had it in possession, "they are hated of David's soul"; for in fact they who possess the true seat of God's power, the place which He loves, and who, trusting to their natural strength, resist and scoff at the king whom God has chosen, are more hateful than any people, and are hated by those who have the Spirit of the Lord who establishes His throne upon the earth.
David and Solomon as types of Christ
It is well to remark here, that David is a type of Christ in rejection, and of Christ making war in power for the establishment of the millennium; as Solomon is of Christ reigning in millennial peace. David's wars with the Philistines are subsequent to the taking of Jerusalem, and to the entire subjugation of Israel to David. It is not David, neither is it Christ reigning over the earth, who takes Jerusalem. Christ will descend from heaven for the destruction of Antichrist; but He destroys the enemies of Israel by means of His own people, after having established His throne in Zion (compare Zech. 9 and 10). I do not enlarge upon this; I merely point out the grand features which the word supplies on this subject.
Awakened by danger David turns to God
David establishes himself in Zion; he is acknowledged by some friendly Gentiles; he is conscious too that it was God who made him king. But the natural heart soon shews itself. Strengthened in his kingdom by Jehovah, he does what he likes, he follows his own will (compare Deut. 17: 17).
Nevertheless the consolidation of his power does not overthrow the hopes of his former enemies [2]; it excites their jealousy. They neither know the arm of his strength, nor the purpose of Jehovah who exalted him. They rush on to destruction. And now, with the danger that awakens him, we find again the man of God, the type of the Lord Jesus, inquiring of Jehovah, and obedient to His word. He gains signal victories under the express guidance of God, whose strength goes before him and puts his enemies to flight. Accordingly he gives God the glory.
[1] Joab was evidently clever and enterprising: but it is remarkable that he is not named among those who distinguished themselves by brilliant exploits, when individual faith had to fight for God's glory When it is a question of being chief and captain, a place which David had held till then, Joab immediately comes forward.
[2] It is evident, from many Old Testament prophecies, that it will be the same when Christ returns to the earth. And yet at that period, if man exalts himself, it will be but for sudden destruction.