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1) Kings from Among their Own
While Israel had been a small emerging nation, their direct ruler was God, and he led them in the things they did. After they entered their promised land and settled there, they were overseen by a sequence of Judges, whose role it was to bring the message of God to the people. Eventually though, the people called for a king to be set over them in order to be like the other nations of the time. They wanted the strong figurehead as a leader in front of them. While they were warned about the problems with that arrangement, it was granted to them and so started the era of a long line of kings through the 500 years from around 1100BC through to 600BC. The details of this era are recorded as a history in the books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles.
2 Samuel 5
One of the early kings of Israel, and perhaps the best known one was a man called David. He was a faithful king and described as a man after God's heart. This section of the Bible contains a history of events that occurred during his reign, and the time leading up to it.
2 Samuel 5:1: Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel: and Yahweh said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel. 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh: and they anointed David king over Israel. 4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here; thinking, David can't come in here. 7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David. 8 David said on that day, Whoever strikes the Jebusites, let him get up to the watercourse, and strike the lame and the blind, who are hated of David's soul. Therefore they say, There are the blind and the lame; he can't come into the house. 9 David lived in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. David built round about from Millo and inward. 10 David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him. 11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. 12 David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. 13 David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. 14 These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 15 and Ibhar, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 16 and Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet. WEB
This section reads largely as a historical account, describing the kingship of David, together with some incidents of the time. A significant statement that reflects the era is from verse 10, “David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of hosts, was with him.” In reading about the lives of the sequence of kings, the prosperity of the nation depended on the faithfulness of the leader to God. When the people departed from listening to God, then their prosperity was threatened.
The word “hosts” in “the God of Hosts”, means “armies”, and this military view of the world shows through in this chapter. There are recorded two military victories, and God is described as being behind it. While Christianity is associated with peacefulness, the Old Testament shows that context is everything, and there has and will be times when God shows his strength in conflict.
Another aspect that may come as a surprise is that king David had more than one wife. This was rather normal for the kings of that time, although God had stated in his guidelines earlier that it just wasn't a good idea.
Victory from God
The remainder of this chapter describes some of the opposition made by the Philistine people to the presence of the Israelites. The Israelites had been a long time away living in Egypt, and they required the backing God to reassert their position there. God had promised ownership of that land to the Israelites, and as shown in this section, gave them the ability to have it.
2 Samuel 5:17: When the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the stronghold. 18 Now the Philistines had come and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 19 David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? will you deliver them into my hand? Yahweh said to David, Go up; for I will certainly deliver the Philistines into your hand. 20 David came to Baal Perazim, and David struck them there; and he said, Yahweh has broken my enemies before me, like the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim. 21 They left their images there; and David and his men took them away.
22 The Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 23 When David inquired of Yahweh, he said, You shall not go up: make a circuit behind them, and come on them over against the mulberry trees. 24 It shall be, when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall bestir yourself; for then is Yahweh gone out before you to strike the host of the Philistines. 25 David did so, as Yahweh commanded him, and struck the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gezer. WEB
A sub-theme to this section is the comparison of the Gods. Here David enquires of Yahweh for advice, and receives faithful communication from God about he should proceed. In comparison, the images left in verse 21 are the images of the gods of the Philistines, which were left behind in the haste to escape.
2) David Promised an Heir
The book of Samuel continues to follow the life of King David though to the point where he was the leader of a strong and peaceful nation. At that stage, David then turned to build a temple for God. Up to that time, the equivalent house of God was an intricately fashioned tent that had been moved around as the people had made their journeys.
However, in this case, God replies to say that it wouldn't be the job of David to do that, and instead it would be left to his heir to build this temple.
2 Samuel 7
2 Samuel 7:1: It happened, when the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains. 3 Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for Yahweh is with you. 4 It happened the same night, that the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying, 5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh, Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in? 6 for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tent. 7 In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, spoke I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
8 Now therefore thus shall you tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth. 10 I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first, 11 and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house.
12 When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; 15 but my loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before you: your throne shall be established forever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David. WEB
We see here in verse 7 that a temple wasn't something that God required or was wanting at that time. However he did take the opportunity to show his future plan in what would happen at the time of David's descendent. This type of message from God about the future is often called a prophecy.
Here there is a shadow in the message, because it has two applications. The descendent he is referring to has the main application in Jesus, who is to live out this promise in the throne established forever. However, David's immediate son, Solomon lived out a shadow of what was to come. He did rule over the peaceful and faithful nation, and built a temple for God. This showed the style of what was to come, but the full realisation of the promise wouldn't be until David's descendent Jesus was to come on to the scene.
David's Prayer
In response to the message of God, David turns to God in a prayer, which takes up the remainder of the chapter. David spoke to God revealing his thoughts.
2 Samuel 7:18: Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this too after the manner of men, Lord Yahweh! 20 What can David say more to you? for you know your servant, Lord Yahweh. 21 For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, have you worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 Therefore you are great, Yahweh God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to you out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24 You did establish to yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Yahweh , became their God.
25 Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm you it forever, and do as you have spoken. 26 Let your name be magnified forever, saying, Yahweh of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you. 27 For you, Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you. 28 Now, O Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant: 29 now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it: and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed forever. WEB
He praises the greatness of God, and what he had done. David was a king who very much understood that it had bee the power of God that had shaped his life, and the life of his nation.
3) Reign of Manasseh
There were a whole series of Kings listed in the Books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles. Their reigns spread over the period from around 1000BC to 600BC. After the rule of David's son, Solomon, The kingdom of Israel was broken into two sections: one retained the name of Israel, and the other went by the name of Judah. Each of these two nations had their own king, and at times there were hostilities between the two, and at other times cooperation.
Some of the kings followed the ways of God and were faithful to him, as David was. However, there were also other kings who were considered evil before God. One of the kings who did evil was Manasseh. He was very young when he received ascendency to the throne, and he not only did evil himself, but led the nation to follow in his footsteps.
2 Chronicles 33
2 Chronicles 33:1: Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of the sky, and served them. 4 He built altars in the house of Yahweh, whereof Yahweh said, In Jerusalem shall my name be forever. 5 He built altars for all the host of the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh.
6 He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practised sorcery, and used enchantments, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger. 7 He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in the house of God, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever: 8 neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses. 9 Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did evil more than did the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel. WEB
It's clear that Manasseh was led away from God through the worship of other Gods. He built idols and places of worship for them. These were the very actions that God had said should never be done.
In his depths, he also sacrificed his children in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and human sacrifice was something abhorrent to Yahweh, the God of Israel. The valley of the son of Hinnom, outside Jerusalem, was a place of destruction, and was used as a symbol of it. At the time of Jesus, it was a rubbish dump where fires burned continually, and Jesus used it as a symbol of destruction in his teaching.
In verse 9, the point is made how the leader seduce the nation and led the rest of the people into the evil as well. This is something consistent with the other kings described during this era. When the king as figurehead of the people was righteous, it followed that the people too generally followed God. Conversely, the evil kings drew the people away from God.
Repentance
Eventually God brought punishment against Manasseh and the nation of people who had become evil in God's sight. This punishment was in the form of an invasion by another country, Assyria. Manasseh himself was taken away to Babylon, which is in modern day Iraq. It was there that he realised the importance of God.
2 Chron 33:10: Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed. 11 Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12 When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13 He prayed to him; and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh he was God.
14 Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he compassed Ophel about with it, and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15 He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16 He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace-offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel. 17 Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only to Yahweh their God.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel. 19 His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai. 20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his place. WEB
This type of description is quite typical of the episodes in this section of the Bible. They are largely about historical details, with a commentary interspersed about how God related to it.
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