1. Lesson One of the Book of Daniel, Introduction to the Book of Daniel

Lesson 57,  Geography Study Concerning the Scriptures, The Exploits of David, Continued

The Exploits of David (continued)

First born was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; killed by Absalom

Second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; disappeared from history

Third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; Joab murdered Absalom against David’s orders

Fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; killed under orders from Solomon

Fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; unknown history

Sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife. Means remnant of the people, unknown history

These were born to David in Hebron. 

God had promised David that one of his sons would build the Temple.

2 Samuel 7:12-16,  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. ¹⁴I 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: ¹⁵But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. ¹⁶And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

Though in his waning years David might have cherished that expectation for one of his sons, he became instead the object of intrigue and beleaguered insurrection, stemming ironically from his sons.

David’s eldest surviving son was Absalom, born to the king’s wife who had been an Aramean (Syrian) princess of Geshur.

Aram

[AIR-uhm; “high; exalted”] An ancient country of indefinite extent, formed of a collection of city-states. Among those mentioned in the OT are Damascus, Zobah, Geshur, Maacah, Beth Eden, and Beth Rehob. The territory of Aram was largely confined to the plains ne of Palestine and sw of the Euphrates. The Aramean kingdoms were absorbed into the Assyrian Empire by Tiglath Pileser III. 

Geshur (Bashan)

[GESH-uhr; “bridge”] A small Aramean kingdom in upper Bashan, situated sw of Maacah and nw of the Argob. Although within the territory allotted to Manasseh e of the Jordan, the people of Geshur were not driven out by Israel. The daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur, became a wife of David. Her son, Absalom, escaped to Geshur after the murder of Amnon.

2 Samuel 3:2-3,  And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam (brother of pleasantness) the Jezreelitess; ³And his second, Chileab, of Abigail (father or source of joy) the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah (a Syrian woman) the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

Absalom had spent three years in exile with his maternal grandfather (Talmai king of Geshur); because he had murdered his half-brother Amnon in retaliation for the rape of Absalom’s sister, Tamar who was Amnon’s half sister. 

Absalom spent some four years gaining the favor of his father’s subjects, listening to their grievances , and establishing his own power base, that even included one of David’s personal counselors. 

2 Samuel 15:1-12,  And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. ²And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. ³And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. ⁴Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! ⁵And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. ⁶And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. ⁷And it came to pass after forty years (should probably be 4 years) , that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. ⁸For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD. ⁹And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron. ¹⁰But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. ¹¹And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. ¹²And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

When the opportunity seemed right, Absalom attacked Jerusalem and succeeded in temporarily expelling the patriarchal king (David) from his capital.

No stranger to being hunted down, David craftily fled across the Jordan River and sought refuge in the secluded inlands around Mahanaim (double underline), where he received supplies and assistance from the towns of Rabbah, Lo-debar, and Rogelim.

2 Samuel 17:27-29,  And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, ²⁸Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, ²⁹And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.

Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, to signify the finality of his coup, Absalom publicly engaged in illicit relations with his father’s concubines.

2 Samuel 16:22,  So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. ²³And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

But Absalom’s victory was short lives and David’s counteroffensive resulted in a battle in the forest of Ephraim, in which Absalom was killed by Joab. 

Absalom’s usurpation of power had been short lived.

See 2 Samuel chapter 18

A final episode that illustrates the extent of David’s kingdom is that of his census of the people.

Numbering anything in order to trust in that number is not of faith and anything that is not of faith is sin.  Be careful in counting anything too much. 

David’s Sin in Taking a Census and the Consequences. Out of pride, David sought to determine how many people were subject to him. This impulse is pictured here as incited by the Lord in anger against David and Israel, but in the parallel account in 1 Chr 21:1, it is Satan who moves David to launch this project.

1 Chronicles 21

¹And Satan (some translate this adversary) stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. ²And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

(Read this passage and then describe the journey)

2 Samuel 24:1-9,   And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. ²For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. ³And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in this thing? ⁴Notwithstanding the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. ⁵And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer: ⁶Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon, ⁷And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beersheba. ⁸So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. ⁹And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

Dispatched under the leadership of Joab, a census team journeyed across the Jordan and began at the city of Aroer, located on the border of Moab. 

From here, the team traveled north to Jazer, near the Ammonite frontier, then it passed through Gilead and Galilee before arriving at Dan.

From Dan the census takers went around to Sidon and came to the fortress at Ryre, whereupon they began a southward journey to Judea, closing out their southern trek at Beersheba. 

At this point, having spent nearly ten months on their mission, the group returned to Jerusalem and reported to the king.  

In David’s last hours, another of his sons, Adonijah, attempted to usurp kingship. 

But this was reserved for another, and David ordered Zadok to anoint Solomon.

1 Kings 1:5-10, 32-39,  Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. ⁶And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. ⁷And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. ⁸But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah. ⁹And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants: ¹⁰But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

³²And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. ³³The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: ³⁴And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. ³⁵Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. ³⁶And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. ³⁷As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David. ³⁸So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. ³⁹And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon.