UBF Daily Bread

DAVID MADE KING OVER ALL ISRAEL

Passage: 1Chronicles 12:23~40

Key verse: 3

Others Join David at Hebron

²³These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron^(A) to turn^(B) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:^(C)

²⁴from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

²⁵from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

²⁶from Levi—4,600, ²⁷including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, ²⁸and Zadok,^(D) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

²⁹from Benjamin,^(E) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most^(F) of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

³⁰from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

³¹from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

³²from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do^(G)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

³³from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

³⁴from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

³⁵from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

³⁶from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

³⁷and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

³⁸All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.^(H) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. ³⁹The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,^(I) for their families had supplied provisions for them. ⁴⁰Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies^(J) of flour, fig cakes, raisin^(K) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy^(L) in Israel.

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1. Men who understood the times (23-37)

God had chosen David to be the shepherd of Israel; but David and Israel had to wait on God's time. After Saul's death, David went to Hebron and was anointed king of Judah. The tribes of northern Israel followed Ishbosheth, Saul's son. After 7½ years, God's time came. Men who understood the times and knew what God wanted came to Hebron to make David king of all Israel. Some were Saul's kinsmen who had been loyal to Saul until this time; all were brave warriors. They came from all the 12 tribes of Israel to unite their nation under one shepherd of God's choosing.

2. Great joy in Israel (38-40)

Contrary to modern opinion, men and nations need shepherds. The men of Israel came to Hebron fully determined to make David their king and shepherd. They were armed for battle, but they did not come to fight--they came with food and drink to rejoice. They had a great party to celebrate, for God had given his shepherdless people a real shepherd.

One Lord: Great joy in Israel

DAVID TRIES IN HIS OWN WAY

1 Chronicles 13:1-14

1. It seemed right to all the people

David wanted to restore God to his central place in Israel's life. So he wanted to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem. He asked his army commanders and priests and other leaders about this and they all agreed. It was right to bring the ark of God to the capital city.

2. Uzzah struck dead

David consulted people, but he didn't consult the Bible. According to the Bible, the ark should be carried only by the Levites (Nu 4:15). David moved the ark on a new cart, with two men guiding it. He and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God. Then, the cart hit a bump and one man steadied it with his hand. The Lord struck him dead. David was angry and fearful. He didn't know what to do. So he put the ark in the home of Obed-Edom for three months. God blessed this family greatly. Good intentions and sincerity are not enough--we must serve God in God's way, not according to our own ideas.

Prayer: Lord, teach me your ways through your word, the Bible.

One Word: Do it God's way (15:15)