Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 5

Verse 12

2 Samuel 5:12

I. Two memorable passages in the history of David, the establishment of his capital, and the removal of the ark to the hill above it, illustrate the principles upon which his kingdom stood, and show wherein it differed from the great Asiatic empires which were then contemporary with it. The civic life, the life of cities, was with other nations the beginning, with the Jews it was the result of a long process. In the first, you have a despotism, which becomes more expansive and more oppressive from day to day; in the other case, you have a struggle, sometimes a weary struggle, but it is the struggle of spirits, it is a struggle for life. The ark spoke to the Israelites of a permanent Being, of a righteous Being, always above His creatures, always desiring fellowship with them, a fellowship which they could only realise when they were seeking to be like Him. Their king ruled so long as his throne was based upon righteousness; the moment he sought for any other foundation, he would become weak and contemptible. All David's discipline had been designed to settle him in this truth. He was the man after God's own heart, because he so graciously received that discipline and imbibed that truth. The signal sin of his life confirmed it still more mightily for himself and for all ages to come.

II. The discipline which followed upon David's sin was not for him more than for his people, nor for his people more than for all ages to come. That which enabled David, crushed and broken, to be more than ever the man after God's own heart, was also that which fitted him to be a ruler, -by understanding the only condition on which it is possible for a man to exercise real dominion over others, viz. when he gives up himself, that they may know God and not him to be their sovereign. One of the best proofs that his schooling was effectual is this, that all his family griefs, his experience of his own evil, the desertion of his subjects, did not lead him to fancy that he should be following a course acceptable to God if he retired to the deserts instead of doing the work which was appointed for him. He found out the necessity of seeking God continually, because he learnt how weak he was, and how little he could be a king over men when the image of the Divine kingdom was not present to him.

III. We might have expected to see David's sun setting in splendour, to be told of some great acts, or hear some noble words which would assure us that he died a saint. The Bible does not in the least satisfy this expectation. We must turn elsewhere than to the Old or New Testament for deathbed scenes. Its warriors fight the good fight. We know that in some battle or other they finish their course. When or how, under what circumstances of humiliation or triumph, we are not told. Not by momentary flashes does God bid us judge of our fellow-creatures, for He who reads the heart, and sees the meaning and purpose of it, judges not by these.

F. D. Maurice, Prophets and Kings of the Old Testament, p. 53.

References: 2 Samuel 5:19 . F.W. Krummacher, David the King of Israel, p. 267. 2 Samuel 5:23 . Spurgeon, Morning by Morning, p. 40. 2 Samuel 5:24 . S. Cox, Expositions, 3rd series, p. 441; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. iii., No. 147; Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 30; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. ii., p. 406. 2 Samuel 6:5 . Parker, vol. vii., p. 233. 2 Samuel 6:6 , 2 Samuel 6:7 . Homiletic Magazine, vol. vii., p. 281. 2 Samuel 6:14 , 2 Samuel 6:15 . F. W. Krummacher, David the King of Israel, pp. 280, 300. 2 Samuel 6:15 . J. Ker, Sermons, 2nd series, p. 162; T. Coster, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxii., p. 132. 2 Samuel 6:20 . G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 217; Parker, vol. vii., p. 234. 2 Samuel 6:20 , 2 Samuel 6:21 . J. M. Neale, Sermons for the Church Year, vol. ii., p. 127. 2 Samuel 6:20-22 . Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. vi., p. 321. 2 Samuel 6:0 Parker, vol. vii., p. 117. 2 Samuel 7:1 , 2 Samuel 7:2 . Plain Sermons by Contributors to the "Tracts for the Times" vol. ii., p. 41. 2 Samuel 7:2 . S. Martin, Rain upon the Mown Grass, p. 56. 2 Samuel 7:12-16 . J. G. Murphy, Book of Daniel, p. 32. 2 Samuel 7:18 . J. Van Oosterzee, Year of Salvation, vol. ii., p. 454. 2 Samuel 7:18-20 . Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xx., No. 1166. 2 Samuel 7:19 . Parker, vol. vii., p. 235. 2 Samuel 7:25 . Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ii., No. 88; Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 15. 2 Samuel 7:27 . Ibid., Sermons, vol. xxiv., No. 1412; Ibid., My Sermon Notes, Genesis to Proverbs, p. 67. 2 Samuel 7:0 W. M. Taylor, David King of Israel, p. 169. 2Sam 7-8. Parker, vol. vii., p. 128. 2 Samuel 8:6 . J. Irons, Thursday Penny Pulpit, vol. xvi., p. 105. 2 Samuel 8:15 . F. W. Krummacher, David the King of Israel, p. 340; W. M. Taylor, David King of Israel, p. 180. 2 Samuel 9:1 . W. Walters, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxi., p. 248. 2 Samuel 9:7 . F. W. Krummacher, David the King of Israel, p. 326. 2 Samuel 9:8 . Spurgeon, Evening by Evening, p. 148. 2 Samuel 9:13 . Ibid., Morning by Morning, p. 148. 2 Samuel 9:2-7 . W. M. Taylor, David King of Israel, p. 196. 2 Samuel 9:0 Ibid., p. 169. 2 Samuel 9:0 Parker, vol. vii., p. 139. 2 Samuel 10:10 . Old Testament Outlines, p. 02.