When they had advanced six paces (2 Sam. vii. 13), it was clear that the Lord was this time helping them, and the procession paused to offer a sacrifice of seven bullocks and seven rams in token of thankfulness for this proof of the Divine favour. Then the march was resumed amidst shouting and the joyful sounds of all kinds of music, headed by David himself in an ephod of linen, and by the singers and Levites arrayed in white vestments. As they ascended the path leading upwards to the ancient fortress of the Jebusites, the king, carried away by the associations of this great day, not only played on a stringed instrument, but accompanied the music with leaping and dancing. At length the city was reached, and the gates of the ancient fortress lifted up their heads, as the symbol of the presence of Jehovah, the King of Glory, the Lord strong and mighty, entered in (Ps. xxiv. 8, 9), and was placed within the awnings of the new Pavilion-Tent that had been prepared for it. A series of burnt-offerings and peace-offerings were then celebrated, and the king blessed the people, and dismissed them to their homes with ample presents. A single untoward incident marred this the greatest day in David’s life. As the procession passed under thewindows of her apartments, Michal, the daughter of Saul, deeming David’s dance undignified, despised him in her heart (2 Sam. vi. 16), and when at the conclusion of all the gorgeous ceremonial he entered his house to bless his family (2 Sam. vi. 20), she came out to meet him, but in place of congratulations taunted him with his indecorous appearance that day. David replied with great bitterness to this untimely scoffing, and Michal had no child unto the day of her death (1 Sam. vi. 23).
The construction of his own palace and the reception of the Ark within the folds of a new Tabernacle in Zion, now awoke in the king the desire to build a more ample and permanent Temple for Jehovah. The design received the Divine approval, but it was intimated to him by Nathan the prophet, that as he was a man of war and blood (1 Chr. xxviii. 3), so peaceful a work would be better reserved for another. The refusal, however, was accompanied by a promise of the permanence of his dynasty; the mercy of Jehovah should not be taken from him as it had been from Saul; a son of his own should carry on the work, and his throne should be established for ever (2 Sam. vii. 12–17; 1 Chr. xvii. 3–15).
CHAPTER III.
DAVID’S ARMY, HIS CONQUESTS, HIS SIN.
2 Sam. viii.–xii. 1 Chron. xviii.–xx. B.C. 1040–1033.
THUS assured of the continuance of his kingdom, David began by a series of conquests to extend his power beyond the immediate boundaries of his own people, and to found an imperial dominion, which for the first time realized the prophetic description contained in the Promise made to his forefather Abraham (Gen. xv. 18–21).
As instrumental to these conquests the militaryorganization[286] of the Israelites was now materially developed, and David was enabled within ten years after the reduction of the fortress of Jebus to push his conquests far and wide, and get him a name like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth (2 Sam. vii. 9).
1. On the South-west he turned his arms against his old enemies the Philistines, and subdued them,capturing Gath with its daughter towns[287] (1 Chr. xviii. 1).
2. On the South-east the Edomites felt the weight of his arms. Together with Joab he carried on a campaign of six months against them (Comp. 2 Sam. viii. 14 with 1 K. xi. 15), during which period he put vast numbers to the sword, established garrisons in the country, and thus became master of the Eastern arm of the Red sea, and the caravan-routes to the marts and harbours of Arabia[288]. (Comp. Gen. xxvii. 29, 37, 40; Ps. lx. 6–12.)
3. On the North-east the kingdom of Zobah had acquired considerable influence under Hadadezer, son of Rehob. David attacked him as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates (2 Sam. viii. 3), and defeated him with a loss of 1,000 chariots, 700 cavalry, and 20,000 infantry. Hadadezer’s allies, the Syrians of Damascus, then marched to his assistance, but they were routed with a loss of 22,000 men, and became David’s vassals. The wealth of Zobah was considerable. Several of Hadadezer’s officers carried shields of gold (2 Sam. viii. 7), that is, probably, “iron or wooden frames overlaid with plates of the precious metal;” these David brought to Jerusalem, as also large stores of brass from other Syrian cities (1 Chr. xviii. 7, 8).
4. On the East of Jordan he had hitherto maintained the most amicable relations with the king of Moab[289] (1 Sam. xxii. 3, 4), but now from some unexplained cause, he not only attacked and defeated, but well-nigh extirpated the nation. Two-thirds of the people were put to death, the rest were reduced to bondage, and paid regular tribute, while the spoils were treasured up in Jerusalem (2 Sam. viii. 2; 1 Chr. xi. 22). This campaign, in which the valiant Benaiah greatly distinguishedhimself (2 Sam. xxiii. 20), fulfilled the prophecy of Balaam; a Sceptre had risen out of Israel, and smitten through the princes of Moab, and destroyed the city of Ar, that is, Rabbath-Moab, the capital of the children of Lot (Num. xxiv. 17)[290].