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A | II Sam. 2: 1 - 4: 12. The Kingdom. Divided.
David, King over Judah.
B | II Sam. 5: 1 - 24: 25. The Kingdom. United.
David, King over all Israel.
B | I Kings 1: 1 - 11: 43. The Kingdom. United.
David, Solomon over all Israel.
A | I Kings 12: 1 - II Kings 25: 30. The Kingdom. Divided.
Rehoboam, Jeroboam and successors over Israel and Judah.
The subject, therefore, falls into four sections, the first being II Sam. 2: 1 - 4: 2--
giving the reign of David as King over Judah, up to the time when he ascended the throne
of a united people. The most important part of this first section from our present point of
view is that which records the anointing of David at Hebron (II Sam. 2: 1-11). We will
first look at the structure of this passage and then consider its message.
II Samuel 2: 1-11.
The Two Kings. David and Ish-bosheth.
A | 1-3. DAVID goes to Hebron with his two wives.
B | 4. Men of Judah. David anointed King.
C | 4-10. SAUL though dead, still has influence.
a1 | 4-6. Saul dead and buried.
b1 | 7. David anointed King.
a2 | 8. Saul's captain, Abner.
b2 | 8, 9. Ish-bosheth made King.
a3 | 10. Saul's son Ish-bosheth. 40 years.
b3 | 10. His reign of two years.
B | 10. House of Judah. David followed.
A | 11. DAVID reign in Hebron 7 years and 6 months.
One of the things that strikes the reader as this structure emerges, is the fact that,
though Saul is dead and buried (2: 4, 7), his evil influence is still active; also, that
Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, is "made king", but not "anointed".
David is pre-eminently a type of Christ, and his life is recorded, not so much for its
own sake as for its remarkable foreshadowing of the future. For instance, we find that,
before David was anointed King over all Israel, he was anointed King over his "own", the
house of Judah. The instructed reader will not need any proof that in this, David was a
type of Christ. The day is yet to dawn when Christ shall be acknowledged King over all,
but it is the blessed privilege of His brethren to acknowledge Him as King now.
We must now give our attention to the record of II Sam. 2: 1-11, so that we may
learn its typical lesson, and our faith and hope may be strengthened. First of all, let us
consider the city selected by God in answer to David's prayer.
"Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? . . . . . Unto Hebron" (2: 1).