We are still in “the glory days of David’s rule” when he sought God and depended on Him alone.  (I dread next Tuesday – Day 133 – which tells of his great fall and the beginning of all the destruction that came later. Sigh.)

• So… David defeated the Philistines and subdued them.
• And he defeated Moab.

NOTE:  That business of measuring the captives, killing some, and setting some free, could have been one of two scenarios. 1) He killed 2 out of every 3 enemy soldiers, or 2) He saved 1/3 of the captives because they were young (coming up to just the first line), destroying only the adults. (Think of those signs with measuring lines on Disneyland rides, showing that only those taller can ride.)

• David also defeated the king of Zobah, and many Syrian soldiers who tried to help him and set up a garrison at Damascus.  He brought back shields of gold and very much bronze.
• A nearby king, glad to see the king of Zobah defeated, brought to David articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze.

NOTE:  Verse 11 says, “King David dedicated to the LORD the silver, gold, and bronze from the nations he subdued.”  Later, all this wealth in the LORD’s treasury would be used by Solomon to make the bronze vessels for the Temple. (1 Kings 7:15)

• David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18K Edomites in the Valley of Salt. All of Edom became his servants.
• And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.  
• David reigned over all of Israel. He administered justice and equity to all his people. His officers are as follows:
• Joab was the commander of the army.
• Jehoshaphat was the recorder.
• Zakok and Ahimelech were the priests.
• Seraiah was the secretary.
• Benaiah was in charge of his bodyguard, with the Cherethites and Pelethites. (Benaiah later became the commander of Solomon’s army after he killed Joab, at David’s request.)

1 Chronicles 18.

This chapter repeats 2 Samuel 8, with this addition from verse 8, read with 1 Kings 7:15, 23.

• With the massive amounts of bronze that David collected and dedicated to the LORD, Solomon made 1) the two 27-foot (18 feet around) bronze pillars at the front of the Temple, 2) a huge bronze “sea” (compared to the Laver for the Tabernacle) which held 12,000 gallons of water to wash the priests and the sacrifices), and 3) the bronze vessels used in the Temple.

2 Samuel 9.

David and Mephibosheth:  How it all came about.

DAVID:  “Is there still any more left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”

ZIBA, a servant of the house of Saul:  “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”

DAVID: “Where is he?”

ZIBA: “He is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”

(The king sent and brought him. Mephibosheth fell on his face before David. He probably thought he would be killed off as the others in Saul’s family had died.)
DAVID:  “Mephibosheth!”

MEPHIBOSHETH: “Behold I am your servant.”

DAVID: “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.”

MEPHIBOSHETH:  “What is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” (Meaning, wow, I don’t deserve that, but thanks!)

DAVID (to Ziba):  “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. You and your sons (15) and your servants (20) shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have “bread to eat” (meaning his own wealth). But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.”

ZIBA: “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.”

And so, Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. He lived in Jerusalem. Also, he had a young son named Mica.  He was lame in both feet.

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This is a glorious picture of what God has done for us. WE, deformed by sin, did not deserve to be His children, have all our needs taken care of, and one day to sit at His table in heaven.  WE deserved death, as Mephibosheth would have under any other ruling king.  But David had promised Jonathan, whom he loved, to be kind to all his descendants, and we, for Jesus’s sake (like Mephibosheth for Jonathan’s sake), are now granted this royal “kindness” of salvation and a position in God’s kingdom because we trust in God’s promise (John 3:16),  Praise God!