CHAPTER XXIII.

David is anointed king over all Israel. He takes the strong hold of Zion from the Jebusites. He defeats the Philistines.

Immediately on the death of Ish-bosheth, a general movement in favor of David took place in the various tribes. Their chief men of all classes; three thousand and seven hundred of the descendants of Aaron, with four thousand and six hundred Levites; and an immense number of armed soldiers, under valiant and renowned leaders, were seen, in different companies and directions, on their march towards Hebron. When assembled there, the whole multitude amounted to more than three hundred and fifty thousand. They came with one united feeling of loyalty, to make David their king. The elders, or principal men, soon waited on him, to let him know the wishes of the people. In doing this, they thus accosted him; "Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh. Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the Lord said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel."

David's course of duty was plain. He had already been chosen of God, and anointed by

Samuel, to fill the elevated station to which he was now called by the whole body of his countrymen. He, therefore, proceeded to take the necessary steps which an occasion of such importance demanded. He entered into a solemn covenant with the elders of Israel, as the representatives of the people, accompanied by appropriate religious ceremonies; while both parties appealed to God to witness the sincerity of their mutual professions. In this he bound himself to a faithful performance of his duty as the sovereign of the nation, in accordance with the laws and directions of Jehovah; and the elders, in behalf of themselves and the people, stipulated that, in the same way, all should render him the submission and obedience to which he was entitled. He was then anointed and crowned, in the usual manner, king of Israel.

It must have been a sublime spectacle to see this rightful monarch, once an obscure shepherdboy, now seated on the throne of a numerous and powerful people, in the midst of admiring thousands, most of them men of tried valor, and equipped for military service, with their brave and experienced commanders; and all acknowledging a cheerful allegiance, and glowing with one common feeling of affectionate and devoted attachment. The designs of Providence, in this respect, were at length consummated; while David was the better prepared to discharge the

arduous duties that would devolve upon him, by the very trials, severe and prolonged as they had been, through which he had passed. He was now thirty-seven years and six months old, having reigned as king of Judah seven years and a half.

A season of gladness and festivity followed David made a great feast, which lasted three days, and which he honored with his presence. It would have been impossible to have furnished a suitable entertainment for so vast an assembly, if previous preparations had not been made by Judah, and the contiguous tribes. We are told that "they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Napthali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen; and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly; for there was joy in Israel."

Such a military force as was now collected, furnished David with a most favorable opportunity of engaging in an enterprise which required courage, skill, and numbers. It was nothing less than to take the strong hold of Zion from the Jebusites, who were in possession of it. It was about twenty-seven miles north of Hebron. The city, in the south-western part of which the fortress was built, had originally been called Salem, and now bore the name of Jebus. Its situation for strength, and other local advantages, was such as to render it very desirable that David

should fix his residence there, and make it the metropolis of his kingdom. To rescue this place from the hands of the enemy, and gain permanent possession of it, would signalize the commencement of his reign in the most auspicious

manner.

We cannot but suppose, though it is not mentioned in the sacred narrative, that David sought counsel of the Lord before embarking in this enterprise, and that he was directed to proceed. How many men he took with him we are not told, but doubtless a very considerable force, and such as he considered abundantly adequate. It may be that all the soldiery assembled at his coronation accompanied him. He went in person at the head of the army.

The Jebusites felt very secure in their strong hold, and appear not to have been at all intimidated by the approach of David and the numbers that were with him. They defied him in the most taunting manner, placing blind and lame persons on the walls, as if to defend the place, and calling out to David, telling him that until he could overpower this feeble band, he could never enter the city.

David was justly provoked at the insult, and especially at the jeers of the blind and the lame, who probably mocked him and his men, and declared that he should never gain an entrance. He caused a proclamation to be made to this ef

fect; "Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain." He calls them hated, for they were idolaters and opposers of the true God.

Joab led the way, at the head of a party of brave men, and succeeding in effecting an en trance, the city was soon taken, and in possession of the Israelites. The inhabitants, however, it would seem were spared, and continued to dwell in the neighborhood.

David fixed his residence in the fortress, and enlarged and strengthened the city greatly, which was now called the city of David. It also bore the name of Jerusalem, which it retains to this day.

The fame of David began to extend to a distance. It reached the ears of Hiram, king of Tyre, who thought it for his interest to seek an alliance with this powerful and enterprising monarch. He sent an embassy to David, accompanied with an abundant supply of cedar trees, with carpenters and masons, for the erection of a magnificent house as the future dwelling of the king of Israel. This, together with the reply, and not improbably the presents which were sent in return, seems to have laid the foundation of the friendly intercourse which long after subsisted between Hiram, and David and his son Solomon. In this, and various other ways, David perceived that the Lord had established him king