#528 Not Many

Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. 2 In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel.

David Takes Jerusalem

4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 6 David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7 And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8 And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.

David's Mighty Men

10 Now these are the chiefs of David's mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11 This is an account of David's mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three.[a] He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time.

12 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines. 14 But he took his[b]stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord saved them by a great victory.

15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 17 And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 18 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord 19 and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

20 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty.[c] And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three. 21 He was the most renowned[d] of the thirty[e] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

22 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man[f] of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.23 And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits[g]tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver's beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. 25 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

26 The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth of Harod,[h] Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 Hashem[i]the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. 1 Chronicles 11 ESV

This skips David's partial reign and goes to the time of his acceptance by all of Israel, for he represented them in war, and also he represented them in whole during the time of Saul. They did take a pretender to the throne for about 7 years in Israel while David was king of Judah. Even in times of hostility and apostasy there is still a remnant that looks to serve the true king. So goes the church as well. 

And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. 1 Samuel 16: 1

David was anointed by God while still a boy, a shepherd, he was anointed by his own tribe after the death of Saul, and then after the defeat of Ishbosheth he is inaugurated king over all Israel. God chose him long before Israel would, and he had spiritually stood for them as well, defending the honor of God before the giant Goliath. Seeing not only all that he did, but more importantly, Who endorsed him, it is sad that he was rejected for so long, their last choice, just as he was the last of his brothers. 

Guzik describes the post of David well:

These three characteristics should mark anyone who leads God's people.

- A leader must belong to God's people in heritage and heart.

- A leader must demonstrate capability to lead.

- A leader must have an evident call from God.

First one must be of God's people, and for us this means not the outer circumcision but the inner circumcision of the heart. You must be born again. 

Next you must show the fruit of this, the maturity of love, that it has self control, is not vengeful or proud. You must first deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Christ. It is not a call to tyranny but rather to service. 

Lastly, in almost any other occupation, it would not be so strange to call it your job, but this is not a job, a position of glory, but rather a shield to the people. It is to the defense of God's honor, the protection of liberty and the image of God that is every man. This will be evident in your fear of saying what God has not said, in going where you have not been told to go, doing what God has told you not to do. You must love truth, justice and mercy, knowing that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 

David made Jerusalem the capital city, but all this and his many triumphs were never without God, and God also provided David his mighty men. No one does so much alone, we all need the body, each and every part. Everyone is gifted differently. David is humbled by this in the act of his three mighty men. They go upon his wish, not his command, but only that he would like to drink of the well again, remembering the simple and wonderful days. He is struck by their loyalty, humbled and honored by their courage. He cannot even drink the water, it is too expensive a gift, so it must be poured out unto the Lord. He regards the lives of his men more than his fancy. 

Times of Struggle