Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 5
At the beginning of David’s rule, the countries that surrounded Israel were all bitter enemies of Israel. So, it was extremely important that Israel’s new king should be able to lead his nation in war.
Previously, Israel’s people believed that they too needed a strong and cruel king to lead their armies (1 Samuel 8:10-20). Saul had been such a king. Now, however, they considered it much more important to have the kind of king that God wanted for their nation. Even the most powerful kings sometimes fail to achieve what they want. So, the people realised that they needed God’s help in war, and at all other times.
David was not a cruel or fierce person. He was gentle, kind and generous - but he firmly believed that he must always do the right things. He was a very different kind of leader from Saul. However, David had led Israel’s army in battle with great success (1 Samuel 18:5-16). The people were afraid of Saul - but they loved David.
God also loved David, and David loved God too. David was a prophet, in other words, a holy man to whom God spoke (Acts 2:29-30). He knew the other prophets who lived at the same time as him; Samuel, Gad and Nathan. Perhaps by means of one of them, God spoke to David about his future. Formerly, as a youth, David had looked after sheep (1 Samuel 17:34-37); now, in the same way, David would look after God’s people Israel. He would be their ruler and their king.
At last, Israel’s people were ready to agree with God about the kind of king that they needed.
Next part: David's anointing as the king of all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3)
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