David's Victories: 1 Chronicles 14 - 16:6

From: Meditations on 1 Chronicles By: Henri L. Rossier

1 Chronicles 14‑16 • 4 min. read • grade level: 12

1 Chronicles 14-16:6

Through David's fault opportunity had been furnished for grace to be manifested. These chapters show us this grace at work in the heart of the king producing that humility and obedience to the Word from which David had wandered in one point.

1 Chron. 14:1-7¹Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house. ²And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel. ³And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters. ⁴Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, ⁵And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, ⁶And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, ⁷And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet. (1 Chronicles 14:1‑7) corresponds to 2 Sam. 5:10-15¹⁰And David went on, and grew great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. ¹¹And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house. ¹²And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. ¹³And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. ¹⁴And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, ¹⁵Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, (2 Samuel 5:10‑15). There we see the nations, in the person of Hiram, acknowledging the supremacy of the Lord's anointed and seeking his favor. "And Hiram king of Tire sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. And David perceived that Jehovah had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted, because of his people Israel" (1 Chron. 14:1-2¹Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house. ²And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel. (1 Chronicles 14:1‑2)). God shows His servant David that He is accomplishing His counsels of grace toward him in establishing him as king over the people and in causing the nations to submit to him.

After Hiram's submission we find the victories over the Philistines (1 Chron. 14:8-16⁸And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard of it, and went out against them. ⁹And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand. ¹¹So they came up to Baal-perazim; and David smote them there. Then David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim. ¹²And when they had left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire. ¹³And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the valley. ¹⁴Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. ¹⁵And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines. ¹⁶David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer. (1 Chronicles 14:8‑16); cf. 2 Sam. 5:17-25¹⁷But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. ¹⁸The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹And David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. ²⁰And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim. ²¹And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. ²²And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. ²³And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. ²⁴And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. ²⁵And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer. (2 Samuel 5:17‑25)), followed here in Chronicles by this characteristic remark: "And the fame of David went out into all lands; and Jehovah brought the fear of him upon all the nations" (1 Chron. 14:17¹⁷And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations. (1 Chronicles 14:17)). Thus the Lord Himself extended the king's dominion over the nations by victories which were entirely dependent on his obedience to the Word of God (1 Chron. 14:10,14¹⁰And David inquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the Philistines? and wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand. (1 Chronicles 14:10)
¹⁴Therefore David inquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. (1 Chronicles 14:14)), a lesson which he had learned by the "breach upon Uzza."

The complete list of David's offspring at Jerusalem is given us for the second time in this book (1 Chron. 3:5-8; 14:3-7⁵And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel: ⁶Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, ⁷And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, ⁸And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. (1 Chronicles 3:5‑8)
³And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons and daughters. ⁴Now these are the names of his children which he had in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, ⁵And Ibhar, and Elishua, and Elpalet, ⁶And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, ⁷And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet. (1 Chronicles 14:3‑7)) (Elpelet and Nogah are not mentioned in 2 Sam. 5:14-16¹⁴And these be the names of those that were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, ¹⁵Ibhar also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, ¹⁶And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet. (2 Samuel 5:14‑16)). The purpose of this repetition is to show us that God's counsels concerning the kingship are being carried out at the very moment when the king is finding a place of rest at Zion for the ark of God.

The beginning of chapter 15 (1 Chron. 15:1-13¹And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent. ²Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. ³And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord unto his place, which he had prepared for it. ⁴And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites: ⁵Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twenty: ⁶Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred and twenty: ⁷Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the chief, and his brethren an hundred and thirty: ⁸Of the sons of Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred: ⁹Of the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore: ¹⁰Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an hundred and twelve. ¹¹And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and Amminadab, ¹²And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. ¹³For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. (1 Chronicles 15:1‑13)) is quite remarkable: "Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to serve Him forever" (1 Chron. 15:2²Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever. (1 Chronicles 15:2)). Then, speaking to the Levites: "Ye are the chief fathers of the Levites; hallow yourselves, ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of Jehovah the God of Israel to the place that I have prepared for it. For because ye did it not at the first, Jehovah our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order" (1 Chron. 15:12-13¹²And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it. ¹³For because ye did it not at the first, the Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order. (1 Chronicles 15:12‑13)). These passages are missing in the second book of Samuel, and although Chronicles has, as an exception, recorded David's fault, it is in order to present us with this admirable confession which grace at last produces in him.

The passage from 1 Chron. 15:14-16:6¹⁴So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel. ¹⁵And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord. ¹⁶And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy. ¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, the porters. ¹⁹So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound with cymbals of brass; ²⁰And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth; ²¹And Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obed-edom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with harps on the Sheminith to excel. ²²And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed about the song, because he was skilful. ²³And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark. ²⁴And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obed-edom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark. ²⁵So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with joy. ²⁶And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams. ²⁷And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. ²⁸Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps. ²⁹And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart. ¹So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God. ²And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. ³And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. ⁴And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel: ⁵Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obed-edom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals; ⁶Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. (1 Chronicles 15:14‑16:6) is much more specific than 2 Sam. 6:12-23¹²And it was told king David, saying, The Lord hath blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the city of David with gladness. ¹³And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings. ¹⁴And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. ¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. ¹⁶And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. ¹⁷And they brought in the ark of the Lord, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. ¹⁹And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. ²⁰Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! ²¹And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord. ²²And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honor. ²³Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death. (2 Samuel 6:12‑23). What is most striking is the order instituted by David in the Levitical family concerning the return of the ark. According to God's thought expressed in 1 Sam. 2:35³⁵And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. (1 Samuel 2:35), the priesthood is henceforth dependent upon the kingship. Everything is regulated by David. He himself is "clothed with a robe of byssus, and all the Levites that bore the ark" (1 Chron. 15:27²⁷And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. (1 Chronicles 15:27)). "David had upon him a linen ephod" (1 Chron. 15:27²⁷And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen. (1 Chronicles 15:27)), as in former times Samuel the prophet (1 Sam. 2:18¹⁸But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. (1 Samuel 2:18)). He offered "the burnt-offerings and the peace offerings" (1 Chron. 16:2²And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 16:2)). His identification with the priesthood goes yet further, for like Melchizedek, "he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah" (1 Chron. 16:2²And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 16:2)). Finally, as the true anointed of Jehovah, he satisfies the poor with bread (1 Chron. 16:3³And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. (1 Chronicles 16:3); Psa. 132:15-17¹⁵I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. ¹⁶I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. ¹⁷There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. (Psalm 132:15‑17)). Thus he manifests all the attributes of the Levite, the prophet, the Aaronic priest, and the eternal priest and king with which Christ, the Man according to God's counsels, shall be invested when He appears in His kingdom.

It is David who not only orders the Levites to carry the ark "as Moses had commanded according to the word of Jehovah" (1 Chron. 15:15¹⁵And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 15:15)), but who also appoints singers, musicians, and "doorkeepers for the ark" whose very names are listed. Amid them all the name of Obed-edom, repeated four times (and twice more in 1 Chron. 16:38³⁸And Obed-edom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obed-edom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters: (1 Chronicles 16:38)), shines above all the others. He is doorkeeper for the tabernacle together with the sons of Merari; he is singer, doorkeeper for the ark, and musician. Obed-edom, witness and object of God's grace which had blessed his house and all that belonged to him (1 Chron. 13:14¹⁴And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom, and all that he had. (1 Chronicles 13:14)) on account of the presence of the throne of God in his home, receives very special mention in this book of God's counsels in grace.

Note how often the name "God" is substituted in these chapters for the name "Jehovah" used in the corresponding passages in 2 Samuel. Love and grace are related much more to the first of these names than to the second, which speaks rather of His righteousness, His holiness, and His faithfulness to His Word.

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