This chapter describes one of the most momentous events in the whole Bible - God's chosen king reigns visibly on earth - no longer just over a single tribe - but over all Israel. In fact, the bit about Hiram sending trees to David so he could build a house is a hint of David's fame spreading even beyond Israel.

The people declare when they come to make him king, that David was their bone and flesh. In other words, he wasn't a foreigner. He may have belonged to a different tribe, but he was still part of Israel. In making that consideration, they were remembering Deuteronomy 17.15: 'One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you.

Normally when someone becomes king, it's simply because they're next in line, but here in 2nd Samuel 5 the royal family is changing from Saul's line to David's. One of the reasons the tribes of Israel give for recognising David as king is David has already been doing the job anyway (v.2). It was the king's role to lead the

2 Samuel 5 is a very significant chapter. It tells of the capture of the city of Jerusalem which was inhabited by the Jebusites. They were so confident of resisting David that they said that even the lame and the blind would ward him off. While what actually happens isn't crystal clear, it seems like David's men climb up the

Don't miss that phrase at the end of v9: 'out of every adversity'. Tucked away in 2 Samuel 4 is this great tribute to the goodness and grace of God. Here's a verse we can cling onto in the midst of suffering. He has delivered us out of every adversity - and he's not going to stop now. That sense

Baanah and Rechab hope that by talking about God's providence, David will join them in using Christian language as a mask for ambition. Because David actually has a lot to gain if he goes along with their version of events. They’re handing him what he has been waiting for, for so many years. All he has to do is go

Bannah and Rechab have a pious sounding, theological explanation for what they've done. Do you see it there in the second half of v8? 'The LORD has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring'. It's very pious sounding, isn't it? We're just the instruments, O King. The LORD is the one who has done

It wasn't just Abner who thought that Ish-bosheth was expendable. Two of Abner's own special forces felt the same. They're introduced in the opening verses as Baanah and Rechab. They belong to the tribe of Benjamin - just like Saul and his son. But as we see from v4 onwards, that doesn't stop them executing one of their own in

Ish-bosheth was really just a pawn in the hands of Abner, Saul's army commander. Back in chapter 2v8 we're told that after Saul's death, Abner took Ish-bosheth and made him king over all Israel. It doesn't sound like he even has a say in the matter. Abner's the one pulling the strings. Here in chapter 4, when Ish-bosheth hears that

What is Jesus like? And what is his kingdom like? Those are the questions that we've asked the last two weeks. And we've seen answers to them from the previous two chapters of 2 Samuel. Not that Jesus and his kingdom are described in these chapters in so many words. But David and his kingdom are meant to point us