The Philistines were waging a fierce battle against Israel, and "the men of Israel fled". Many were killed on Mt. Gilboa. And the Philistines were pressing close.
We can almost picture the scene:
One scholar said " All day long the fight lasted...ill had it fared with Israel.
Ch 10
The three sons of Saul - foremost among them the noble Jonathan- had fallen in the combat".
The enemy archers find Saul, and he's wounded. (1-3).
Not wanting to be captured alive, Saul asks his armor bearer to run him through with his sword, but he "was unwilling, because he was very much afraid ".
So Saul falls on his own sword, and the armor bearer, seeing the king is dead, follows suit.
Soon, all Saul's personal attendants are dead. (4-6).
The same scholar says "and now darkness stayed further deeds of blood. Before the morning light the tidings of Israel's defeat had spread far and wide".
The bible says the people "began to abandon their cities and flee; the Philistines then came and occupied them". (7).
The next day the Philistines set about plundering the fallen, and they found the bodies of Saul and his sons. "So they stripped him and took off his head and his armor", and spread the news of their victory.
Then "they put his armor in the house of their god and fastened his skull to the house of Dagon". (8-10).
This happened at Beth-shan, where according to the research notes, excavations have provided evidence of both the temples of Ashtoreth and of Dagon, harmonizing the account in 1 Sam 31:10 with 1 Chron 10:10.
The news of the desecration of the bodies reached the men of Jabesh Gilead, who bravely "rose up and carried off the corpse of Saul and the corpses of his sons". They were given a decent burial, and a fast was held for seven days. (11&12).
Josephus acknowledges Saul's courage, saying "although he knew what was coming upon him...he did not resolve to flee from death ".
But sadly, the bible makes clear the reason for Saul's death:
he "died for the unfaithfulness he had shown against Jehovah...also for consulting a spirit medium instead of inquiring of Jehovah. So he put him to death and turned the kingship over to David ". (13&14).
The research notes say "when men turn away from Jehovah...they easily fall victim to spiritistic demon influence ".
Ch 11.
"In time all the Israelites gathered to David at Hebron ", saying they were his own "bone and flesh " or his blood relations. (1).
They acknowledged his military leadership when Saul was king, and they knew that years before, Jehovah had chosen him as the next king :
"And Jehovah your God said..."You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become leader ". (2).
"Then they anointed David as king...according to Jehovah's word through Samuel ". (3).
Jerusalem, or Zion, which had been thought impregnable by its inhabitants, became the capital city instead of Hebron in 1070 BCE. It was known from then on as "the city of David ".
Joab took the city by climbing up the vertical shaft of the water tunnel with his men and becoming chief of the army as a result. (4-7).
The research notes point out that this site was very suitable for a stronghold, being protected on 3 sides by deep valleys, and requiring major protection only from the north.
It covered, after David "began to build up the city ", an area of around 4-6 ha, or 10-15 acres. (8).
Vs 9 tells us "David became greater and greater, and Jehovah of armies was with him ".
The cessation of the long period of rivalry and jealousy that Saul had exhibited towards David must have been a tremendous relief.
Verses 10-47 list the names of the men who were "the heads of David's mighty warriors, who gave him strong support in his kingship, together with all Israel".
David was now the undisputed king of the whole nation.
Among those who are listed here, we see men we are familiar with from the book of Kings:
Abishai, Benaiah, Asahel, and Uriah to name just a few.
And we are reminded in vs 17-19 of the respect David had for the sanctity of blood by refusing to drink the water that his men obtained at the risk of their lives.
Ch 12.
Chronicles gives not only the names of the leading men who joined David at different times, with their tribal connections, it also helps us learn more about their motivations.
In vs 2 we are told "the brothers of Saul from Benjamin " (meaning men from the tribe of Benjamin) came to support David at Ziklag. The research notes say that, as Jacob had prophesied, the descendants of Benjamin were fierce fighters for the worship and government established by God ".
They were experts at using the bow and the sling.
Why did the Benjaminites stick so closely to Judah, despite Israel's first king coming from their own tribe?
It was because of Jacob's prophecy that the "Lion of the tribe of Judah " would be the awaited Shiloh, or Messiah.
The men of Benjamin chose the loyal course.
Some of the men of Gad came to David in the wilderness, evidently in the mountains of Ziph.
The research notes call them "valiant men ".
They crossed the Jordan "when it was overflowing it's banks", so the river was in full flood, similar to when Joshua crossed. But the men of Gad had to swim across! And they had to not only swim across, but cut their way through those who would have blocked their way!
The research notes say "it was a feat worthy of mention ". (8-15).
Of the men of Judah and Benjamin who also "came to David at his stronghold " during this time, headed by Amasai,
when David said "if you have come...to help me, my heart will be united with you ", how did they answer?
The bible says "the spirit came upon Amasai" (saying)
"we are yours, O David...For your God is helping you ".
David then "received them and appointed them among the heads of the troops". (16-18).
The last contingent to join David, recorded from vs 19 onwards, are men from the tribe of Manasseh who deserted Saul to support David at Ziklag.
7 chiefs, leading thousands of men, flocked to David's side.
And they continued coming. (22).
Verse 23:
"This is the number...who came to David at Hebron...to turn the kingship of Saul over to him according to Jehovah's order ".
They came to him from Judah, from Simeon, from the Levites, from Benjamin, Issachar, Ephraim, Gad, Manasseh, Naphtali, Asher, Dan, and from the Reubenites.
From both sides of the Jordan they came, " with a complete heart...united in wanting to make David king". (37&38).
What a sight it must have been! Well over 300,000 men came to David at Hebron.
( I counted 339,600 men and 1,224 chiefs, including Jehoiada and Zadok).
Many brought food for the celebration,
and the bible says;
"there was rejoicing in Israel ". (40).
Lesson for us.
Josephus noted Saul's physical courage in that final battle. But Jeremiah later wrote "Cursed is the man who...relies on human power, and whose heart turns away from Jehovah ". (Jer 17:5).
We need courage, but it needs to be the right kind of courage ; based on our love for Jehovah, and obedience to his sovereignty in the face of the pressures Satan brings upon us.
We need the kind of courage Jesus had.
Moses told the Israelites "Be courageous and strong...for Jehovah your God is the one marching with you ". He said these words on the other side of the Jordan river, he would not be crossing with them. (Deut 31:6).
The river was in full flood, but the waters stopped flowing up stream, and the whole nation crossed over safely.
It was to be different for the men of Gad, who had to literally swim those waters. One scholar says "breaking away from the army of Saul (they) crossed the Jordan in the dangerous floodtime of early spring". And then they had to fight on reaching the other bank.
The Hebrew word most often used for courage is 'chazaq' ; 'be courageous and strong '.
How did these men look at those raging waters and find the courage to swim?
They knew Jehovah was with them, just as Moses had promised.
Christians too are admonished to be courageous.
Sometimes that requires the courage to face persecution, but sometimes it requires a different kind of courage.
Saul's armor bearer refused to kill him, even in those desperate circumstances and at his request.
Why? It would have probably been terrible to have been taken alive, and it was the last service his king asked of him.
But the man showed moral courage, keeping his integrity to God, not wanting to lift his hand against Jehovah's anointed.
That he didn't lack courage, was not a coward, is clear from the fact that he followed Saul in death rather than fleeing the battle.
The men from Jabesh Gilead were also exceptionally courageous. They went into enemy territory, after a terrible defeat, to reclaim the mutilated bodies of Saul and his sons.
And Joab showed courage when he took a near impregnable city by climbing up a water shaft with, presumably, a limited force to back him up.
In fact, David was surrounded by both men and women who showed tremendous courage and strength, enduring many hardships in the years of Saul's relentless pursuit, and in the wars he fought as Israel's leader and king.
David faced the Philistines, the Amalakites, enemies both within and without.
He won the allegiance of men prepared to follow him with absolute loyalty.
When he finally became king over all Israel at the age of 37, the responsibility of leading and shepherding the nation must surely at times have felt overwhelming.
But he faced his responsibilities with the same courage he'd displayed in the years of Saul's kingship. And with the same trust in Jehovah his God.
It's not unusual for us to feel overwhelmed, or even inadequate.
Moses certainly felt that way at times, Paul too wrote of how he had similar worries and pressures. (Num 11:11, 2 Cor 11:28).
And in ways both large and small, so do we.
It's not the challenge itself, it's the courage with which we face that challenge that matters.
They came to Hebron from every part of the land, from both sides of the river, from far flung territory, and from David's home tribe.
They came to support the king.
Reading the account stirs our hearts, it reminds us of those flocking to our heavenly king now :
"Look! a great crowd...out of all nations and tribes and peoples". (Rev 7:9).
And it reminded me of Isaiah's words at Isa 60:4 :
" Raise your eyes and look all around you! They have been assembled; they are coming to you.
From far away your sons keep coming, and your daughters...".
Just as the men of Israel kept coming to David, those of both the heavenly and the earthly hope, those whom Jehovah views as sons and daughters, keep on coming today, flocking to support his kingdom and his king.
On the subject of courage, it was David who wrote:
"Be courageous, and may your heart be strong,
All you who are waiting for Jehovah ". (Ps 31:24)
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