1 CHRONICLES 11 - David becomes king over Israel 

NOTES BY VERSE

Note: each ** comment in this document is listed in numerical order according to the verse(s) from this chapter

** David was a shepherd and the son of a shepherd; the Bible refers to him as the shepherd king of Israel  <L120>

2 Samuel 5:1-2 NIV

[1] All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. [2] In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler. ' ”

1 Chronicles 11:1-2 NIV

[1] All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. [2] In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler. ' ”

Ezekiel 37:24 NIV

[24] “ 'My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd. They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees.

** God promised David through Samuel that he would become king, and he did

1 Chronicles 11:3 NIV

[3] When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

** David conquered Jerusalem and the city was named after him – the City of David – because the Lord Almighty was with him

1 Chronicles 11:7-9 NIV

[7] David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. [8] He built up the city around it, from the terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. [9] And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

** Good leaders who want to unite its people should not show favoritism  <R1795>

• When David was recognized as king by the entire nation, he selected a capital that lay on the border of the northern and southern sections

• The capital was part of neither’s territory

• A person who seeks to unite a people must be careful not to show favoritism

• This is a good principle for parents to follow because each child is unique and should be loved as an individual

1 Chronicles 11:7-8 NIV

[7] David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. [8] He built up the city around it, from the terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city

** Ezra highlighted the valiant forces around David making special mention of the Three and those who fought like them

1 Chronicles 11:11-12,20,22,25 NIV

[11] this is the list of David's mighty warriors: Jashobeam, a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers ; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. [12] Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. [20] Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. [22] Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. [25] He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

** It is right to risk our life for the Lord, but not to satisfy a longing of a worldly leader  <R1795>

• An interesting incident occurred when David voiced his longing of water from a spring

• Three of his followers broke through the line of the Philistines to get it for him

• David refused to drink the water and poured it out ‘as an offering to the Lord’

• David’s act was not of rejecting the gift, but as an expression of the value he placed on the lives of his men

1 Chronicles 11:17-19 NIV

[17] David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” [18] So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the Lord. [19] “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.