David, King Of Yahudah And Of Yisrael
The feeling caused by these two murders soon calmed down. The chieftains of Mahanaim, already influenced by Abner's policy, looked towards Hebron; the turn of events seemed increasingly favourable to realization of the unity of the Twelve Tribes.
Save for Mephibosheth (Meribbaal), Jonathan's son, who was lame and deformed, the royal house of Saul was practically speaking no longer in existence (or at least so it was thought).
The royal house of Yahudah was far better placed with David, Saul's former military leader, and the hero of a hundred battles against the Philistines. In the camps the soldiers recounted the warrior's mighty deeds embellishing them, as was only to be expected. In the villages the storytellers entertained the people with David's exploits. In short, throughout the land there was a popular movement, backed up by a powerful political party supported by the leaders of the army and by spiritual circles, demanding that David should be acknowledged as king of all the Hebrews. Logic required it: the two crowns of Yisrael and Yahudah should be reunited on the head of the leader who dwelt at Hebron. Only at this price could the People of YAHWEH be saved from the ever-threatening peril from the, Philistines and, by the same token, be delivered from all danger of separatism.
And so it was that one of the Yisraelite chieftains from Mahanaim, accompanied by soldiers, went to Hebron. There, in true eastern fashion, long and verbose negotiations took place. The golden ingots from David's treasury no doubt played their part. Finally, in the tabernacle at Hebron, in the presence of YAHWEH the solemn pact was concluded and David received the anointing with set apart oil which made him king of Yisrael and of Yahudah.
David was the 'YAHWEH's anointed'
The word 'anointed' is 'MessiYah' in Hebrew. This term, is synonyms of 'appointed king', were subsequently applied to the Chosen People as a whole. Later they were reserved for certain prophets endued with a mission of consolation and hope. Then they were used of the 'liberator' who was foretold and awaited. Lastly, they were applied to YAHSHUA of Nazareth and to him alone.
David, who was already king of Yahudah, had now become king of Yisrael. Henceforward he was to reign over the Twelve Tribes. The herdsman of Bethlehem, in charge of his father's sheep, was now the sovereign of the People of YAHWEH. He had come a long way.
This success was bound to cause serious concern to the Philistines. At one moment they had thought that the two kingdoms of Yahudah and Yisrael, separated and at variance, would come into conflict and destroy each other. The master-stroke by David, their former vassal, took them by surprise. They decided at once on counter measures.
King David and the Foundation of Yerusalem Index King David Sitemap Scripture History Through the Ages