Scripture Daily

Context No. 90 of 4322 · 1 Chronicles

Context · Reflection

1 Chronicles 11:1-9: in context

1Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. The LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD. They anointed David king over Israel, according to the LORD’s word by Samuel. 4David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (also called Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. 5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here!” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is David’s city. 6David had said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief. 7David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it David’s city. 8He built the city all around, from Millo even around; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9David grew greater and greater, for the LORD of Armies was with him.

Chronicles skips over the years of civil war between David's supporters and Saul's house, which the book of Samuel tells at length, and goes straight to the day all Israel came to David at Hebron. This passage is that day, and then the taking of Jerusalem.

The elders say two things. We are your bone and your flesh, a kinship claim, and you were the one leading Israel out and back even while Saul was king, a competence claim. Then they anoint him according to the word of the LORD by Samuel, which had happened privately years earlier. The public act catches up with the private one.

Jerusalem at this point is a Jebusite town, and its people tell David he will not get in. He takes the stronghold anyway, and the city becomes the City of David. The detail Chronicles keeps is that Joab went up first and became chief. Then a line worth pausing on: David built the city around from the Millo, and Joab repaired the rest of it. One man takes a city, another rebuilds the parts nobody sings about. Which of those two jobs am I actually willing to do?

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