God's Favor

Reflections on 2 Samuel 5:11-12

Use the frame on the left to read these Scriptures.

We have followed David’s wars against the enemies of Israel to their conclusion about half way through his 40-year reign.  Now we will return to the time shortly after David made Jerusalem his capital and his fame was beginning to grow beyond the borders of Israel.  We will now follow domestic affairs until the end of his reign.     

TYRE.  Tyre, a city on the Mediterranean Sea about 100 miles north of Jerusalem, was the principle seaport on the Phoenician coast.  Its ships carried products from the east all across the Mediterranean Sea, and the Phoenicians established colonies as far away as Carthage in northern Africa.  The lands belonging to Tyre bordered the territory allotted to the tribe of Asher.  

HIRAM.  Hiram, the king of Tyre, was favorably disposed toward David and helped him build a palace of stone and cedar wood.  What David provided to Hiram in exchange for the cedar wood and craftsmen is not stated.  Perhaps, as in Solomon’s time, Hiram received agricultural products which his lands were incapable of producing in sufficient amounts (1 Kings 5:10, 18), or he wanted access to the trade routes through Israel.   Regardless, Hiram found it to his benefit to be on friendly terms with David.  (Archaeologists tell us that Hiram I did not become king until late in David’s reign, so this king may have been a predecessor.  Regardless, David had a palace of cedar before the events recorded in 2 Samuel 7:1-2, which were in the first half of David’s reign.) 

GOD’S FAVOR. When Hiram recognized David as ruler of Israel, David understood that 1) God had established him as king, and 2) God had exalted his kingdom.  That knowledge, however did not make him arrogant for he also understood that, ultimately, God did it all “for the sake of his people Israel.”