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David had become King of all the tribes of Israel, as well of Judah, after the deaths of Abner, and the remaining son of Saul, King Ishbosheth, and wasted no time in putting all his ideas into action. Fortunately the Philistines who ruled most of the countryside after defeating Israel at Mt Gilboa, still thought of David as their vassal, and in the international power-vacuum of the 11th cent BCE, David's small enthusiastic band of fighting men made the most of their opportunity.
Their first spectacular achievement was the capture of the Canaanite fortress belonging to the Jebusites, JERUSALEM! It was a master-stroke for many reasons:
It could legitimately become known as 'the City of David', without demur.
If he wooed its citizens with his charm, they also would be enthusiastic about the greater wealth and prosperity it would bring them. Life could be good for them, even though conquered by David!
David's first building project there extended its excellent strategic fortifications , making it difficult again for any other army to capture it.
So, how had David captured the city so easily, in spite of the obvious difficulties?
Until fairly recently, the scanty OT records in the KJ translation were all we had. There are two reports, one in the prophetic histories, 2 Sam 5.6-10, and one in the priestly histories, 1Chron 11.4-9, which, together, talk of 'going up the gutter', and the 'first one up will be commander of the army', so 'David lived in the castle of Zion', and Joab commanded the army. It was a strange victory over an impregnable city, so well-defended that its citizens could boast that a crowd of cripples could hold off any enemy.
In 1867, a British tourist, Captain Charles Warren, an experienced engineer, began a survey of the water supply of Jerusalem, and looking up inside a cave he noticed a crevice. He returned next day with climbing-tackle, climbed and struggled upwards, into a wide shaft cut in the rock. Eventually he emerged into daylight in what had been the old city. His discovery of the water-shaft was confirmed as there in David's time, by the archeologist, Kathleen Kenyon, in 1961. She found evidence of the old Jebusite wall below the entrance to Warren's shaft! So Joab had infiltrated the city via its water-shaft, as the Greeks had entered Troy with a wooden horse! The city was captured undamaged, and David took possession of its castle, known as Zion, The 'dry place'.
We now know that Jerusalem had been a centre of population since the Middle Bronze Age, and a prosperous place even then. In Abraham's time its priest-king, Melchizedech, had emerged to greet the traveller, and the Amarna letters in Egypt are evidence of its culture, able to send diplomatic correspondence to the Pharaoh. Its original name was Uru-Salem, (founded by the god, Salem), and several gods were worshipped there as well, mainly El-Elyon, and Zedek, god of the priest-king.
The Jebusites were probably Hittite in origin, so the city's culture replicated that of Ugarit, but its administration shows many similarities with the Egyptian system. It was a wealthy city - no wonder that David wanted it! And its capture was a foretaste of a lot more to come.
Then the Philistines woke up. Their tamed vassal had broken free, and needed to be checked. Almost immediately after capturing Jerusalem, David's excited young army was forced to meet their old enemy again. Two battles, fought in quick succession, turned the tables completely in Israel's favour, and David became master of the whole territory of Israel's tribes. His Kingdom was on the way to becoming a Nation, a strong one too, for now Israel had weapons of iron.
David developed a brilliant strategy for incorporating new people and other Canaanite cities into his kingdom, following the precedent he set in Jerusalem. His style was very authoritarian and different from the old Israelite Confederacy. It can be summarized very simply - You will now have me for your King, and my God, YHWH, for your God. It was unthinkable in those days that religion was a matter of private concern, and the State's authority was always upheld by the official religion of the State.
With this strategy David took over the whole of Jerusalem as it already was, with very little disruption to life there. The king was displaced, and the king's treasury appropriated by David, along with the palace and the harem. (if the king were not killed, could he have been 'Araunah' meaning the 'ruler', who sold his threshing floor to David, for an altar to YHWH?) The aristocracy remained intact, keeping their lives and their property, and able to continue trading as before. No doubt their new ruler promised them even greater riches and importance for their city, in the nation he intended to build. We hear of no overt opposition to David from them.
The army and the civil service always serve the master who pays well, (and David was rich!), The Jebusite army became the personal Guard, of David, under their own commander, Benaiah, while Joab was the very loyal Commander of the fighting forces which captured more and more people and lands for David's kingdom.
The chief administrators kept their jobs, Seraiah was the Secretary, and Jehoshaphat the Recorder who kept all the accounts. (NB these men have been re-named, incorporating their new God's name into theirs, Jah, and -iah).
These people were the sophisticated, educated elite of Jerusalem, who continued writing as before, using their same language, and the new alphabet from Ugarit. Their language soon became the norm for all the records of David's reign, and thus became the language of the prose narratives of the OT!
- the language we know as Hebrew.
The gods of Jerusalem, Salem - 'safety', El-Elyon - 'almighty', and Zedech were replaced officially by YHWH who was given new titles - YHWH of Hosts, and the Holy One of Israel. The old cult, however, went on as before, using its familiar music, songs and rites, with its Chief Priest, Zadok, holding equal rank with the descendant of Eli, Abiathar. It is possible to find traces of the old Ugaritic poetry in some of our psalms, and now sung in honour of YHWH. The New Year festival continued, in altered form for YHWH, and the processional, enthronement, royal psalms reflect this too: eg. Ps 110, 'YHWH says to my lord, (David), sit at my right hand .............YHWH has sworn - You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech' So David was being elevated to priest-king status, a feature of Canaanite religion, not as before in Israel, where Saul had been castigated for offering a sacrifice.
The Ark of the Covenant, together with the Tent of Meeting, the two ancient, holy symbols of YHWH in the wilderness days, were found and brought to Jerusalem in a very spectacular manner, with music, dancing and feasting, with sacrifices being offered all along the way. Even David danced, so enthusiastically that he embarrassed his wife, Michal. The story is in 2 Sam 6.
When David wanted to build a new temple for YHWH, (something very new for Israel), the Canaanite prophet of state, Nathan, advised delay. He was more concerned for the continuing stability of the new regime, and persuaded David that his God would prefer to make a new, (unconditional), covenant with David's family, promising that the new dynasty would sit on the throne of Jerusalem for ever. This 'Davidic Covenant' became the foundation of all future Messianic hopes and expectations.
David's Empire expanded rapidly with Joab's expertise. All the Canaanite city-states capitulated, and most of the Philistines too. David's policy of incorporation brought prosperity for all, as David's ever-increasing wealth obviated the need for taxation. He was the one and only King of the whole land, now the Nation of Israel. Neighbouring Kings began to take note, and King Hiram of Tyre made friends, sending materials and craftsmen to build a new palace in Jerusalem. The three Transjordanian kings of Ammon, Moab and Edom were conquered, and then David's army went further north than ever before. His army conquered Damascus, and land as far as the R. Euphrates. David acquired much booty, of gold, silver and bronze, as well as damask silks for his wives. King Toi of Hamath sent his son, Prince Joram with lots of gifts for David. The Philistines tried to turn the tables, but failed again.
2 Sam 8.15 - 'YHWH gave victory to David wherever he went .....David administered justice and equity to all his people' David acquired much wealth, many royal homes and many wives for his harem.
In 20 years 'Israel' had been transformed for ever.
Any possible resentment against David would have fomented round Saul's deposed family and tribe, but David dealt kindly but firmly with Saul's grandson, Mephibosheth. Saul's estates were restored to him and Saul's old servant made bailiff, but Mephibosheth, himself, was made to live in David's house, no doubt where his activities could be supervised!
David's triumphs did not last for ever, but his beautiful poetry has done.
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