(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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2 Samuel 2:1–7, “And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron. So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite. And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul. And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him. And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant: for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.”
One of the reasons that David was a man after the Lord’s own heart was that he would ask the Lord for guidance before he set out on any venture. David had been anointed by Samuel to be the king of Israel and the previous king was now dead. David wanted to know if he should go into the cities of Judah, his own tribe. Before that David had been confined to the desert and to the Philistine territory because Saul wanted to kill him. David wanted to leave his fugitive life behind him but he didn’t want to go and be killed because the people were still loyal to Saul. The Lord told David that it would be quite safe for him to go back and settle in Judah. In fact, the Lord told David to go to Hebron. Hebron was part of Caleb’s inheritance and was also a priestly city. At that stage it was probably Judah’s most significant city because Caleb had been Judah’s leader when Israel came into the Promised Land. As befitted his status as a highly decorated and important military leader, and the anointed king, David brought his family with him. David and his troops moved into the area and took up residence. The people of Judah came to David and made him their king. When David was settled as king of Judah, his tribesmen told him about the people from Jabeshgilead and how they had taken Saul’s body and buried it after his body was desecrated by the Philistines. David blessed them in the Lord’s Name. David also told them that they didn’t have to be afraid, even though Saul was dead for he had been anointed king in Judah and he would give them his protection, even though they lived on the other side of the Jordan River.
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