THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
did not approve of the murder of Abner and punished those who slew Ishbaal (II Sam. iii. 28-39, iv. 9-12). All Israel then did homage to David, but he seems to have continued his residence at Hebron (II Sam. ii. 11, v. 5; I Chron. xxix. 27). David soon perceived the necessity of making his seat at some central point, and with shrewd foresight selected the Jebusite fortress Jerusalem, which was taken by Joab in a bold attack (II Sam. v. 1-12). To this new center David transferred also the ancient national sanctuary, the ark of the covenant, and showed his humble adherence to his God (II Sam. vi.). His reign was spent in numerous wars against the neighboring peoples. By repeated victories he broke the power of the Philistines (II Sam. v. 17-25, viii. 1-13, xxi. 15-22), and warred successfully with the Ammonites, who were in league with the Syrians, i.e., with Damascus, and the king of Zobah (in cuneiform inscriptions Zubit) (II Sam. viii. 3-8, x. 15-19). His army had experienced champions in the " mighty men " under the command of Abishai, Joab's brother (II Sam. xxiii. 8-39; I Chron. xi. 10-47; see Abishai), and David himself was surrounded by a body-guard whose name points to a Philistine origin (see Cherethitbs AXD Pelethites). With the organization of the army is no doubt connected the census which the prophet Gad censured as an offense for which David humbled himself (II Sam. xxiv.; I Chron. xxi.).
Successful as were David's undertakings abroad, he experienced heavy affliction at home, the result of his own sins. His most disgraceful fall was the adultery with Bath-sheba and the removal of Uriah, her husband (II Sam. xi.), for which he was called to account by the prophet Nathan (II Sam. xii.). The Eastern custom of polygamy was also detrimental to the kingdom, proved by the dissensions of the royal family, connected with which was the attempt of Absalom to supplant his aging father on the throne. After scheming for years, Absalom imagined that the time had 4. Domes- come to usurp the royal power, tic and From Hebron, where he had been pro- Admin- claimed king, the usurper advanced istrative with his followers toward Jerusalem. Difficulties. To save the capital, David went with his choice troops to Mount Olivet. On this sad retreat David exhibited magnanimity and presence of mind, and revealed an honest, deep piety. Absalom, spending his time in celebration of victory, missed his opportunity. With a great multitude he pursued his father over the Jordan, but lost the victory and his life in the " wood of Ephraim " (II Sam. xv.-xxiii.). Though the people were still dissatisfied, David was honorably brought back to Jerusalem (II Sam. xix.) and reigned in peace unto his end. When, shortly before his death, his son Adonijah sued for the favor of the people and was supported even by Joab and Aljiathar, this plan was frustrated by David at the advice of Nathan and Bath-sheba, who had Solomon anointed king (I Kings i.).
The king, a lover of song, had always giv(>n special care to the cultus. He was seriously considering the idea of building a worthy sanctuary on Mount
Zion, where the ark of the covenant was. But the prophet Nathan revealed to him, that this was not
to be done by him, but by his successor, 5. Services adding the promise that God would to the build for himself a home and enter Cultus. into a paternal relation with his
seed. The Chronicler ascribes to David the organization of Levitical chanting (I Chron. XV. 16-24; of. xxiii.).
David's character has been differently estimated. In subsequent times he was considered by his people and by the greatest prophets the pattern of a king after the heart of God; some modern writers
by giving a one-sided prominence to 6. Char- his weaknesses and sins have made acter. a caricature of him (Bayle, Tindal,
Voltaire, Reimarus, and others). He was the most gifted of all the kings of Judah. It needed his courage and presence of mind, his direction and endurance, to unite under one royal scepter the jealous tribes. How he spared his people is learned from II Sam. xxiii. 17; how the people loved him, from I Sam. xviii. 16; II Sam. xviii. 3, xxi. 17. His imperial virtues were fruits of the childlike, devout piety which David preserved as the deepest secret of his strength unto his end. Many things with which he is personally reproached may be explained from the notions and customs of his time, e.g., the cruelty to conquered enemies (II Sam. viii. 2, xii. 31). His sincerity toward Saul's family is shown by his lamentation, II Sam. i. (cf. I Sam. xxiv. 7). The incident related in II Sam. xxi. must be understood from the notions of the time concerning the necessity of an atonement which the whole family had to make for blood innocently shed. The same is true for the last words of David (I Kings ii.) concerning Joab's death. The unanimous agreement of tradition that David was the gifted author of psalmody is evidence that his love of God was sincere. The opinion which in recent times ascribes not one psalm to David is regarded by some scholars as arbitrary skepticism (cf. James Robertson, The Poetry and the Religion of the Psalms, Edinburgh, 1898). For the development of the kingdom of God he did more than many a prophet. In contradistinction to Saul, he showed that the true greatness of the anointed of the Lord consists in his relation to God, and thus mediated to the later prophets the lofty idea, which they bring out in their prophecies: that of the perfect Son of David, an idea which David himself represented only in an imperfect manner. See Psalms; Psalmody.
C. VON Orelli.
Bibliography: Besides the appropriate sections in the works on the History of Israel mentioned under Ahab, consult: A. Kiihler, Lehrbuch der biblischen Geschichte, II. i. 184-188, 373, Erlangen, 1884 (an able characterization); L. P. Baton, Early Hist, of Syria and Palestine, New York, 1901. Of commentaries the two best are K. Budde, Richter und Samuel, pp. 210-276, Giessen, 1890: H. P. Smith, in International Critical Commentary, New York, 1899. Other works worth consulting are: C. R. Conder, Scenery of David's Outlaw Life, in PEF, Quarterly Statement, 1871, pp. 41-48; J. J. Stahelin, Das Leben Davids, Basel, 186(5 (us(!ful for Oriental parallels cited); L. von Hanke, Weltgeschichte, i. 1, Leipsic, 1881; E. Meyer, Geschichte des AUerthums, i. 361 aqq., Stuttgart, 1S84; A. Kamphausen, in ZAl'W, vi (1886), 43 sqq.; T.