SERIES K --- ISRAEL’S GOLDEN AGE --- LESSON 04

WORSHIP IN JERUSALEM

THE ARK IS ARRANGED IN THE TABERNACLE

From 2 Samuel 6:19-23; 1 Chronicles 16:37-43

King David left Asaph and his companions in charge of the Ark of Adonai, to keep a daily ministry at the tabernacle. Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, Hosah and sixty-eight other Levites were left there to assist them as gatekeepers. King David maintained the old tabernacle on the hill of Gibeon, leaving Zadok the high priest and some other priests to serve Adonai there. Each morning and evening they sacrificed burnt offerings to Adonai upon the altar which was dedicated for that purpose, according to the Law which Adonai had given to Israel. The king also chose Heman, Jeduthun and some others to offer thanks to Adonai for His enduring love. They accompanied the singers with trumpets and cymbals, offering praises to Adonai. David also appointed Jeduthun’s sons as gatekeepers. When the great celebration ended, the people returned to their homes and David returned to his palace to bless his household. But Saul’s daughter Michal, David’s wife, came out to meet him with bitter words. ‘Didn’t the king of Israel look like some vulgar man today!’ she sneered. ‘Imagine! Exposing yourself like that before all those girls in the crowd!’ [Michal had watched David from her window as he had danced before the Ark.] ‘I was dancing in joy to Adonai,’ David answered. ‘He chose me above your father and his family as king of all Israel. I wanted to express my joy to Him for making me the ruler of His people. I don’t mind humbling myself to show joy to Him. In fact, I would humble myself far more than I did today. And those girls you sneer at show more respect for me than you do.’ From that time, Michal was childless, for she and her husband David probably kept apart.

COMMENTARY

KING DAVID’S WIVES

King David had at least eight prominent wives, plus concubines and other wives not named in the Bible. By mentioning these women, the Bible is not approving of David’s practice, but merely reporting accurately what he did. David married three wives before he became king and set up his capital in Hebron; Michal, Ahinoam and Abigail. While living at Hebron, he married four more; Maacah, Haggith, Abital and Eglah. After he moved his capital to Jerusalem, he married Bathsheba. David’s practice of marrying so many women brought many heartaches. The numerous sons born from these marriages became jealous of one another and brought their mothers into their struggles for power. One son, Absalom, murdered his half brother Amnon in revenge, for Amnon had defiled Absalom’s sister. Absalom later rebelled against King David and tried to steal the throne from him. Bathsheba pressured David into promising that her son Solomon would succeed him as king. While some of David’s marriages were for love, he like his son Solomon, also married for political reasons. He, also like Solomon, discovered that politics and love do not always mix well. One must remember however, that it was common in the ancient world for kings to have numerous wives. Solomon went far beyond his father David in the number of women he married.