2 Samuel 18

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2 Samuel 18:1

The Son of David

After His words to and about David personally the LORD speaks about his successor. When David is asleep with his fathers, the LORD will take care of a successor. This shall be one who comes forth out of his body, his son. The LORD will confirm the kingship of that son.

Except that the son shall take the place of David on the throne, the son also shall build the house desired by David for the LORD. To the building of His house by this son the LORD immediately connects a new confirmation of the kingship of the son of David. The LORD even says here that He will “establish” this kingdom “forever”.

The word ‘forever’ appears seven times in this chapter. It is not about temporary things. What is unfolded in this chapter is in connection with the eternal thoughts of God. The favor David receives is greater than what God has done for Moses, or for Joshua, or for any of the judges He called to pasture His people. David’s government is the first to be hereditary. It is a government that will be fully fulfilled when Christ exercises His kingship ‘forever’. In the first place, forever looks at the millennial kingdom of peace, but then also at the eternal state thereafter.

The LORD connects a third remarkable thing – after the building of His house and the establishment of an eternal kingdom – to the son of David. He adopts David’s son as His own son and says that He will be a Father to him. As soon as Solomon is born David gives him a name, but immediately the LORD speaks about who Solomon is for him (2 Samuel 12:24-25). Solomon is a picture of the true Son of David, Who is also the Son of God, in Whom God has found His pleasure.

At the same time it becomes clear that under Solomon the full counsel of God in relation to Christ is not fulfilled. Solomon is a picture of Christ, and his government points to the government of Christ, but Solomon himself is a weak and fallible human being. This is evident from his life. He has finally failed in his responsibility as king. In view of this responsibility, the LORD speaks here of “commits iniquity” and “correct him”, something that cannot possibly be said of the Lord Jesus.

But the LORD promises his constant mercy. He points to Saul and reminds David how He “removed” Saul “from before you”. The remembrance of Saul and how the LORD had to deal with him, is a serious warning. The LORD’s addition that the house and kingship of David “shall endure before Me forever”, must fill David with the greatest gratitude because of the enormous contrast with the LORD’s dealings with Saul.

Nathan has passed on the message of the LORD and what he has seen word for word to David. How must David, during the speaking of Nathan, have been increasingly impressed by the great grace that is being shown to him. The climax is the comparison with Saul. Surely he is not better in himself than Saul, is he? As far as he is concerned, it can only be God’s electing grace. Grateful and overwhelmed by that grace, David utters the impressive prayer of thanks that now follows.

2 Samuel 18:2

The Son of David

2 Samuel 18:3

The Son of David

2 Samuel 18:4

The Son of David

2 Samuel 18:5

The Son of David

2 Samuel 18:6

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

After all that David has heard from Nathan, he goes to the LORD. He takes his place “before the LORD”. He sits down with Him, in peace and quiet in His presence (2 Samuel 7:18). This shows a high degree of confidentiality. He feels at home with God. At the same time he is full of respect for that God. He is impressed by everything God has done and will do for him. He feels overwhelmed by God’s mercies for him and his descendants.

David knows that the LORD did this according to His own heart and made him part of it. He will talk about this with the LORD, thank Him for it in the awareness of proven grace. He is deeply imbued with his own unworthiness. This we hear in what he says: “Who am I … and what is my house” (cf. Genesis 32:10). This mindset characterizes his whole prayer of thanks.

God communicates His plans to us. This is true for His counsels and also for the way we have to go on earth. Do we thank the Lord for including us in His plans and making us part of them? We will do so when we are overwhelmed by His mercy. We will thank Him for making us feel comfortable with Him. We will thank Him for allowing us to rely on His Word, on what He has said, as the basis for every blessing also for us. We will thank Him for allowing us to address him as David does in 2 Samuel 7:28: “Lord LORD, You are God, and Your words are truth.”

David not only expresses his amazement at what the LORD has done, but also at what He will do in the distant future (2 Samuel 7:19). He will do this according “to the custom of men”, that is to say, by letting follow generation by generation. The LORD will always take care of a descendant.

Notice how often David speaks here about God’s Word and what God has spoken. God keeps His Word, as evidenced by the deeds that make it come true. It is also striking that David addresses God six times as “Lord LORD” and speaks of himself ten times as “Your servant”. David knows the power of the word of the LORD, that what He says also happens. He trusts it. He sees it fulfilled in his life and knows that everything will be fulfilled. The word comes from God’s heart. He sees and knows the heart of God.

In 2 Samuel 7:20, however, he begins with the LORD knowing him. Not only is it important to know God, but it is also important to be aware that God knows us. Paul even says that the awareness that God knows us is more than the awareness that we know God (Galatians 4:9a). The reason is that our knowledge of God is partial, but God’s knowledge of us is perfect. This is what impressed David and what should impress us.

He praises the incomparable greatness and power of God. There is no one like Him. To this he directly connects the incomparability of His people with any other people. After David had said of himself in 2 Samuel 7:18: “Who am I”, he says in 2 Samuel 7:23: “what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel?” He also sees God’s goodness for His people that He has redeemed. God’s greatness, power and grace can be seen in His election and redemption of Israel. Just as no one among the gods is equal to God, so no people among the nations are equal to His people. The people belong to God and God belongs to the people. God makes the name of David and His people great; but that is so that David and His people may make His Name great.

In view of his own house David has a prayer (2 Samuel 7:25). He yearns for it and prays that God will make great His Name, which is great, and that He will make it greater, and that He will do so in accordance with His promises concerning Israel and the house of David. He does not speak about what God has spoken about his name, the name of David, but what God has spoken about His own Name, the Name of God (2 Samuel 7:26).

David ends his prayer of thanksgiving by asking that God may bless his house (2 Samuel 7:29). The basis for this prayer is: “For You, O Lord LORD, have spoken.” His house will be eternally blessed by the birth and reign of the great Son of David.

2 Samuel 18:7

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:8

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:9

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:10

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:11

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:12

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:13

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:14

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:15

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:16

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:17

David’s Thanksgiving Prayer

2 Samuel 18:19

Introduction

It is good to see David sitting on the throne in this chapter. Yet it does not reach the scene of the previous chapter, where we saw David sitting before the LORD. As believers, we are destined to sit on thrones. But it is better to get off these thrones, to prostrate ourselves at the feet of the Redeemer and throw down our crowns there. Just as sitting in the LORD’s presence is the high point of David’s life, so is our high point that we prostrate ourselves before Him. Worshiping is greater than reigning.

In this chapter we see David as the man of faith. He breaks the power of the enemy and takes his goods. He also makes preparations for the government of peace and prosperity of his son Solomon.

We also see him as the picture of the Lord Jesus, the King of Zion, Who gains the victory over the enemies of Israel and Who gives His people the possession of the promised land right up to the Euphrates (Genesis 15:18). David rules over all Israel and exercises justice and righteousness over all the people. Those who have shared his wanderings now also share in the glory of his kingdom. In everything we see a picture of the reign of Christ.

David successively overcomes the Philistines, the Moabites, the king of Zobah, the Arameans and the Edomites. He also deals with the Ammonites and the Amalekites. All these enemies represent sin in its many manifestations. All these manifestations are as many enemies who want to have influence in our lives. The Lord wants to give us the strength to overcome those enemies. The armor of God described in Ephesians 6 is given to us (Ephesians 6:10-18). If we put it on, without forgetting a part, we can stand and be victors.

David Beats the Philistines

“Now after” means that there is a link with the foregoing. After the house of David in the previous chapter, in this chapter comes his kingdom. When the house is established, there is also strength to fight. David has been in the sanctuary and is now coming outside to gain victories. We can overcome enemies by the Spirit. The Lord Jesus has conquered the world and we can do so in the power of His Spirit.

The first enemies David defeats are the Philistines. Samson was long ago the man who had been told he would begin to defeat the Philistines (Judges 13:5), but Samson himself was defeated by them. The same goes for Saul. David has already begun to defeat the Philistines (2 Samuel 5:17-25) and is now completing his work. This brings to an end a long period in which the people of God were delivered into the power of the Philistines. Taking control of “the chief city” – by which is probably meant Gath – seems to be an act that is symbolic for the breaking of the power of the Philistines. Now he exercises his influence on the Philistines and subdues them.

2 Samuel 18:20

Other Enemies Defeated

After the Philistines it is Moab’s turn. This enemy is also defeated. Here a pre-fulfillment of the prophecy of Balaam takes place: “A star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab” (Numbers 24:17). In judging the Moabites, David uses lines to measure. In this way he determines who is killed and who is allowed to stay alive. It is reminiscent of the effect of the gospel, of which we read that it is “to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life” (2 Corinthians 2:16).

Moab is also defeated by David. The Moabites remained indebted to Israel until after the death of Ahab. Then they rebelled and were never subjected again (2 Kings 3:4-5). The final submission, according to the quoted prophecy of Balaam, will be done by “the star of Jacob” and the “scepter of Israel”, which in reality refers to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah of Israel.

The spiritual meaning of this enemy is not difficult. We read of Moab that it is characterized by pride and laziness (Isaiah 16:6; Jeremiah 48:11a). These sins are in us, in our flesh. In Christ we have power over sin. In practice, it means that we must keep ourselves dead to sin. This can be done by constantly thinking that our old man has been crucified with Christ. As soon as pride or laziness are to assert themselves in our lives, we must look at Christ and His work on the cross. Only in this way will the flesh not have a chance to assert itself.

The next enemies to be defeated are the Arameans. These enemies try to undermine the authority of David at the extreme borders of God’s people. David goes there to maintain his authority. What God has given as a boundary for His people, the Euphrates (Genesis 15:18), there the enemy tries to regain authority. The spiritual lesson is that there are powers that try to take possession of the boundaries God has given in His Word. For example, we can think of the limitation of marriage as the only area God has given in which sexuality can be experienced in the way He purposed.

The Arameans consist of two groups. We read this in Psalms 60, a psalm David has made in response to the battle described here. David begins with “the Arameans of Zobah” (2 Samuel 8:3-4; Psalms 60:1a). When he goes to the border of his realm at the Euphrates, he finds the king of Zobah on his way. This king claims the possession of the countries that belong to Israel. They are assigned to Abraham and his seed by the promise of God. David beats him, takes his chariots away from him and captures many horsemen and footmen. He also cuts through the hamstrings of many horses, making them lame and unusable for battle.

David also deals with the Arameans of Damascus who came to help the king of Zobah. They do this to their own destruction. All the conspiracy against the LORD and His anointed only simplifies the judgment of them. The enemies of God are also joined together in the end times by an invisible power to be completely destroyed in one moment (Isaiah 8:9). Many of the Arameans are killed by David. As a result he simply conquered Damascus and turned it into a garrison town.