patriarchs and prophets-第163节

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strangers　from　long　distances；　stood　to　witness　the　coronation　of　the　chosen
king。　David　was　arrayed　in　the　royal　robe。　The　sacred　oil　was　put　upon　his
brow　by　the　high　priest；　for　the　anointing　by　Samuel　had　been　prophetic　of
what　would　take　place　at　the　inauguration　of　the　king。　The　time　had　come；
and　David；　by　solemn　rite；　was　consecrated　to　his　office　as　God's
vicegerent。　The　scepter　was　placed　in　his　hands。　The　covenant　of　his
righteous　sovereignty　was　written；　and　the　people　gave　their　pledges　of
loyalty。　The　diadem　was　placed　upon　his　brow；　and　the　coronation　ceremony
was　over。　Israel　had　a　king　by　divine　appointment。　He　who　had　waited
patiently　for　the　Lord；　beheld　the　promise　of　God　fulfilled。　〃And　David　went
on；　and　grew　great；　and　the　Lord　God　of　hosts　was　with　him。〃　2　Samuel　5：10。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（703）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　70

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Reign　of　David


As　soon　as　David　was　established　on　the　throne　of　Israel　he　began　to　seek　a
more　appropriate　location　for　the　capital　of　his　realm。　Twenty　miles　from
Hebron　a　place　was　selected　as　the　future　metropolis　of　the　kingdom。　Before
Joshua　had　led　the　armies　of　Israel　over　Jordan　it　had　been　called　Salem。
Near　this　place　Abraham　had　proved　his　loyalty　to　God。　Eight　hundred　years
before　the　coronation　of　David　it　had　been　the　home　of　Melchizedek；　the
priest　of　the　most　high　God。　It　held　a　central　and　elevated　position　in　the
country　and　was　protected　by　an　environment　of　hills。　Being　on　the　border
between　Benjamin　and　Judah；　it　was　in　close　proximity　to　Ephraim　and　was
easy　of　access　to　the　other　tribes。

In　order　to　secure　this　location　the　Hebrews　must　dispossess　a　remnant　of
the　Canaanites；　who　held　a　fortified　position　on　the　mountains　of　Zion　and
Moriah。　This　stronghold　was　called　Jebus；　and　its　inhabitants　were　known　as
Jebusites。　For　centuries　Jebus　had　been　looked　upon　as　impregnable；　but　it
was　besieged　and　taken　by　the　Hebrews　under　the　command　of　Joab；　who；　as　the
reward　of　his　valor；　was　made　commander…in…chief　of　the　armies　of　Israel。
Jebus　now　became　the　national　capital；　and　its　heathen　name　was　changed　to
Jerusalem。

Hiram；　king　of　the　wealthy　city　of　Tyre；　on　the　Mediterranean　Sea；　now
sought　an　alliance　with　the　king　of　Israel；　and　lent　his　aid　to　David　in　the
work　of　erecting　a　palace　at　Jerusalem。　Ambassadors　were　sent　from　Tyre；
accompanied　by　architects　and　workmen　and　long　trains　laden　with　costly
wood；　cedar　trees；　and　other　valuable　material。

The　increasing　strength　of　Israel　in　its　union　under　David；　the　acquisition
of　the　stronghold　of　Jebus；　and　the　alliance　with　Hiram；　king　of　Tyre；
excited　the　hostility　of　the　Philistines；　and　they　again　invaded　the　country
with　a　strong　force；　taking　up

704

their　position　in　the　valley　of　Rephaim；　but　a　short　distance　from
Jerusalem。　David　with　his　men　of　war　retired　to　the　stronghold　of　Zion；　to
await　divine　direction。　〃And　David　inquired　of　the　Lord；　saying；　Shall　I　go
up　to　the　Philistines？　wilt　thou　deliver　them　into　mine　hand？　And　the　Lord
said　unto　David；　Go　up：　for　I　will　doubtless　deliver　the　Philistines　into
thine　hand。〃

David　advanced　upon　the　enemy　at　once；　defeated　and　destroyed　them；　and　took
from　them　the　gods　which　they　had　brought　with　them　to　ensure　their　victory。
Exasperated　by　the　humiliation　of　their　defeat；　the　Philistines　gathered　a
still　larger　force；　and　returned　to　the　conflict。　And　again　they　〃spread
themselves　in　the　valley　of　Rephaim。〃　Again　David　sought　the　Lord　and　the
great　I　Am　took　the　direction　of　the　armies　of　Israel。

God　instructed　David；　saying；　〃Thou　shalt　not　go　up；　but　fetch　a　compass
behind　them；　and　come　upon　them　over　against　the　mulberry　trees。　And　let　it
be；　when　thou　hearest　the　sound　of　a　going　in　the　tops　of　the　mulberry
trees；　that　then　thou　shalt　bestir　thyself：　for　then　shall　the　Lord　go　out
before　thee；　to　smite　the　host　of　the　Philistines。〃　If　David；　like　Saul；　had
chosen　his　own　way；　success　would　not　have　attended　him。　But　he　did　as　the
Lord　had　commanded；　and　he　〃smote　the　host　of　the　Philistines　from　Gibeon
even　to　Gazer。　And　the　fame　of　David　went　out　into　all　lands；　and　the　Lord
brought　the　fear　of　him　upon　all　nations。〃　1　Chronicles　14：16；　17。

Now　that　David　was　firmly　established　upon　the　throne　and　free　from　the
invasions　of　foreign　foes；　he　turned　to　the　accomplishment　of　a　cherished
purposeto　bring　up　the　ark　of　God　to　Jerusalem。　For　many　years　the　ark　had
remained　at　Kirjath…jearim；　nine　miles　distant；　but　it　was　fitting　that　the
capital　of　the　nation　should　be　honored　with　the　token　of　the　divine
Presence。

David　summoned　thirty　thousand　of　the　leading　men　of　Israel；　for　it　was　his
purpose　to　make　the　occasion　a　scene　of　great　rejoicing　and　imposing
display。　The　people　responded　gladly　to　the　call。　The　high　priest；　with　his
brethren　in　sacred　office　and　the　princes　and　leading　men　of　the　tribes；
assembled　at　Kirjath…jearim。　David　was　aglow　with　holy　zeal。　The　ark　was
brought　out　from　the　house　of　Abinadab　and　placed　upon　a　new　cart　drawn　by
oxen；　while　two　of　the　sons　of　Abinadab　attended　it。

The　men　of　Israel　followed　with　exultant　shouts　and　songs　of

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　705

rejoicing；　a　multitude　of　voices　joining　in　melody　with　the　sound　of　musical
instruments；　〃David　and　all　the　house　of　Israel　played　before　the　Lord　。　。　。
on　harps；　and　on　psalteries；　and　on　timbrels；　and　on　cornets；　and　on
cymbals。〃　It　had　been　long　since　Israel　had　witnessed　such　a　scene　of
triumph。　With　solemn　gladness　the　vast　procession　wound　its　way　along　the
hills　and　valleys　toward　the　Holy　City。

But　〃when　they　came　to　Nachon's　threshing　floor；　Uzzah　put　forth　his　hand　to
the　ark　of　God；　and　took　hold　of　it；　for　the　oxen　shook　it。　And　the　anger　of
the　Lord　was　kindled　against　Uzzah；　and　God　smote　him　there　for　his
rashness；＇*　MARGINAL　READING＇　and　there　he　died　by　the　ark　of　God。〃　A　sudden
terror　fell　upon　the　rejoicing　throng。　David　was　astonished　and　greatly
alarmed；　and　in　his　heart　he　questioned　the　justice　of　God。　He　had　been
seeking　to　honor　the　ark　as　the　symbol　of　the　divine　presence。　Why；　then；
had　that　fearful　judgment　been　sent　to　turn　the　season　of　gladness　into　an
occasion　of　grief　and　mourning？　Feeling　that　it　would　be　unsafe　to　have　the
ark　near　him；　David　determined　to　let　it　remain　where　it　was。　A　place　was
found　for　it　nearby；　at　the　house　of　Obed…edom　the　Gittite。

The　fate　of　Uzzah　was　a　divine　judgment　upon　the　violation　of　a　most
explicit　command。　Through　Moses　the　Lord　had　given　special　instruction
concerning　the　transportation　of　the　ark。　None　but　the　priests；　the
descendants　of　Aaron；　were　to　touch　it；　or　even　to　look　upon　it　uncovered。
The　divine　direction　was；　〃The　sons　of　Kohath　shall　come　to　bear　it：　but
they　shall　not　touch　any　holy　thing；　lest　they　die。〃　Numbers　4：15。　The
priests　were　to　cover　the　ark；　and　then　the　Kohathites　must　lift　it　by　the
staves；　which　were　placed　in　rings　upon　each　side　of　the　ark　and　were　never
removed。　To　the　Gershonites　and　Merarites；　who　had　in　charge　the　curtains
and　boards　and　pillars　of　the　tabernacle；　Moses　gave　carts　and　oxen　for　the
transportation　of　that　which　was　committed　to　them。　〃But　unto　the　sons　of
Kohath　he　gave　none：　because　the　service　of　the　sanctuary　belonging　unto
them　was　that　they　should　bear　upon　their　shoulders。〃　Numbers　7：9。　Thus　in
the　bringing　of　the　ark　from　Kirjath…jearim　there　had　been　a　direct　and
inexcusable　disregard　of　the　Lord's　directions。

David　and　his　people　had　assembled　to　perform　a　sacred　work；　and　they　had
engaged　in　it　with　glad　and　willing　hearts；

706

but　the　Lord　could　not　accept　the　service；　because　it　was　not　performed　in
accordance　with　His　directions。　The　Philistines；　who　had　not　a　knowledge　of
God's　law；　had　placed　the　ark　upon　a　cart　when　they　returned　it　to　Israel；
and　the　Lord　accepted　the　effort　which　they　made。　But　the　Israelites　had　in
their　hands　a　plain　statement　of　the　will　of　God　in　all　these　matters；　and
their　neglect　of　these　instructions　was　dishonoring　to　God。　Upon　Uzzah
rested　the　greater　guilt　of　presumption。　Transgression　of　God's　law　had
lessened　his　sense　of　its　sacredness；　and　with　unconfessed　sins　upon　him　he
had；　in　face　of　the　divine　prohibition；　presumed　to　touch　the　symbol　of
God's　presence。　God　can　accept　no　partial　obedience；　no　lax　way　of　treating
His　commandments。　By　the　judgment　upon　Uzzah　He　designed　to　impress　upon　all
Israel　the　importance　of　giving　strict　heed　to　His　requirements。　Thus　the
death　of　that　one　man；　by　leading　the　people　to　repentance；　might　prevent
the　necessity　of　inflicting　judgments　upon　thousands。

Feeling　that　his　own　heart　was　not　wholly　right　with　God；　David；　seeing　the
stroke　upon　Uzzah；　had　feared　the　ark；　lest　some　sin　on　his　part　should
bring　judgments　upon　him。　But　Obed…edom；　though　he　rejoiced　with　trembling；
welcomed　the　sacred　symbol　as　the　pledge　of　God's　favor　to　the　obedient。　The
attention　of　all　Israel　was　now　directed　to　the　Gittite　and　his　household；
all　watched　to　see　how　it　would　fare　wi