Wednesday Bible Study: Need for a disability rights movement

In Chapter 5 David becomes king of Israel and establishes his capital in Jerusalem, so it's definitely a pivotal moment in the imaginary history. (As I've said before the truth is that at the time these events purportedly happened, Jerusalem was at most a small village.) However, I have to say he doesn't do any of it in a nice way. He already has at least 7 wives but he takes several more, we aren't told exactly how many. Funny thing about that -- Deuteronomy 17:17:

The king must not take many wives for himself, because they will turn his heart away from the LORD. And he must not accumulate large amounts of wealth in silver and gold for himself.

 

Oh well, who cares what that old fart Moses had to say. 

 

As to the next point I'm going with the Revised Standard Version which is consistent with other translations, whereas the NIV tries to clean this up a bit. The blind and the lame are "hated by David's soul." He orders his men to attack them specifically in the conquest of Jerusalem, and they "shall not come into the house." So there you have it, all ye who live according to the moral instruction of the Bible. As for the rest of it, it's just the usual God helping Israel smite the Philistines.

 

5 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. ² In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you that led out and brought in Israel; and the Lord said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” ³ So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. ⁴ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

Jerusalem Made Capital of the United Kingdom

⁶ And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jeb′usites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, “You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off”—thinking, “David cannot come in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. ⁸ And David said on that day, “Whoever would smite the Jeb′usites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul.” Therefore it is said, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.” ⁹ And David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the city of David. And David built the city round about from the Millo inward. ¹⁰ And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him.

¹¹ And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, also carpenters and masons who built David a house. ¹² And David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ And David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron; and more sons and daughters were born to David. ¹⁴ And these are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Sham′mu-a, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Eli′shu-a, Nepheg, Japhi′a, ¹⁶ Elish′ama, Eli′ada, and Eliph′elet.

Philistine Attack Repulsed

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; but David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the valley of Reph′aim. ¹⁹ And David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Wilt thou give them into my hand?” And the Lord said to David, “Go up; for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” ²⁰ And David came to Ba′al-pera′zim, and David defeated them there; and he said, “The Lord has broken through^[a] my enemies before me, like a bursting flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Ba′al-pera′zim.^{[b] 21} And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

²² And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread out in the valley of Reph′aim. ²³ And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees. ²⁴ And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then bestir yourself; for then the Lord has gone out before you to smite the army of the Philistines.” ²⁵ And David did as the Lord commanded him, and smote the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.

Footnotes

1. 2 Samuel 5:20 Heb paraz
2. 2 Samuel 5:20 That is Lord of breaking through