I Chronicles Chapter 12
Please read: I Chronicles 12 –
You may recall reading in I Samuel that there was a time in David’s life when he chose to live amongst the Philistines because he was hiding from King Saul who wanted him dead. He lived amongst them long enough that when the day came that the Philistines were going to go to battle against the Israelites, David thought that he would be able to show his loyalty and gratitude to the Philistines by fighting alongside them. This chapter describes the truth that David was not alone in this endeavor. There were a good number of men who had deserted Saul’s army and took up with David. But God put a stop to David fighting with the Philistines against his own countrymen.
After leaving the place that they occupied with the Philistines, the number of men that became loyal to David grew larger and larger. The chronicler tells the history of the growth of David’s followers in such a way that we soon realize that God was orchestrating this collaboration. Only God could cause thousands of men to suddenly turn on their own king to follow a man who was a simple shepherd and a warrior.
Let's Reflect
1. According to verse 17 what question did David ask of men who approached him from the tribes of Benjamin and of Judah while he was in hiding?
2. These men declared their desire to join with David knowing full well that the king of Israel would want them dead for doing so. What did they tell David was their intent? See verse 18.
3. These men were willing to fight with David who thought he was going into battle with the Philistines against Saul’s army. While David and his men were mustering with the Philistines, their homes were being burnt down by some bandits, and their families were taken captive. When they were dismissed from the Philistine army, David and his men then pursued the bandits that had taken their families. From that point forward the Bible tells us what about David’s followers? See verse 22.
4. The back story in verses 1-22 tells us why there were such a large number of men who came to David beginning in verse 23 to make him king of Israel. Verse 29 tells us that there were a great number of men from the tribe of Benjamin, the very tribe of Saul himself, who had remained loyal to Saul but at this juncture how many had turned from the royal family to join those who were wanting to make David king?
5. Suddenly David had thousands of armed warriors who had come for one express purpose. What was that purpose according to verse 31 and 38?
6. Things had become very bad for the people under the rule of King Saul. Still men do not usually denounce their loyalty to their king nor his royal line and take up with another man. This truly shows the hand of God orchestrating the makings of the next king of Israel. We could glaze over these numbers of the various groups of warriors that came to David, but it is important that we think about how many were willing to follow after God’s chosen man. One large number is given of the men from the tribe of Zebulun. The Bible tells us that these were seasoned troops who came to David. According to verse 33 how many were there from Zebulun?
7. The numbers are totaled and presented in verse 35. What was the total?
8. What do the last few verses describe all of these men doing for 3 days? And what was their mood?
