This chapter is a reflection of II Samuel 8:1-18. There are two outstanding traits about
David's life and reign that arise several times in this chapter: 1. the tens of
thousands of men who David and his army killed, and 2. the abundance of wealth
that David collected. These 2 issues are particularly interesting because of
how they seem to run against the grain of our modern Christian sensibilities.
In our sterile environment of affluence and self-proclaimed civility, and in light
of the New Testament principles of tolerance, world-wide missions, evangelism
and compassion, one might find it hard to envision how King David could be so
godly and at the same time be collecting tons of gold, silver and brass from
the pockets of the massive numbers of gentiles whom he killed in war.
There are a couple of things that we need to remember
though. First, David was fighting against ungodly heathen under the auspices
and authority of God. God had decreed their judgment and David was simply the
executor of it. And, as the head of a sovereign nation David was doing something that even governments today have a
God-given right and responsibility to do. He was waging wars against evil
threats that existed in the nations around his own. Even today we have no
reason to wonder if God is in favor of, or opposed to, war, when the cause is
just and right. War is not wicked if it is carried out by [relatively] good
nations against evil ones, against legitimate threats, for just causes and to
protect innocent people.
Secondly,
the collection of wealth for one's own sake and pleasure has been evil in all
generations. David wasn't necessarily collecting material wealth to provide
safety for himself nor to satiate his own greed, but perhaps to supply adequate
materials for the construction of God's house (much like the plundering of
Egypt in Moses’ day).
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