After the shrewd generalship and crafty efforts of Ab'ner had failed to make Ish-bo'sheth king over all Is'ra-el, but had brought death to both general and king, there was left only one member of the house of Saul to contest Da'vid's claims to the throne. The one heir was the lame Me-phib'o-sheth, who was only twelve years old. The leaders of the eleven revolting tribes therefore went to He'bron and asked that Da'vid be made king of the entire nation.
Among the reasons given for this request were the following: the suspicions aroused by Da'vid's enforced alliance with the king of Gath had been fully removed by his active interest in the welfare of all Is'ra-el; his splendid record as a soldier fitted him to lead Is'ra-el against their enemies; and the LORD had clearly indicated His choice of Da'vid for the office of king.
In the coronation ceremonies at He'bron the qualifications and duties of the king were placed on a much higher plane than before. For the first time he was placed over Is'ra-el as a pastor; the duty of love and humility and proper respect for the liberty, property, and life of the people was stressed, and the king was charged with the responsibility of watching over his people as a shepherd watches his flocks.
The whole procedure was carried out in a deeply religious spirit. The religious unity of the nation, which had been established by Sam'u-el and then weakened by Saul, was fully restored. Da'vid "made a league with Is'ra-el before the LORD," and the representatives of all the tribes of Is'ra-el pledged their loyalty and obedience to him as "the anointed of the LORD." It was the beginning of a new era for Is'ra-el and for her Divinely chosen king.
Da'vid was now thirty years old, and the hopes which he had humbly cherished in his heart for fifteen years were now at last fully accomplished. The sufferings and discipline and training of these long years had often tested his faith in GOD and man, but he had come out of the fires of trial and temptation fully prepared to be a great ruler.
His confidence in GOD had been strengthened by the Divine grace which had been granted him in manifold trials, and he was well qualified for the great honor to which he had been consecrated by the prophet Sam'u-el fifteen years before.
