In setting up the new kingdom of Is'ra-el under Da'vid, strong efforts were made by both king and people to model the government after the pattern which GOD had revealed to Mo'ses, and the position of the king as head of the religious life of the nation was fully recognized. The relationship of the king to the people was given a new development by the thought that his chief duties were those of a shepherd to his flock. Henceforth the king was not to make use of his office and his people for the accomplishment of selfish purposes, but his life was to be consecrated to the civil, moral, and spiritual welfare of his subjects.
It was GOD'S will to make Is'ra-el a great nation without letting the people forget that HE was still their chief ruler. For this reason the head of the civil government was also to be the representative of GOD in the religious life of the people. The chief reason for Saul's miserable failure had been his rejection of GOD'S will and the ideal which should prevail in all true worship.
Da'vid had been faithful to this ideal in his limited authority by setting up a center of worship at He'bron, and in maintaining the High Priest A-bi'a-thar as an officer in his government. When the twelve tribes were united in a central government with headquarters at Je-ru'sa-lem, he planned at once to make this city the center of He'brew worship. One of the first steps taken in carrying out this purpose was the removal of the Ark of the Cov'e-nant to Je-ru'sa-lem. This was a strong testimony of Da'vid's faith in GOD, and a call to Is'ra-el to restore the GOD of their fathers to HIS rightful place in their national life, thus providing a secure foundation upon which to build their future national unity.
