David's Early Reign Series

February 14, 2026

Here’s the thing about choices, regardless of the motivation driving them, there are often unexpected consequences. Saul was motivated by pride, fear and self-preservation – he paid a high price, but so did the nation and his family. David was also motivated by fear and self-preservation – putting himself at risk, but also endangering those he loved.

The thread of unexpected consequences will continue…..

The 2nd part of the Book of Samuel records David’s years as king – the good stuff and the bad stuff. However, today we will switch titles to – The Chronicles of the Kings. In 1st Samuel 31 we begin to get repeat coverage in The Chronicles, so instead of going through 2nd Samuel then 1st and 2nd Kings and then repeating it all again in Chronicles, we are going to combine. In doing so, I hope to create a richer and more complex telling of the stories we will encounter.

The Chronicles were compiled and written by an unknown individual, possibly a Levite, either just before or just after the return of the Jews from Babylonian Exile in 537 BC. They provide a retrospective of the history of God’s people mainly through the activity of her kings – both faithful and unfaithful – and provide an answer to the question of why Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed - establishing a clear connection between the behavior of the kings (and the people), the corruption of the Temple services and the eventual destruction of Israel and the captivity of Judah.

For the most part, the first 9 chapters of 1st Chronicles is genealogy. I have not decided how to address those chapters yet, but never fear, we will address them….. Okay, on with the show.

According to both 1st Samuel 31 and 1st Chronicles 10, Saul and his sons, Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-shua were all killed on Mt. Gilboa - their bodies fastened to the wall of Beth Shan.

1 Chronicles 10:13-14 - Saul died because he was unfaithful to Yahweh; he did not keep the word of Yahweh and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of Yahweh. So Yahweh put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

3 days after the destruction of Israel’s army, a young Amalekite came to David reporting the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. Further explaining that he when he happened across Saul, Saul had asked to be killed before the Philistines could finish him off. The young man claimed to have killed Saul and present his crown and armbands as proof.

David believed his story and asked him why he wasn’t afraid to kill Yahweh’s anointed king.

Death was the penalty for killing the king, so David ordered it with these words, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, 'I killed Yahweh’s anointed.'"

Talk about choices having unexpected consequences!!! We know that Saul fell on his own sword – he committed suicide, (1 Samuel 31:4) so when the young man claimed to have killed Saul (perhaps thinking he would gain favor with David), he was lying. He died because he chose to lie.

David sung this lament for Saul and Jonathan……………

2 Samuel 1:19-27 - "Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! "Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. "O mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, nor fields that yield offerings of grain. For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, the shield of Saul-- no longer rubbed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. "Saul and Jonathan-- in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. "O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. "How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. "How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!"

David observed a period of mourning, but the time came when he asked Yahweh’s direction and was told to go to Hebron. David took his 2 wives and all his men and settled at Hebron and the surrounding towns.

The men of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David king of Judah – he was 30 years old when he became king and he reigned over the house Judah at Hebron for 7 ½ years.