The Humble Leader’s Reward: Daily Thoughts from 2 Samuel (2 Samuel 8)

In first and second Samuel we have seen the principle Hannah, Samuel’s mother, celebrated, that God brings low and He exalts (1 Samuel 2:7) based on one’s pride or humility, borne out in the lives of several key characters. Samuel is exalted over Eli and his sons, whose priesthood is tainted. Saul is exalted when he is humble and obedient. David is exalted over Saul when Saul becomes conceited and rebellious. One person who is humble, Saul’s son Jonathan, is not exalted because he is tied too directly with his father Saul, but his family is protected and exalted because of his covenant with David.

At this point in 2 Samuel the author takes a moment to highlight and summarize David’s exaltation because of his humility.

After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.

When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. These also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests. (2 Samuel 8, ESV)

David is definitely a man of war, or as Yahweh later says, a man of blood, which serves to disqualify him from building the temple (2 Samuel 16:8). We cringe when we see him measuring out who lives and who dies from the army of Moab after their defeat in battle. David is reducing their army by two thirds. As a result of David’s wars the surrounding enemies of Israel are reduced to a kind of servitude, paying tribute money to prevent David from totally destroying them as nations. This brings peace to Israel, an absence of the fear of war with her enemies.

There is also for us what seems an odd note, that David’s sons were priests. One Jewish and ancient translator uses the word “chiefs” instead of “priests” and avoids the possibility that non-Levites, David’s sons, were wrongly usurping the priesthood. Or perhaps this is not a truly priestly role like the Levites had but more like a chaplaincy in David’s household. God had purposely separated the priesthood from the kingship as a kind of check and balance. Either way, the text is showing us how God has prospered David’s leadership with other qualified leaders under him.

When God brings your leadership to ascendancy He subdues your arch-enemy and humbles all other pretenders to your position. He humbled Hannah’s rival (1 Samuel 1) and David’s rival Saul. And God will accomplish through you all He wants to for the sake of those you lead. The Philistines were perennial enemies of Israel’s prosperity, as were the Moabites, Syrians and Edomites and He subdued them under David. And God will bring you new allies to help you with your tasks, like the Hamathites. But you must exercise your leadership with justice and equity, rightly reflecting God’s leadership in all you do. That is the humility that He rewards and continues to exalt.