The Fourth Age begins with David and lasts until the Transmigration for 484 years according to the Hebrews, and one year longer according to the seventy interpreters. David, the first from the tribe of Judah to reign among the Hebrews, reigned forty years: seven in Hebron over the tribe of Judah and thirty-three over all Israel.
The Fourth Age begins with David, not because he was the first of the kings, but because he was the first of the kings from the tribe of Judah. For an express promise was made to him concerning Christ, who was to be born from the tribe of Judah. His deeds are contained throughout the Second Book of Kings and will be placed here very briefly in summary.
Thus chapter 1 of the Second Book of Kings relates that when David heard of Saul’s death, he mourned with his men, fasted, and composed a song of lamentation.
In chapter 2 David, by the Lord’s counsel, ascended with his men to Hebron. There he was anointed king over the tribe of Judah alone. Through the work of his uncle Abner, Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was made king over the other eleven tribes of Israel and reigned for two years.
The armies of David, under Joab, the commander of his army, and of Ish-bosheth, under Abner, the commander of his army, assembled. By common agreement twelve men from one side and twelve from the other wrestled with one another, and each killed his opponent with a single blow. When those who were with Abner fled, Asahel, Joab’s brother, pursued Abner and refused at his entreaties to cease pursuing him. Finally Abner struck Asahel in the groin with the reversed end of his spear, and he died.
Chapter 3 relates that a long contest arose between Saul’s house and David’s house. David advanced and always became stronger in himself, while Saul’s house diminished daily. David’s sons born at Hebron were Amnon the firstborn, Chileab the second, Absalom the third, Adonijah the fourth, and others by his several wives.
Abner, who governed Ish-bosheth’s house, was reproved by him because he had known Saul’s concubine. Angered against him, Abner approached David and promised to bring all the people of Israel under David’s subjection. When he was arranging this, after David’s wife Michal had been restored to him, Joab treacherously killed Abner in vengeance for his brother Asahel. This displeased David. He caused Abner to be honorably buried, accompanying the corpse with his men, mourning and fasting on account of his death.
In chapter 4, while Ish-bosheth lay in his house, two leaders of robbers, Rechab and Baanah, secretly entered it while the doorkeeper of the house slept and killed him. They carried his head to David at Hebron, but David caused them to be hanged.
In chapter 5 all the tribes of Israel anointed David king over all Israel. He and his men captured Jerusalem, which was occupied by the Jebusites. Joab was the first to ascend into the fortress of Zion, for which reason he was made commander of the army. David built his dwelling in Zion after Hiram, king of Tyre, sent him craftsmen and timber.
Eleven sons were born to him at Jerusalem, for he took several wives, among them Bathsheba, by whom he had Solomon. This is understood to have occurred by God’s dispensation concerning the plurality of wives. David twice waged war against the Philistines, defeated them, and put them to flight.
In chapter 6 David caused the Lord’s ark to be brought back to Jerusalem with great solemnity. But because Uzzah was struck by the Lord for rashly holding the ark when it tilted as the oxen kicked, David placed it in the house of Obed-edom. After three months he again arranged that it be brought back to Jerusalem. He did so with very many sacrificial animals on the road and with musical instruments. David danced before it with the people and, while naked, played instruments. His wife Michal saw him through a window and despised him. When he entered his house and she reproached him for this, he answered by scorning her words.
Chapters 15 and 16 of the First Book of Chronicles relate that David caused the Levites to place the ark in the tabernacle he had prepared for it. He appointed Levites to serve in the tabernacle before the ark by offering sacrifices and praising God, playing different kinds of musical instruments, such as trumpets, organs, and cymbals. Thus David first invented the practice of chanting the divine offices in the Church.
In chapter 7 David consulted the prophet Nathan about building a temple to the Lord. Nathan answered that he should do so, because this would be pleasing to God. But the Lord spoke to Nathan, telling him to signify to David on His behalf that David himself would not build Him a house, that is, a temple. Rather, his son Solomon would do so. God would be a father to Solomon and Solomon would be His son, and He would establish Solomon’s kingdom forever. If Solomon sinned, He would correct him, but He would not take His mercy from him. David gave magnificent thanks to God for this.
In chapter 8 David defeated the Philistines, to whom Israel had been made tributary. He also struck the Moabites and Hadadezer, king of Zobah, and made Syria, the Ammonites, and the Edomites tributary. He reserved the plunder of gold, silver, and bronze for the construction of the temple and administered justice to all the people.
In chapter 9 David heard that Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, Saul’s son, survived and was lame in both feet. He made him his table companion and caused all Saul’s possessions to be restored to him. He commanded Ziba, Saul’s servant, to serve Mephibosheth with his sons.
In chapter 10 David heard of the death of his friend Nahash, king of the Ammonites, and sent envoys to console his son Hanun over the death. On the counsel of others who said that they had been sent not to console him but to spy upon him, Hanun dishonored the envoys by shaving half their beards and cutting their garments up to the buttocks. When David heard this, he gathered an army and sent Joab to battle against the Ammonites.
Chapter 11 treats the adultery David committed with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, and her conception. Wishing to conceal it, David sent for Uriah, who was fighting faithfully with Joab against the Ammonites. When he could not persuade Uriah to go home and know his wife, David sent letters by Uriah to Joab ordering him to place Uriah in a dangerous position in battle so that he would be killed. This was done. After Uriah had been killed, David took Bathsheba as his wife, and she bore him a son.
In chapter 12 the prophet Nathan, sent by the Lord, reproved David for the adultery and Uriah’s death. He spoke under the parable of a rich man who killed a poor man’s ewe in order to prepare a banquet for a guest. When David humbly confessed his sin, Nathan said, “The Lord has taken away your sin.” Nevertheless, because of this the Lord would raise up evil for him from his own house. This was Absalom’s persecution and conspiracy against him.
David prayed and fasted so that his newborn and sick child might be healed, but upon hearing of its death, he arose to eat. Afterward Solomon was born to him from Bathsheba. David then came with an army to capture Rabbah, the principal city of the Ammonites, and very many were killed.
In chapter 13 David’s firstborn, Amnon, was captured by love and grew ill from his love for his sister Tamar. When she visited him on their father’s behalf, he overpowered her. Because of this, Absalom concealed his grievance. Two years later, when he had his flocks sheared, he invited all his brothers to a banquet and caused his servants to kill Amnon there. He then fled to the king of Geshur.
In chapter 14 Joab sent a widow from Tekoa to David. She pretended that she had a case of this kind: one of her sons had been killed by the other, who was therefore sought for death, and she asked David for mercy so that he would not be killed. She applied the case to Absalom so that David might spare him. Understanding that this had proceeded from Joab, David commanded Absalom to be recalled from exile.
But after Absalom returned to Jerusalem, David did not send for him to see his face. Absalom caused Joab to come to him by burning the crops in Joab’s field, and made him a mediator in reconciling his father David so that he might see him. He obtained this.
In chapter 15 Absalom drew Israel’s goodwill to himself by various flatteries. After making a conspiracy against his father, he told him that he was going to Hebron to fulfill a vow. Gathering a very great multitude of Israel with Ahithophel, he was made king at Hebron.
When David heard this, he fled from Jerusalem with his men. He sent back to Jerusalem the priests who followed him with the Lord’s ark. He likewise sent his friend Hushai so that he might destroy Ahithophel’s counsel.
In chapter 16 Absalom entered Jerusalem and, on Ahithophel’s counsel, went in to his father’s concubines before the people. As David fled with his men through the mountains, Ziba, Saul’s servant, met him with pack animals laden with food and offered it to refresh them. Ziba falsely accused Mephibosheth of having refused to meet David, because of which David gave all Mephibosheth’s goods to Ziba.
Shimei also met David, cursed him, and threw a stone against him. When Abishai wished to go kill him, David did not permit it, but patiently bore the injury so that he might appease the Lord.
In chapter 17 Absalom sought counsel about what should be done. He rejected Ahithophel’s counsel to lead an army against his father and capture him. He followed Hushai’s contrary counsel, which was presented under the appearance that they would be able to capture David better after some time. Both plans were communicated to David through the sons of the priests Abiathar and Zadok. Ahithophel hanged himself. Barzillai the Gileadite and certain others refreshed David and his weary men.
In chapter 18 David arranged the battle and divided his army into three parts. When he wished to go with them into battle, they did not permit it. David commanded them to preserve Absalom. But when Absalom’s army had been defeated and he fled riding a mule, he remained suspended by his hair in the branches of an oak. When someone reported this to Joab, Joab threw three spears into him and killed him. When Cushi went to report it to David, David lamented Absalom’s death most bitterly.
In chapter 19, while David mourned his son, Joab entered and rebuked him, admonishing him to arrange for the people’s return to him, lest no one remain with him. David did this through Abiathar and Zadok as regards the tribe of Judah. He promised Amasa, who had been commander of Absalom’s army, that he would make him his commander in Joab’s place, so that Amasa would restore Israel to obedience to him.
David also spared Shimei when he met him and asked forgiveness for the injury he had inflicted. When Mephibosheth came to him and excused himself because he had been unable to go with David, David established that he should divide his possessions with Ziba by halves. In restoring David as king and recognizing his dominion, the tribe of Judah and the other tribes of Israel contended with one another.
In chapter 20 a certain most wicked man named Sheba sounded a trumpet and said, “We have no share in the house of David.” He caused a schism and separated Israel from Judah. Joab and Abishai pursued Sheba with their armies as he ran through the cities to induce them to follow him. At last they besieged him in the city of Abel. The citizens cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the walls to Joab, who abandoned the siege. Earlier on the way, however, Joab had treacherously killed Amasa, who was to be appointed commander of the army in Joab’s place.
In chapter 21 a famine arose in Israel and lasted for three years. When David consulted the Lord about it, He revealed that it had occurred because Saul had killed Gibeonites contrary to the oath Joshua had given them. Therefore, at the Gibeonites’ request, David delivered into their hands two sons of Saul by a concubine and five sons of Saul’s daughter. They crucified them. When this had been done, the Lord was again propitious to Israel. David spared Mephibosheth because of the oath given to his father Jonathan.
There follows an account of three wars waged against certain Philistine giants, and of a fourth in which, when one of them struck David, Abishai defended him. Afterward they did not permit David to go to battle, lest he be killed.
Chapter 22 contains the song David made when he was freed from Saul’s hand. It is Psalm 17: “I will love You, O Lord, my strength.” Chapter 23 treats the thirty-seven strongest men in war who were with David. Three stood above the others. When David desired water from the cistern at Bethlehem, where the Philistines were, these three passed through the midst of the enemy, drew water from that cistern, and brought it to David, who refused to drink it.
In chapter 24, the last, David caused Joab to number the people subject to him out of pride. On account of this sin an angel was sent by the Lord to give him the choice of one of three things: seven years of famine in Israel, three months of persecution and flight from enemies, or three days of pestilence among the people. David chose the last, and within three days seventy thousand died from the pestilence.
When David saw the angel extending his hand to strike Jerusalem, he asked that the angel strike instead his own household and himself, who had sinned. The Lord was appeased and prohibited the angel from striking. At God’s command through Nathan, David bought a property from Araunah the Jebusite at the threshing floor where he had seen the angel. There he built an altar to the Lord, where the temple was afterward built.
Chapters 22 and the following chapters through chapter 29, the final chapter of the First Book of Chronicles, relate that David told his young son Solomon how he himself had planned to build a temple to the Lord. The Lord had prohibited him because he had shed much blood in wars, but his son Solomon, reigning in peace, would build a temple for Him.
For this reason David had prepared exceedingly great expenses in gold, silver, bronze, and iron. He admonished Solomon to execute the work and explained the building’s arrangement to him. David also appointed singers in the temple and players of organs and other musical instruments under Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun.
He divided the priests from among the Levites into twenty-four families. One person who was first in each family was chosen by lot to minister in the temple with his assistants during his own week. David also encouraged the barons and princes of the tribes to assist Solomon in the work of the temple and ordained their offices in which they would serve Solomon.