David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
The beginning of David's reign is placed after Saul's death. He first ruled Judah alone from Hebron for seven and a half years while the other tribes remained loyal to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, and after Ish-bosheth was assassinated all the tribes came to Hebron and made David king. When all Israel acknowledged him as king he had already reigned seven and a half years over Judah alone, and his accession over all Israel is dated to 1048 B.C. when he was in his thirty-eighth year. The verse marks the final stage of his rise, when after about seven years at Hebron over part of Israel he became king over all Israel reigning from Jerusalem, and his reign over the united kingdom lasted forty years.
His reign over all Israel came after a delay of about seven years. His decision to seek refuge among the Philistines without seeking God's guidance dishonored God and gave Israel the false impression that he had turned to other gods, though he had not, and the record does not say whether this unwise course caused the delay in his becoming king over the twelve tribes. The verse records that he was thirty years old when he began to reign and that he reigned forty years. In the account of the anointing at Hebron, his age and the total length of his reign are not in view.
By reigning forty years from age thirty he reached seventy years of age, illustrating the usual human span of three score and ten years. More than eighty years had elapsed since he began to reign by the time of Rehoboam's marriage to Abihail, so Abihail though called Eliab's daughter must have been his granddaughter or great-granddaughter, showing that son and daughter in Scripture can mean a descendant after several generations. Throughout those forty years his qualities of purpose and constancy served him as he united a disorganized confederation of tribes into a strong kingdom.
The verse stands among God's supernatural directions and assistances to David. Such direction from God, who sees all things and is everywhere and concerns himself with his creatures, is still to be had by asking in faith and acknowledging him in all ways instead of putting human wisdom, prudence and strength in his place. It is not received now because it is not asked for, and not asked for because it is not expected, and not expected because of lack of faith and spiritual intercourse with the Maker. Those who have faith must exercise and cultivate it, and they may remove mountains.
The beginning of David's reign is placed after Saul's death. He first ruled Judah alone from Hebron for seven and a half years while the other tribes remained loyal to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, and after Ish-bosheth was assassinated all the tribes came to Hebron and made David king. When all Israel acknowledged him as king he had already reigned seven and a half years over Judah alone, and his accession over all Israel is dated to 1048 B.C. when he was in his thirty-eighth year. The verse marks the final stage of his rise, when after about seven years at Hebron over part of Israel he became king over all Israel reigning from Jerusalem, and his reign over the united kingdom lasted forty years.
His reign over all Israel came after a delay of about seven years. His decision to seek refuge among the Philistines without seeking God's guidance dishonored God and gave Israel the false impression that he had turned to other gods, though he had not, and the record does not say whether this unwise course caused the delay in his becoming king over the twelve tribes. The verse records that he was thirty years old when he began to reign and that he reigned forty years. In the account of the anointing at Hebron, his age and the total length of his reign are not in view.
By reigning forty years from age thirty he reached seventy years of age, illustrating the usual human span of three score and ten years. More than eighty years had elapsed since he began to reign by the time of Rehoboam's marriage to Abihail, so Abihail though called Eliab's daughter must have been his granddaughter or great-granddaughter, showing that son and daughter in Scripture can mean a descendant after several generations. Throughout those forty years his qualities of purpose and constancy served him as he united a disorganized confederation of tribes into a strong kingdom.
The verse stands among God's supernatural directions and assistances to David. Such direction from God, who sees all things and is everywhere and concerns himself with his creatures, is still to be had by asking in faith and acknowledging him in all ways instead of putting human wisdom, prudence and strength in his place. It is not received now because it is not asked for, and not asked for because it is not expected, and not expected because of lack of faith and spiritual intercourse with the Maker. Those who have faith must exercise and cultivate it, and they may remove mountains.