When they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul,” David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord and buried him. Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you. And I will do good to you because you have done this thing. Now therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant, for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
(2 Samuel 2:4-7 ESV)
David requests the honor of becoming the king over Jabesh-Gilead, in addition to the people of Judah. It seemed like a good idea. They had so much in common: they, like he, were courageous, in that they went behind enemy lines to recover and show respect for the body of Saul. They, like he, were appreciative of the steadfast love of God, conscious of His goodness. He, like they, respected Saul, yet it was time to move on. It made sense, but would they? Should he have even asked, or should he have waited for them to make the move, like he had with Judah? Should he have sought this, or "let things happen," the way that God had brought him and Jonathan together?
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