The death of Saul and the end of his dynasty mark a decisive turning point in the story of Israel. That the next nineteen chapters are devoted to King David underscores the centrality of his reign for the story of God’s people (1 Chronicles 11:1–29:30). These two chapters of 1 Chronicles 11:1–12:40 contain the only material about David in Chronicles that predates his reign. This is the only indication in Chronicles that David was a wandering warrior and that his rise to the throne was a long process.1 The Chronicler does not deal with the Saul-David conflict at all because it does not suit his purpose. His intent is to demonstrate that David’s enthronement had the support of all Israel.
The account of David’s reign is generally much more favourable here than in 2 Samuel. This is not because the Chronicler is trying to hide something; he knew that his readers were familiar with the sordid stories of David’s sins. Rather, he wanted to forcefully present the equally true side of David, that he loved the Lord God with all his heart and provided an ideal for future kings to follow (2 Chronicles 29:2). The Chronicler's Davidic ideal is a Messianic ideal. It is in that sense that much of the perspective of the books of Chronicles is Messianic. They look forward with anticipation to the coming King who will bring in God’s final salvation and blessing.
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The widespread support of David on the part of the tribes is emphasized at the beginning and the end of the passage, with 1 Chronicles 11:1–3 and 1 Chronicles 12:38–40 forming bookends on either side of the section.3 For the Chronicler, the unity of the Israelite tribes forged under King David is the blueprint for a similar reunification of the Jews during the postexilic period as a result of God’s promised restoration of the Davidic dynasty.
Stylistically, the Chronicler employs an artful chiastic arrangement to record how David was proclaimed to be the king by all Israel
(1 Chronicles 11:1; 1 Chronicles 12:38; see below), according to the word of the Lord
(1 Chronicles 11:2–3, 1 Chronicles 11:10; 1 Chronicles 12:23).4 These two chapters form an extensive symmetrical geographical and chronological pattern. With the exception of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 11:4–9), each location appears twice.5
The main focus of this section of Scripture is a point in the present with David’s accession to the throne at Hebron together with the mighty men who gave him strong support
(1 Chronicles 11:1–47). The narrative then moves backward in time to the near past
—the so-called flashback method or chronological regression—to David at Ziklag, and then further back to David’s time in the wilderness stronghold (1 Chronicles 12:8–15). In this light we can see that the Chronicler presents a temporal regression that is followed by temporal progression.6 There is then a movement forward in time from the stronghold in the wilderness (1 Chronicles 12:16–18), through Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:19–22), back to the present, to the enthronement in Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:23–37). The account concludes where it originated, with the celebrations in Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:38–40).7 Going full circle, therefore, and highlighting different periods of the king’s life, the text of 1 Chronicles 11:1–12:40 doubly makes the point that virtually no opposition arose against David’s enthronement as king.
This chiastic structure can be outlined as follows:
All Israel anoints David as king (1 Chronicles 11:1–3)
David conquers Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 11:4–9)
Support of David’s mighty men at Hebron (1 Chronicles 11:10–47)
Men of Benjamin's support of David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:1–7)
Men of Gad's support of David at his desert stronghold (1 Chronicles 12:8–15)
Men of Judah and Benjamin's support of David at his desert stronghold (1 Chronicles 12:16–18)
Men of Manasseh support David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:19–22)
Divisions of tribal militia support David at Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:23–37)
Celebration of David’s enthronement in Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:38–40)8
1 Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.