King David Shows Kindness

Title ideas:King David rules with kindness [compassion] and justice.David keeps his promise to Jonathan.David begins his rule as king and establishes peace.

David became king over all Israel, ruling fairly [everyone equally] and justly [by protecting the poor].

One day, David asked, “Are any members of Saul’s family still alive? If so, then I want to keep the promise I made with Saul’s son Jonathan!”

A man who had been King Saul’s servant replied, “Yes! One of Jonathan’s sons is still alive! His name is Mephibosheth! But he is lame [does not walk well], because his feet were broken when he was age five years!”

So David ordered, “Go lead [bring] Mephibosheth here!”When he [Mephibosheth] came, David said to him, “Your father Jonathan and I, we promised that we would care for [take care of] each other’s children!

So I shall give back to you the lands [fields] that belonged to your grandfather Saul!”

David said to the servant, “You and your sons must tend [manage] Mephibosheth’s lands as you did when you were Saul’s servants!

Mephibosheth is from now on a member of my household [family]!”So Mephibosheth became as one of David’s own sons.

The king over Ammon Land had a son named Hanun. When the king died, David said, “I shall remain loyal to Hanun as his father was loyal to me!”So David sent messengers to express sympathy [his condolences] to Hanun.

When the messengers came to Hanun, his advisers [wise men] said to him, “David did not send these men to express sympathy, but to spy on us [see how to conquer us]!”

So Hanun ordered his servants, “Shave off half of these men’s beards, and cut off their robes at their waist. Then send them back to David!”And that is what they did.

The men [David’s messengers] felt very ashamed, so they did not return home. Instead, they sent a message to David to report what had happened.David replied [via a messenger], “Do not to go home until your beard grows back!”

David became angry towards the Ammonites. So, the Ammonite leaders hired 33,000 soldiers from a country called Syria, to help them go to war against David’s army.

David chose a soldier named Joab to command his army. Joab divided his soldiers into two halves. One half would fight against the Ammonite army, and the other half against the Syrian army.

Joab shouted, “Be courageous! Fight well! The Lord will do [his will] [as he pleases]!”When the Israelites attacked the Syrian army, the Syrians ran away, and when they attacked the Ammonite army, the Ammonites ran away.

Next, the Syrian king sent his whole army against Israel. This time, David himself commanded the Israelite army. His soldiers killed 700 Syrians soldiers riding in chariots, and 40,000 Syrian soldiers riding on horses.

The Israelite soldiers also killed the Syrian army commander. After this battle, all the kings in nearby countries made peace with Israel, and the Syrians never again tried to help the Ammonites make war against Israel.