v 3. So there at Hebron, King David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel.
At last – after years on the run from Saul with only God’s promises to sustain him, and 7 years as King of Judah but divided from the main body of Israel, David is recognised as King of the whole nation.
This began a period of great prosperity for Israel under the rule of David. It was not unblemished – think adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah. There is one final occasion of mourning recorded however. Bathsheba’s first child fell ill; this time David mourned while the child lived but then ‘.. David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate. His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.” David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.” (2 Sam 12)
So once again, in totally different circumstances, David’s emotions flooded to the surface in a public fashion. Here was no cold, unfeeling King; but a man who felt deeply about his people.
Much as did Jesus, ‘Great David’s greater Son’, when confronting the death of Lazarus. ‘Jesus wept.’ records John in John 11:35.