David Captures Jerusalem

David was king. He was only thirty years old, but he was chosen by God and annointed by all the elders of the people of Israel and now he was king over all Israel. He became king in a ceremony at Hebron, because that was the capital of the tribe of Judah, David’s tribe.

But Israel was made up of more than the tribe of Judah. It was also made up of eleven other tribes, and these other tribes didn’t think of Hebron as their capital. So King David had an idea. He would make his capital in a place that belonged to no single tribe – a place that was not yet a part of Israel, even though it was in the centre of it – a city called Jerusalem.

Jerusalem was set on a high hill, with valleys and more hills surrounding it. That is probably why it had not been captured before. It was the home of a people called the Jebusites. King David decided that it would be his.

King David gathered his soldiers and set out to capture Jerusalem.

When they got to the city, they were told they would never be able to succeed, but they were not discouraged. The Jebusites even set out frightening statues to scare King David and his soldiers away but this did not work. King David urged his soldiers to first go and capture the water tunnel which led into the city, which they did. Then they captured the rest of the city, and named it “Ir David,” The City of David.

But King David wanted Jerusalem to be not only his capital, but also the capital of God’s kingdom. He knew that he was king because God wanted him to be. So he brought the Ark into the city with a great parade, with singing and dancing and the playing of music.

Some time later, King David needed to find a permanent home for the Ark of God. God sent a messenger to tell King David to go and buy the land where a man named Araunah had his threshing floor. King David approached Araunah and asked to buy his property. At first, Araunah offered the land for free, but David insisted on paying for it.

Finally, Araunah agreed to sell the land and King David bought it and thanked God by offering sacrifices.

Legends tell us that Avraham almost sacrificed Isaac, and years later, King Solomon built the Holy Temple, Beit HaMikdash, on this very same piece of land.