Chapter 10: The Kingdom of David UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES.

Chapter 10: The Kingdom of David

UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES

A class discussion using the following questions: Have you have visited a capital city? What was it like? What historical documents and government buildings do you hold in high esteem? Why? Why did the Jews hold the Ark of the Covenant in greater esteem than, say, a copy of the nation’s constitution or her capital city?

1. Jerusalem: Israel’s Political and Religious Center (pp. 190–

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BASIC QUESTIONS Why did David choose Jerusalem to be his political capital? Why did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to

Jerusalem?

KEY IDEAS David chose Jerusalem, an unconquered pagan city, to be

his new political capital because it was centrally located between the southern and northern tribes and was not associated with any one tribe.

David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem to make his city the religious capital of Israel; he showed supreme honor to God by the magnificent procession he planned and dancing for joy in the garb of a priest.


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FOCUS QUESTIONS Why did the Sacred Author likely change the name of Saul’s son in 2 Samuel? Saul’s son was named Ishbaal, the root Baal being the name of the Canaanites’ false god. The writer of Samuel likely changed Saul’s son’s name to Ishbosheth, sheth meaning shame, so readers would not have to speak the detestable name Baal. What was the fate of Ishbosheth? He was assassinated by two of his generals when they decided his cause against David was hopeless. What did David do when Ishbosheth’s generals brought him their leader’s head? David had them executed as murderers, saying they had “slain a righteous man.” Extension: David was remarkable because, even when a man was his enemy, he nevertheless would not vilify him.


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GUIDED EXERCISE Review the section “Jerusalem, David’s New Capital” (p. 191). Take part in a class discussion using the following question: Why did David choose Jerusalem to be his new capital?


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GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Complete the following table according to the map “David’s Kingdom” (p. 192).


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FOCUS QUESTIONS Why did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Jerusalem was the political center of Israel, and the presence of the Ark would make it the religious center as well. What happened to the man who touched the Ark in order to keep it from falling? He died instantly.


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FOCUS QUESTIONS What was David’s mistake while moving the Ark of the Covenant? He had not followed the directives of the Law to transport it properly.

How did David dress when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem? He dressed not as a king but as a priest, wearing a linen ephod.

How did David behave during the procession of the Ark of the Covenant? He leaped and danced for joy with all his might, so much so that his wife, Michal, was disgusted with him.

Why was it acceptable for David to act as a priest whereas Saul had been punished? Saul carried out a ritual to get a good result for his own benefit. David danced and made offerings out of love and joy, asking nothing in return. This is part of David’s being a man “after God’s own heart.”


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GUIDED EXERCISE

A major poetical device of Psalm 24—and many other psalms—is parallelism, that is, repeating a phrase using different words.

For example: “He has founded [the earth] upon the seas, / and established it upon the rivers” (v. 2). Another example: “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? / And who shall stand in his holy place?” (v. 3).

Parallelism makes poetry easier to memorize and helps people understand the text.

In this example, the second line interprets the first: “[He] does not lift up his soul to what is false, / and does not swear deceitfully” (v. 4). The meaning of the first line might have remained obscure without the second; in light of the second line, the Sacred Author clarifies the meaning: to lift up one’s soul means to swear an oath.

Work with a partner to identify two examples of parallelism in any other psalm.

Share examples.


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CLOSURE Write a paragraph describing how David made Jerusalem the political and religious capital of his kingdom.


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HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

Study Questions 1–4 (p. 205) Practical Exercise 1 (p. 206) Workbook Questions 1–16 Read “The Covenant with David” through “Beyond Sinai to Zion” (pp. 195–198)


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ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT

Write a ten‑verse psalm using parallelism (see the Guided Exercise, p. 194) recounting David’s life to this point.

You only need five points, each of which will be presented twice, each time in different words.

Here is a possible structure:

1. Samuel chose David. 2. Samuel chose David. 3. David defeated Goliath. 4. David defeated Goliath. 5. David befriended Saul. 6. David befriended Saul. 7. David became king. 8. David became king. 9. David brought the Ark to Jerusalem. 10. David brought the Ark to Jerusalem.


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ANTICIPATORY SET Opening Prayer using Psalm 89 (p. 201). We will be learning how this psalm explains aspects of the Davidic Covenant.

2. The Davidic Covenant (pp. 195–198)

BASIC QUESTIONS What did God do for David when he offered to build a Temple for God in Jerusalem? How was David a king “after God’s own heart”?

KEY IDEAS When David offered to build a house for God in Jerusalem, God, instead, made David a house, establishing a new and everlasting covenant with him. David exercised his kingship consistent with being a man “after God’s own heart.”


GUIDED EXERCISE Conduct a think / pair / share using the following question: What did King David and the Prophet Nathan have in mind when they wanted to build a Temple in Jerusalem? GUIDED EXERCISE A think / pair / share using the following question: According to the Catechism, no. 2579, in what ways was David a king “after God’s own heart”?


GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Complete the following table to understand God’s lavish promises to David and his son (cf. 2 Sm 7:11–16, p. 195).


CLOSURE Free write for five minutes about what you consider to be the most important feature of the Davidic Covenant (cf. p. 195).


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

Study Questions 5–9 (p. 205) Workbook Questions 17–19 Read “The Davidic Covenant: Seven Primary Features” through “Summary: The Main Features of the Davidic Covenant” (pp. 199–203)


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Use the table comparing the Sinai Covenant and the Zion Covenant (p. 198) to write a paragraph contrasting the two covenants.


ANTICIPATORY SET Review the first five covenants (p. 15).

3. Features of the Davidic Covenant (pp. 199–203)

BASIC QUESTIONS

What are the seven primary features of the Davidic Covenant? What are the three secondary features of the Davidic Covenant?

KEY IDEAS The seven primary features of the Davidic Covenant: 1. David’s line will inherit a kingdom; 2. his line will be a dynasty; 3. when anointed king, his son will be God’s own son; 4. the covenant is unlimited in time and space; 5. Jewish life will be centered in Jerusalem; 6. the Temple will be the center of worldwide worship; and 7. there will be a law for all nations. The three secondary features of the Davidic Covenant: 1. there will be a queen mother, an advisor held in high honor; 2. there will be a prime minister with the power of the keys; and 3. the thank‑offering will become the primary act of worship; these secondary features relate to the New Testament realities of Mary, the papacy, and the Eucharist.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Were all the features of the Davidic Covenant obvious from its very beginning? No, they were made clear through the course of David’s dynasty. What did it mean for David to be “the highest of the kings of the earth”? David and his descendants would be great kings.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What did it mean to say, “The Lord will make you a house”? God would create a Davidic dynasty. What did it mean to say, “You are my son, today I have begotten you”? David’s son would be adopted as God’s own son. What did it mean to say “dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth”? It meant the entire world would come under the throne of David. What did it mean to say, “Out of Zion shall go forth law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem”? Jerusalem would be the spiritual center of the world.


GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Complete the following table to organize the seven primary features of the Davidic Covenant and the first four reflected in Psalm 89.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What did the prophets foretell about the importance of Jerusalem? There would be a time when all nations would flock to Zion, or Jerusalem. Who built (did the work on) the Temple of Jerusalem? Phoenician, i.e., Gentile, artists and craftsmen built the Temple. What was the new law of the Davidic Covenant? The new law was wisdom. Wisdom literature was to the Davidic Covenant what the Pentateuch was to the Mosaic Covenant.


GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Complete the table, comparing the secondary features of the Davidic Covenant and the features of the New Covenant.


CLOSURE Use the Graphic Organizer on page 201 to write a well‑organized paragraph about the seven primary features of the Davidic Covenant. Write no more than one sentence per feature.


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

Study Questions 10–16 (p. 205) Practical Exercise 2 (p. 206) Workbook Questions 20–26


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Free write for five minutes about one of the secondary features of the Davidic Covenant and how it relates to the organization and practice of the Church.


The End

Chapter 10: The Kingdom of David UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES.

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Transcript of Chapter 10: The Kingdom of David UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES.