"Without doubt this portion [of 2 Samuel, i.e., chapters 2-8] forms the crux of the book. Here the fertility motif reaches a peak. The thesis of the author--that Israel is blessed with fertility when the nation (and the epitome of the nation, the king) is following the covenant--is demonstrated in these chapters. The king, the ark (representing the presence of God and the Word of God, the covenant), and fertility are all intertwined in a beautifully artistic way."22
David again expressed his dependence on God by asking in prayer where God wanted him to relocate. He realized that he could not make the wisest choice alone since he did not have God's perspective. He wanted God to use him most effectively, so he allowed God to place him in that spot. The territory of Judah was the logical choice since that was David's tribal homeland and where he had the greatest acceptance (cf. 1 Sam. 30:26-30).23Verse 1 gives the key to David's triumphs, namely, his dependance on God. Verse 2 gives the key to his tragedy, namely, his relationships with women (cf. Gen. 2:24). This was David's second anointing (in 1011 B.C.; cf. 1 Sam. 16:13). It represented a formal acknowledgment that the people of Judah viewed David as the Lord's anointed.
