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16. King David House
Other Household Gods
King David is the second king of the United Kingdom of Israel and Judah around BC 1000. The name "David" is from the Hebrew name "Dawid," which comes from the words "beloved" or "uncle." In Judges 18.14, we read about another household and its precious possessions. "Then the five men who had spied out the land of Laish said to their brothers, 'Do you know that one of these houses has an ephod, other household gods, a carved image and a cast idol? Now you know what to do.'" "The five men who had spied out the land went inside and took the carved image, the ephod, the other house gods and the cast idol while the priest and the six hundred armed men stood at the entrance to the gate."✞
Carved Image
When these men went into Micah's house and took the carved image, the ephod, the other house gods, and the cast idol, the priest said, 'What are you doing?' They answered him, 'be quiet! Don't say a word. Come with us and be our father and priest. Isn't it better that you serve a tribe and clan in Israel as priest rather than just one man's house?' Then the priest was glad. He took the ephod, the other household gods, and the carved image and went along with the people. And so David's household possessed these religious items.✞
Cast Idol
1 Samuel 22.14 tells of King David's house. "Ahimelech answered the king, 'Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king's son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your house?'" 2 Samuel 6.11-12 explains, "The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire house." King David says, 'The Lord has blessed the house of Obed Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.' So David goes down and brings up the ark of God from the house of Obed Edom to the City of David with rejoicing."✞
House Serving The Lord
In Deuteronomy 14.26, we read, "Use the silver to buy whatever you like, cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice." Deuteronomy 26.11 adds, "And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household."✞
Renewed Covenant
Joshua 24.15 explains the choice facing Israel, "But if the household serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." What is the modern-day equivalent of the priest in the Tribal Household in Judges?✞
King Solomon's House
The prophet Nathan rebukes King David and later King Solomon's House. In 2 Samuel 12.11, we read that the prophet Nathan rebukes King David and says, "This is what the Lord says, 'Out of your own house I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes, I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.'" We note how important David's house is in this passage. In 2 Samuel 15.16, we read, "The king set out, with his entire House following him, but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace." King David leaves behind only a few trusted servants to care for his palace. His Household travel with him! In 1 Kings 4.7, we read of David's son, Solomon, who is now king, "Solomon also had twelve district governors over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and his house. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year." Later in 1 Kings 5.11, we are told, "and King Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his house and twenty thousand baths of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year." Twenty thousand "cors" of wheat equals 3,600 tons of wheat! Twenty thousand "baths" of olive oil are 120,000 gallons of oil, and all this for Hiram's household!✞
Tribal Exodus House
A visiting foreigner and alien not belonging to the House of Israel receives the Exodus Passover lamb. Exodus 12.3-4 explains the ceremonial required for the Tribal house, "Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household." "If any tribal exodus household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, taking into account the number of people. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed by what each person will eat." The Passover is to be open to all who desire it. In Exodus 12.48, we read, "An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the Lord's Passover must have all the males in his Tribal Exodus Household circumcised, then the alien may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male alien may eat of it." Sabbath observance was commanded in Exodus 23.12, "Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your house, and the alien as well may be refreshed."
What role does circumcision have in the Tribal Exodus House?
How important is loyalty to the Tribal Exodus House?✞
Leviticus House Atonement
The Biblical books of Leviticus and Numbers highlight the house atonement and offerings to the Lord. Leviticus 16.11 informs us, "Aaron shall bring the bull for his sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household, and he is to slaughter the bull for his sin offering." Leviticus 16.17 adds, "No one is to be in the Tent of Meeting from the time Aaron goes in to make atonement in the Most Holy Place until he comes out, having made atonement for himself, his household and the whole community of Israel." Leviticus 22.11 speaks of the humane treatment of slaves, "But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if a slave is born in his household, that slave may eat his food." Numbers 18.11 explains the priest portion. "This also is yours, whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the Israelites' wave offerings. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it." Numbers 18.13 stipulates what should happen with the first fruits of the crop, "All the land's firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it." What privileges come to those who adhere to the Leviticus House Atonement?✞
"King David House"
by Ron Meacock © 2021
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