Was King David a Priest? I Say Yes

[byeveryword]

Tim,

This is somewhat complex. In 2 Samuel 6:12, the ark of the covenant is brought to the city of David. This is what King David does with the ark of the covenant:

*2 Samuel 6:17-19
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

17 So they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house. *

Notice that the ark of the LORD is placed in a tent which David had pitched for it, it does not say it was placed in the tent, or tabernacle that was constructed by Moses in the wilderness. (Only the Levites were permitted to pitch the tabernacle which Moses had constructed in the wilderness). So the question remains, where was the tabernacle which Moses had constructed?

1 Chron. 16:37-42:

*Worship before the Ark
37 So he left Asaph and his [a]relatives there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark continually, as every day’s work required;
38 and Obed-edom with **his 68 relatives; Obed-edom, also the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah as gatekeepers.

39 He left Zadok the priest and his [c]relatives the priests before the [d]tabernacle of the LORD in the high place which was at Gibeon, 40 to offer burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt offering continually morning and evening, even according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which He commanded Israel. 41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest who were chosen, who were designated by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because His lovingkindness is everlasting. 42 And with them were Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those who should sound aloud, and with instruments for the songs of God, and the sons of Jeduthun for the gate. **

King David has Asaph and his relatives minister before the ark of the covenant of the LORD in the tent (which he pitched in the city of David). (verses 37-38)

Zadok the high priest and his relatives ministered before the tabernacle of the LORD (that Moses had constructed) in the high place of Gibeon.(verses 39-42).

In other words, the ark of the covenant remained in a tent in the city of David, while the tabernacle of Moses with the altar of burnt offerings, the altar of incense and the lampstand, etc. remained in Gibeon.

It would seem that after King David sinned against God, he enters the tent where the ark of the covenant was kept. The tent which he had pitched for it. (1 Sam.12:20).*

 

[byeveryword]

Excuse me, the scripture whereby King David enters the house of the LORD is 2 Samuel 12:20 and not 1 Samuel.

20 *So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. *

Now, I am assuming King David entered the tent in Jerusalem, the city of David, where the ark of the LORD dwelt, not the tabernacle of Moses that was in Gibeon. As you know, no one is allowed to enter into the presence of the ark of the LORD unless it is the high priest, and only then, once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

 

[byeveryword]

Excuse me, the scripture whereby King David enters the house of the LORD is 2 Samuel 12:20 and not 1 Samuel.

20 *So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. *

Now, I am assuming King David entered the tent in Jerusalem, the city of David, where the ark of the LORD dwelt, not the tabernacle of Moses that was in Gibeon. As you know, no one is allowed to enter into the presence of the ark of the LORD unless it is the high priest, and only then, once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

There are two exceptions to which I just wrote.

1. After the capture of the ark of the LORD by the Philistines it was returned and came to Kiriath-jearim where it dwelt in the **house of Abinadab **on the hill. (I am assuming Abinadab was a priest) and it dwelt there for twenty years. (1 Samuel 7:1-2)
2. After Uzzah died, the ark of the covenant remained in the **house of Obededom **for three months. (2 Samuel 6:11-12).

 

[TimothyH]

Excuse me, the scripture whereby King David enters the house of the LORD is 2 Samuel 12:20 and not 1 Samuel.

20 So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate.

Now, I am assuming King David entered the tent in Jerusalem, the city of David, where the ark of the LORD dwelt, not the tabernacle of Moses that was in Gibeon. As you know, no one is allowed to enter into the presence of the ark of the LORD unless it is the high priest, and only then, once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

This is all so interesting. The parts above bolded and in red are evocative how Moses and the elders ascended Mt. Sinai and beheld God:

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abi’hu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank. (Exodus 24:9-11 RSV)

I just found that interesting that’s all. Maybe no connection.

@byeveryword, thanks for the reply. Extremely interesting. David has the Ark in Jerusalem in a tent while the actual tabernacle is in Gibeon…

Maybe a second cup of coffee will help me.

-Tim-

 

[byeveryword]

This is all so interesting. The parts above bolded and in red are evocative how Moses and the elders ascended Mt. Sinai and beheld God:

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abi’hu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank. (Exodus 24:9-11 RSV)

I just found that interesting that’s all. Maybe no connection.

@byeveryword, thanks for the reply. Extremely interesting. David has the Ark in Jerusalem in a tent while the actual tabernacle is in Gibeon…

Maybe a second cup of coffee will help me.

-Tim-

Now this is speculation on my part. When David appointed Asaph and his relatives from the tribe of Levi to sing with praise and thanksgiving at the doorways of the tent in which the ark of God was placed in the city of David, the first Psalm of praise was written by King David and it includes portions of Ps.105 and Ps.96. It is my speculation that many of David’s Psalms may have been composed while he was at the doors of the tent of the ark of the covenant, or inside. In addition, Asaph may have composed some of his Psalms at this time also.

Further references to the separation of the ark of the covenant from the tabernacle of Moses can be found in 2 Chron. 1:1-5 and I think, 1 Kings 8.

 

[byeveryword]

This is all so interesting. The parts above bolded and in red are evocative how Moses and the elders ascended Mt. Sinai and beheld God:

Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abi’hu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank. (Exodus 24:9-11 RSV)

I just found that interesting that’s all. Maybe no connection.
There may be a connection between the two. I also wonder if this is when King David cried out to God in repentance… Psalm 51.

@byeveryword, thanks for the reply. Extremely interesting. David has the Ark in Jerusalem in a tent while the actual tabernacle is in Gibeon…

Maybe a second cup of coffee will help me.

-Tim-

 

[byeveryword]

Excuse me, the scripture whereby King David enters the house of the LORD is 2 Samuel 12:20 and not 1 Samuel.

20 *So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. *

Now, I am assuming King David entered the tent in Jerusalem, the city of David, where the ark of the LORD dwelt, not the tabernacle of Moses that was in Gibeon. As you know, no one is allowed to enter into the presence of the ark of the LORD unless it is the high priest, and only then, once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

There is also the occasion of David entering the presence of the LORD after the prophet Nathan told King David of the Messianic promise from the LORD. 2 Sam.7:18 " Then David the king went in, and sat before the LORD: and he said: 'Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me thus far?"

 

[byeveryword]

So Tim, to conclude your originall inquiry as to the scriptures which would indicate that King David had an almost unique relationship with the LORD in being allowed in His presence, allow me to quote this final scripture:

2 Samuel15:25 New American Standard Bible (©1995)

"The king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation.”

In light of these scriptures then, these Psalms of King David regarding the house of the LORD may indicate his personal experience with the LORD before the ark of the covenant of the LORD in the tent that he had pitched in the city of David. (as stated previously, there was no temple in the time of David, and the tabernacle of Moses was in Gibeon.

Ps.5:7, Ps.26:8, Ps. 27:4 and curiously, Ps.30 which is titled, the dedication of the house of the LORD.

So, eventhough King David was not of the tribe of Levi, he had access to the ark of the covenant. In a certain sense David was not only prophet and king as our Lord Jesus Christ, but also indirectly, a priest.

 

[TimothyH]

So Tim, to conclude your originall inquiry as to the scriptures which would indicate that King David had an almost unique relationship with the LORD in being allowed in His presence, allow me to quote this final scripture:

…

So, eventhough King David was not of the tribe of Levi, he had access to the ark of the covenant. In a certain sense David was not only prophet and king as our Lord Jesus Christ, but also indirectly, a priest.

I appreciate your posts more than you know.

Like most else in the Bible, I’m seeing this question not as a binary yes/no or true/false answer but a matter of degrees. As you stated perfectly, David had a unique priestly relationship with the Lord but was not a full Levitical priest.

What really needs to be done is to mediate on the meaning, how this applies to us personally and how this information helps to* train us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)*. It’s all good information, but useless outside of the purpose of scripture, which is to help us spend eternity in union with God.

-Tim-

 

[byeveryword]

I appreciate your posts more than you know.

Like most else in the Bible, I’m seeing this question not as a binary yes/no or true/false answer but a matter of degrees. As you stated perfectly, David had a unique priestly relationship with the Lord but was not a full Levitical priest.

What really needs to be done is to mediate on the meaning, how this applies to us personally and how this information helps to* train us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)*. It’s all good information, but useless outside of the purpose of scripture, which is to help us spend eternity in union with God.

-Tim-

Agreed, and hopefully we will learn something from King David in the way and manner in which he drew near to God. His praise and thanksgiving of God seems to be foundational.

 

[joe371]

I think so. Or at a minimum, there is a connection with - possibly a prefigurement - of the common priesthood of Christ in which we all share. Here is what I think. I would welcome any comments.

Although both he and David were anointed by Samuel, I don’t think Saul was a priest. Of David however, the Bible says…So the priest gave him holy bread, for no other bread was on hand except the showbread which had been removed from the LORD’S presence and replaced by fresh bread when it was taken away. (1 Samuel 21:7)David and his men ate the Holy Bread, the Bread of the Presence from the temple, which only priests were allowed to eat. He ate this even though he was not yet anointed by Samuel. Jesus references event in Matthew 12.At that time Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.” He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry, how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering, which neither he nor his companions but only the priests could lawfully eat? Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath and are innocent? I say to you, something greater than the temple is here. If you knew what this meant, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned these innocent men. For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath." (Matthew 12:1-8)Jesus equates his own disciples violation of the sabbath with David’s eating of the Holy Bread, and even points out that the priests violate the sabbath by working “and are innocent.” In doing this, he is placing both himself and King David on the same level as the priests in the temple, saying that as the priests are innocent by virtue of their preisthood, so too is David and himself and his disciples. He then takes it a step further, stating that he is in fact greater than, and master of the sabbath.

The point is that Jesus says that the priests are innocent, and if King David and Jesus and his disciples are also innocent, they must be priests as well. It is, I think, a revelation to us of the common priesthood in which we all share.When it was reported to King David that the LORD had blessed the family of Obed-edom and all that belonged to him, David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities. As soon as the bearers of the ark of the LORD had advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. Then David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the LORD with abandon, (2 Samuel 6:12-14)After David was annointed and made king, he brought back the Ark of the Covenant and it is clear that he sacrificed, something which subsequent to Mt. Sinai, only a priest would have done. He was also wearning an “Apron”, which is probably the ephod worn by the priests. A picture of the ephod (in yellow) is below. It look like an apron to me.

Eating the holy bread. Sacrificing. Wearing the ephod. So yes, I think David was a priest.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/PLATE4DX.jpg/220px-PLATE4DX.jpg

-Tim-

Hey Tim, this is an interesting topic. Would this be a correct assessment: under the law of Moses the king and high priest were mutually exclusive roles. For example, being a king or high priest depended on genealogy; the kings were from the tribe of Judah/line of David; the high priests were from the tribe of Levi. Therefore, regarding the old covenant, the same person could not be both king and priest:

“For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel; Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.” Jeremiah 33

Your thoughts? However, it’s clear that king David wore priestly vestments on occasion…Not sure if that, by itself, would qualify him as a priest as well, especially in light of the aforementioned?

Jesus of course fulfils the office of King and Priest. As King Messiah Jesus is the temple Who sits upon the eternal throne as both King and Priest. i.e. Only God’s servant, the Branch, can sit on the throne as both King and High Priest.

 

[irenaeuslyons]

Only firstborn sons where set aside as priests to God. David was the eighth son of Jesse.
David had many qualities which were like unto priests, but that is not the same as being one.

 

[joe371]

Only firstborn sons where set aside as priests to God. David was the eighth son of Jesse.
David had many qualities which were like unto priests, but that is not the same as being one.

:yup:

Only the high priest was allowed to enter into the most holy place of the temple and minister; it was not permissible for any king of Israel to enter into the holy place and minister as a priest. As per the holy Bible, I don’t think there is one mention of the king entering into the temple and functioning as a high priest. Anyone other than the descendants of Aaron entering, meant certain death, unless I overlooked something:

Numbers 4:15 “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die…

(19) “But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: (20) But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.”

 

[irenaeuslyons]

:yup:

Only the high priest was allowed to enter into the most holy place of the temple and minister; it was not permissible for any king of Israel to enter into the holy place and minister as a priest. As per the holy Bible, I don’t think there is one mention of the king entering into the temple and functioning as a high priest. Anyone other than the descendants of Aaron entering, it meant certain death, unless I overlooked something:

Numbers 4:15 “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die…

(19) “But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: (20) But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.”

Actions are not what make a person a priest. I can dress as a cop, successfully stop some robbers, but it doesn’t change the fact that I have no commission. In any case, David lacked the birthright to be a priest. Priests were firstborn sons.

 

[joe371]

Actions are not what make a person a priest. I can dress as a cop, successfully stop some robbers, but it doesn’t change the fact that I have no commission. In any case, David lacked the birthright to be a priest. Priests were firstborn sons.

Agreed.

 

[TimothyH]

This is a 3.5 year old thread.

As the one who started the thread and out of respect for the rules against opening threads >1 year old, I ask that it not be resurrected. My question has been answered.

-Tim-

 

[ericc]

Though David’s status is not Jesus’ main point, it is interesting, and it is undeniable that
David ate the Holy Bread in violation of temple law. But the fact that he was not not only given the bread by the priest Ahimelech, but that he was not punished for it is significant. It shows that he was not permitted, or at least not prohibited from acting in a priestly role in some way.

-Tim-

I read Mat 12:1-8 differently. What Jesus was teaching is that it is ok to break administrative rules if you are going about God’s business or in accordance with God’s plans. You can heal (work) on a Sabbath day. You can eat Holy bread when there is an emergency where lives are at stake. It is the intent that count, not the outward signs. Jesus condemns pharisees for putting a show of external obedience to OT laws without God in their hearts.

David wasn’t a king yet when he ate the holy bread. His men were not going to be kings either. David did not intend to act as a priest. His men did not intend to act as priests although they were reasonably ritually pure as they kept themselves from women. He was fleeing King Saul. I just find it tough to extrapolate David’s as well as his men’s behaviour that he/they intend to act as a priest(s). Without intent, any similarities at best are just coincidental. Even if you can justify David’s role as priest, you will not be able to do that for his men. Jesus didn’t condemn his men.

 

[ready]

Even Jesus Himself claims that David and his companions COULD NOT eat the bread because they weren’t priests.

What more proof do you need?

 

[dje14338]

2 Samuel 8:18 states [according to the Massoretic and correct translation of the Vulgate] that “the sons of David were priests.” David and his male lineage were not levitic priests but still were considered priests.

 

[Mintaka]

The Davidic kings were also kings of Jerusalem.

The King of Salem (the old name of Jerusalem), Melchizedek, was also a priest of God. He sacrificed bread and wine to God, and Abraham paid God a tithe through Melchizedek.

It would seem that there was a tradition in Canaan that Jerusalem was sacred, and therefore its king was a priest-king. Melchizedek shows up in the Genesis genealogies as a patriarch descended from Adam and Seth, and super-old.

So David and the sons of David did not draw on priesthood from being Levites, but from being kings and others “in the line of Melchizedek,” the pre-Abraham patriarch and priest-king who worshipped God. They were not related to Melchizedek by blood, but they were related to him by function.

Seeing as how our Catholic priests also share the Davidic priesthood, by being “in the line of Melchizedek” through laying on hands from Jesus and the Apostles, folks need to know this.