David: lucky or opportunistic?

[marcialou]

I think it is interesting how many murders take place that David mourns, disavows, and/or punishes but never-the-les, benefits. I love the way Robert describes on page 83 an imagined conversation between David and Reechab and Baanah, Ishbosheth’s muderers, in which the smarter of the two challenge him to admit that he is really glad that his potential rival is dead. David responds by thinking – all the more reason to kill the killers, if they are to go about saying things like this.

The thing that most confirms my suspicion that David spares and mourns people selectively for public relations purposes is how at the end of his life he instructs Solomon to get rid of the remaining few offenders. David always seemed to find someone else to do his dirty work for him.

What do others think – lucky, opportunistic, or none of the above?

Marcia

[mildone]

Marcialou,
I am impressed with David always saying that Saul is the Lord's annointed and that he(Saul) should not be touched nor hurt. It sounds like he is referring to himself when he becomes the King. It appears to be self-serving in that no one should attack the Lord's annointed and to stress that fact David has all those who attack the King(Saul) be killed. It is a strong lesson David sends.
mildone