II Samuel 3-5

“Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?” (3:38).  David’s power was growing stronger, while the house of Saul was growing weaker (3:1).  However, he was determined not to take the throne of Israel by dishonorable means that would poison his reign.  So when Saul and Jonathan died, David praised them (1:24).  When Abner, head of the rival army, was killed, David mourned.  When Saul’s son Ishbosheth was assassinated, David punished the killers (4:12).

Achieving great things by wrong methods will bear poisonous fruit.  David wanted the kingdom, but only if given freely by God.