Rephaim he was enabled to strike such a crushing blow to the
Philistines as to compel a lasting peace and leave him free to develop
his kingdom. This reign of David, lasting thirty-three years after he
became king of all, was the ideal reign of all the history of the
Hebrews.

The element of success and chief acts of his reign may be summed up
somewhat as follows: (1) _His capture of Jerusalem_ (formerly called
Jesub,) a Canaanitish stronghold that had resisted all attacks from
the days of Joshua, and making it his capitol. This choice showed
great wisdom. (2) _His foreign relations_. David's foreign policy was
one of conquest. He not only defended Israel but subdued other
nations. Besides the subduing of the Philistines and capture of Jebus,
already mentioned, he conquered the Moabites. the Syrians, the
Edomites and the Ammonites. He also made an alliance with Hiram, the
king of the Phoenicians, who became his lifelong friend. (3) _His home
relations and policies_. His policy at home may be said to be one of
centralization. One of his first acts was to bring up the ark and
place it on Mount Zion and to center all worship there. This would
tend to unite the people and to make more powerful his authority over
all the people. In line with this plan he conceived the idea of
building the temple and during the years he gathered materials and
stored riches with which to build it. He acted with a wise
consideration for the rights of his subjects and in every way sought
to promote their happiness. As a ruler, he differed very widely from
the kings of other countries. He possessed none of their selfish aims.
He did not oppress his subjects with heavy taxes, nor spoil them of
their possessions, nor seize them for soldiers against their will. He
recognized that the king was for the people and not the people for the
king.