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CHAPTER 10 – 2 Samuel: 1011 B.C.-Approx. 971 B.C.

Second Samuel is the tenth book of the Bible following 1 Samuel, the ninth book of the Bible. These two books appeared in the Hebrew Bible as one book with the title “Samuel”. The Septuagint divided Samuel into two books. The English title comes down to us from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate which has the title Liber II Samuelis which is translated “The Second Book of Samuel.”

Authorship

According to Jewish tradition, 2 Samuel was written by the prophets Nathan and Gad. Nathan lived to at least 931 B.C.

Summary

The second book of Samuel begins with king Saul’s death in 1011 B.C. and covers most of David’s life up to just before his death in 971 B.C.

The book opens with the account of a young man who brings news of Saul and his son, Jonathan’s, death, and the young man claims to have killed Saul. David mourns for Saul and Jonathan and puts the young man to death for killing Saul. The tribe of Judah then anoints David as king over Judah. But Abner, the captain of Saul’s army, makes Saul’s son, Ishbosheth, king over the remaining tribes of Israel.

After this comes seven and a half years of war between Israel and Judah during which both Abner and Ishbosheth are murdered. Also, David takes the city of Jerusalem out of the hands of the Jebusites, he defeats the Philistines twice, and he decides to build a Temple for God to replace the portable sanctuary built by Moses.

God, however, forbids David to build Him a Temple but promises David that after his death, one of his sons will indeed build the Temple. In addition, God promises David to make a dynasty of his family that would last forever, and so David praises God.

David then defeats a number of the surrounding nations in war and dedicates their treasures and the gifts he received from a king named Toi to God. After this, David becomes king over all Israel and he brings Saul’s son, Mephibosheth, to live with him at Jerusalem. David next defeats Ammon and Syria in war.

David then commits adultery with the Bathsheba, the wife of one of his chief soldiers, Uriah. Bathsheba becomes pregnant and when David’s schemes to conceal his sin fails, David causes Uriah to be murdered and he marries Bathsheba.

Nathan, the prophet shows David his sins and God’s displeasure with David, and David repents of his sins. God accepts David’s repentance but tells David that from henceforth David’s family was cursed.

Bathsheba gives birth to a son which dies shortly after being born. She then has another son named Solomon. David’s son, Amnon, then rapes his sister Tamar, and Absalom, another son of David, murders Amnon in revenge and Absalom flees. After two years, Joab, the captain of David’s army, orchestrates the return of Absalom and his reconciliation with David.

But Absalom, who covets David’s throne, rebels against David, and David and those loyal to him have to flee Jerusalem. Absalom raises an army and goes against David and his followers, and the rebellion ends with the death of Absalom and the restoration of David and his followers to Jerusalem.

A man named Sheba then rebels against David and the rest of Israel are turned away from David to follow Sheba. Joab and David’s army, however, pursue Sheba and the rebellion ends with the death of Sheba and the reconciliation of Israel with David.

God then curses Israel with a three-year famine because of Saul’s killing of the Gibeonites, who were allies of Israel and under Israel’s protection. David makes amends to the Gibeonites and God takes away the famine from Israel.

The Philistines again make war with Israel and David defeats them. David then sings a psalm (a sacred song) of thanksgiving to God. David next speaks words of encouragement to Israel and the book of 2 Samuel then records the exploits of David’s mighty men of valour.

After this, David angers God with his counting of the people of Israel. David afterwards repents of his sin and God gives David a choice of three punishments for his sin. David chooses to fall into the hand of God and so God sends a pestilence upon Israel. As a result, 70 thousand men of Israel die.

The prophet, Gad, then tells David to raise up an altar to God in the threshing floor of Araunah, the Jebusite. David purchases the threshing floor, builds an altar there, and God takes away the plague from Israel.

Themes

• Trust in God’s help and guidance.
• Satan at work to cause repeated wars against God’s people.
• Satan at work to cause rape, incest, and adultery.
• Satan at work to cause rebellion against God’s appointed leaders.
• Satan at work to cause leaders to sin.
• God’s forgiveness when any person repents of their sins.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God as humanity’s help and guide in the affairs of life.
• God as the One who knows the future.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

God says, “I [God] have made a covenant with my chosen, I [God] have sworn unto David my servant.” Psalm 89:3. “His [David’s] seed [descendants]…will I [God] make to endure for ever, and his [David’s] throne as the days of heaven.” Psalm 89:29.

In fulfilment of this promise, it is “Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made [born] of the seed [descendants] of David according to [in] the flesh.” Romans 1:3. For David belonged to the tribe of Judah and so, just as was prophesied, Christ came to the earth as a descendant of Jacob’s son, Judah, and of David.

Christ “was caught up [ascended] unto God [in heaven], and to his throne.” Revelation 12:5. Furthermore, it is “Christ…who is over all [creation], God blessed for ever” (Romans 9:5) and of whom God the Father says, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.” Psalm 45:6. Thus, through Christ, a descendant of David, David’s throne will endure forever.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Trust in God’s help and guidance.
• Do not commit sexual sins such as rape, incest, and adultery.
• Do not rebel against God’s appointed leaders.
• Repent of your sins, trusting in God’s forgiveness of sins.
• Follow God’s plan for your life.
• Give thanks to God for His wonderful blessings.

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