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Introduction

Since 1 and 2 Samuel were originally written as one book, the Introduction to 1 Samuel serves as an introduction to 2 Samuel as well.

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2 Samuel 1

David Learns of Saul’s and Jonathan’s Deaths

2 Sam 1:1-10 – An Amalekite tells David that Saul and Jonathan are dead, but goes on to give details that are at odds with what we read in the previous chapter (1 Sam 31). The Amalekite obviously believes that David is going to rejoice over Saul’s death. The Amalekite probably also believes that David will reward him for bringing Saul’s crown and bracelet, but this foreigner obviously doesn’t know David very well – not that David’s fellow Israelites always understood his respect for Saul either.

2 Sam 1:11-12 – David and his men mourn for all the right reasons. This wasn’t just bad news about Saul and Jonathan – it was bad news for anyone who cared about the nation of Israel.

David Judges the Amalekite Messenger

2 Sam 1:13-16 – David executes judgment on the Amalekite based on the man’s own testimony. The crime was assassination of Israel’s king. Since David wasn’t present at Saul’s death, he didn’t know the man before him was lying. He was taking the man at his word. When David pronounced sentence on the man, he didn’t use the word “king.” Instead, he used the synonym “the Lord’s anointed.” For David, to refer to Israel’s king as “the Lord’s anointed” wasn’t just lip service – it was heartfelt recognition that Israel was God’s holy nation whose leader only He had the right to name. Christ – Messiah – Anointed – (King).

David Laments the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan

2 Sam 1:17-27 – Repeatedly, David refers to Saul and Jonathan as “the mighty.” He invokes Israelite memories of the great things the two of them have done for Israel. David doesn’t believe this is a time for remembering Saul’s weaknesses and sins. Rather, it’s a time for mourning because Israel’s first king and his firstborn son have fallen slain at the hand of “the uncircumcised.”

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2 Samuel 2

David Made King over Judah

2 Sam 2:1 – With Saul dead, it was probably safe for David to relocate from Ziklag to his native land. When he asked the Lord about an appropriate place in the territory of Judah (the tribe of which he was a part), the Lord told him “Hebron.” Recall from 1 Sam 30:26-31 that Hebron was one of the places in Judah that David and his men had frequented, and that it was one of the cities with which David shared the spoils of his victory over the Amalekites after their raid on Ziklag. Therefore, Hebron would be much more familiar and secure for David than Gath or Ziklag (both Philistine cities) had been. Having had to live in exile because of Saul’s ravings, David was “coming home.”

2 Sam 2:2-3 – David brings his family, along with his men and their families, to settle in Hebron. They would remain there for over seven years.

2 Sam 2:4 – At this time, David was made king of the tribe of Judah only. The rest of Israel remained under the control of Saul’s household.

2 Sam 2:4-7 – David sends a good will message to the men of Jabesh-gilead because of the honor they bestowed on King Saul after his death (1 Sam 31:11-13). The city of Jabesh-gilead was located in the territory of Gad – one of the two and a half tribes of Israel that settled east of the Jordan River (Num 32).

Abner Makes Ish-bosheth King over Israel

2 Sam 2:8-11 – As head of Israel’s army and cousin of Saul, Abner had sufficient leverage to name Saul’s son Ish-bosheth king over all Saul’s domain (which was all of Israel) – except for Judah, which remained faithful to David. This divided Israel in two: 11 tribes (collectively called Israel) and one tribe (Judah).

Two Kings Mean Civil War

2 Sam 2:12-17 – Saul’s family was of the tribe of Benjamin and Abner was Saul’s cousin (1 Sam 14:49-50). David’s family was of the tribe of Judah and Joab was David’s nephew (1 Chr 2:13-16). In those times, family ties and political ties were regularly intertwined.

2 Sam 2:18-23 – Zeruiah was David’s sister (1 Chr 2:13-16). ***** Tensions between the two political camps were rising, and were intensified by family relationships and rivalries.

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2 Samuel 3

The House of David Grows Stronger

2 Sam 3:1 – The house of Saul was weakening as the house of David was strengthening.

2 Sam 3:2-5 – David’s house is strengthened with six sons.

Abner Defects from Ish-bosheth to David

2 Sam 3:6 – While the house of Saul (Ish-bosheth) was growing weaker, Abner was growing stronger within it.

2 Sam 3:7-21 – Ish-bosheth questions Abner, and Abner takes offense. This becomes the last straw for Abner. He decides he’s going to stop propping up Ish-bosheth’s throne and instead give all of Israel to David since things seem to be going that direction anyway. Abner works out the details directly with David.

Joab Murders Abner

2 Sam 3:22-27 – Joab headed David’s army as Abner headed Saul’s (Ish-bosheth’s) army. Since Joab’s army (one tribe, which was Judah) was smaller than Abner’s, Joab would likely be made a subordinate to Abner when he brought the 11 tribes over to David. This would be particular galling to Joab since Abner had killed Joab’s brother Asahel (2 Sam 2:18-23) in the civil war between Israel and Judah. Therefore, Joab sought out Abner and killed him.

David Distances Himself from the Murder and Mourns Abner

2 Sam 3:28-39 – Joab’s murder of Abner temporarily stalled the unification of the nation that Abner and David were pursuing. However, David’s condemnations of Joab and lamentations over the death of Abner kept tensions from boiling over in the divided kingdom.

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2 Samuel 4

Ish-bosheth Murdered by Rechab and Baanah

2 Sam 4:1-8 – As noted earlier, the house of Saul had been weakening ever since Saul and Jonathan died (2 Sam 3:1). Without Abner, the army, and Abner’s allies to support him, King Ish-bosheth was now out of options to preserve his kingdom. All alone and unprotected, Israel’s king is murdered by a couple of his own underlings – Rechab and Baanah. These two men are going to attempt to deliver Ish-bosheth’s kingdom to David as Abner had sought to do, only they are executing the idea in a far less sophisticated and far more gruesome manner than Abner did.

David Condemns Rechab and Baanah

2 Sam 4:9-12 – As has been his pattern, David responds very negatively to anyone who shows disrespect to Saul and his house in order to curry favor with David. To David, Saul was “the Lord’s anointed,” and so matter how demented or hostile Saul became, David was never going to lift a hand against him or support anyone who did. For David, to be against the Lord’s anointed was to be against the Lord.

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2 Samuel 5

Israel Makes David King

2 Sam 5:1-5 – David did not strive to rule Israel. He waited on the Lord. And thus when it was time, the other eleven tribes came to David in Judah and asked him to reign over them. You could almost hear Deborah and Barak singing:

Judg 5:1 Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
Judg 5:2 “That the leaders led in Israel,
That the people volunteered,
Bless the LORD!
 Judg 5:3 “Hear, O kings; give ear, O rulers!
I–to the LORD, I will sing,
I will sing praise to the LORD, the God of Israel.

David had won over his countrymen by his attitude, his decisions, and his behavior. People often speak of David’s heart for God, and rightly so, but he also had a heart for his fellow man. He commended decent people and condemned the jerks. He was not a perfect man but he certainly certainly seemed to have a solid grasp of the two greatest commandments.

Matt 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
Matt 22:37 And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’
Matt 22:38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.
Matt 22:39 “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

David was both a man of God…and a people person. He demonstrated that there didn’t have to be a conflict between the two. And, in doing so, foreshadowed Jesus. (Types and Shadows of Christ)

2 Sam 5:2 – The Israelites recognized that even when Saul was in charge and David his subordinate, it was David who led them to victory – the victory over Goliath being a prime example (1 Sam 17). Saul was merely there that day; David is the one who won the day.

2 Sam 5:3 – Samuel had anointed David long before (1 Sam 16), but now all Israel was affirming God’s choice of David.

2 Sam 5:4 – Jesus was about 30 when He began his earthly ministry (Lk 3:23).

2 Sam 5:5 – David wisely relocated his residence when He accepted the kingship of all Israel. He didn’t want the country to think that Judah would receive preferential treatment to the detriment of the rest of the country.

David Takes Jerusalem

2 Sam 5:6-9 – Although the Israelites had attempted to take Jerusalem before (such as in Judg 1:8, 21), they’d never succeeded in driving the Jebusites from it…until now. The Canaanite inhabitants had come to think their city was impregnable and they used to taunt the Israelites about their failures to take it: saying, “You shall not come in here, but the blind and lame will turn you away.” David turned that saying on its head with: “Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him reach the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul, through the water tunnel.” From this time forward, Jerusalem became known as Zion (or Mount Zion), the city of David. The stronghold of the Canaanites became the stronghold of the Israelites. In addition to its unique defensibility, Jerusalem was also desirable as David’s capital because it was located at Judah’s (David’s tribe) border with Benjamin (Saul’s tribe). This would help heal the nation’s wounds and inspire bonding.

David Becomes Stronger and Stronger

2 Sam 5:10-16 – The Lord exalted David’s kingdom for the sake of His people Israel, not for the sake of David. If we men think God has given us authority in our families to exalt us, we are wrong; whatever exaltation He gives us is for the sake of our families.

2 Sam 5:10 – #FJOT (identical to 1 Chr 11:9).

David Defeats the Philistines

2 Sam 5:17-25 – As the Lord was with David in establishing him as king, so He is with David in establishing Israel as victorious over its enemies – especially the Philistines who had become Israel’s primary antagonists during this age. As David gets stronger and stronger, it prepares the way for Solomon to be the richest and wisest man the world had seen up to that point. Solomon could never have achieved that status without having had David as his father.

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2 Samuel 6

David Tries to Bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem
2 Sam 6:1-11

2 Sam 6:1-5 – “Baale-judah” was another name for for the city of Keriath-jearim. There, at the house of Abinadab, the ark had been stored for the last 20 years (1 Sam 7:1-2). Prior to that, it was in the tabernacle at Shiloh. The Philistines swiped it (1 Sam 4), couldn’t handle it (1 Sam 5), and returned it to Israel (1 Sam 6). That’s when the 20-year period started.

2 Sam 6:6-7 – 1 Chr 15:13-15 explains that the problem that led to Uzzah’s death was in transporting the ark on a cart instead of having Levites carry it with poles resting on their shoulders as directed in the Law of Moses (Ex 25:12-14). The Philistines had made a big deal about using “a new cart” (1 Sam 6) and it appears Israel had, for whatever reason, followed that practice rather than Moses’ instructions. As the book of Proverbs says:

Prov 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

When we serve the Lord, we need to do so in the way He prescribes – not any old way we want.

2 Sam 6:8-9 – David was offended at first because of the loss of life and for this reason abandoned on the mission. He saw himself faring no better than the Philistines when they tried to handle the ark (1 Sam 5). Since he thought he was cursed in the matter, he just gave up. His behavior brings to mind the adage that a cat who once jumps on a hot stove won’t jump on a hot stove again, but it won’t jump on a cold one either. Unlike a dumb animal, however, David would come around.

2 Sam 6:10-11 – “Gittites” were the inhabitants of Gath. David may have come to know this Obed-edom during his time of serving Achish the king of Gath (1 Sam 27). Gath is also noteworthy because it had been the home of Goliath (1 Sam 17:4), and it ultimately became a city of Judah (1 Sam 7:14).

David Succeeds in Bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem
2 Sam 6:12-23

2 Sam 6:12 – Seeing how God had blessed Obed-edom, and realizing at some point that there’d be safety in honoring the Lord’s directions about how the ark should be transported, David felt safe resuming his attempt to bring the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem.

2 Sam 6:13 – That they “had gone six paces” indicates that they had rightly abandoned the cart as a means of transportation and were now following Moses’ instruction in the matter. (See note on 2 Sam 6:6-7 above.) It also indicates they were wisely proceeding with caution.

2 Sam 6:14-19 – By everything David was doing with the ark of the covenant, he was teaching the people what he himself believed: that the Lord’s covenant with Israel was the central determining factor of the nation’s well-being. It was by this covenant that David himself had fended off lions, bears, and giants. Therefore, he knew that what he believed would help the nation succeed…if they believed it, too. ***** Some people say that David was dancing naked or wearing only the ephod, but this does not seem reasonable to me. For one thing, the ephod was worn by the priests as an outer garment like an apron – never as a sole garment. When David’s wife Michal referred to him as being “uncovered” in the next paragraph, she seems to be speaking of his wearing the priest’s ephod instead of the royal robe and accessories to which he was entitled.

2 Sam 6:20-23 – Michal wasn’t buying what David was selling because she was walking according to the flesh while David was walking according to the spirit. (Walking in the Spirit and Not in the Flesh)

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2 Samuel 7

This is one of the most important chapters in the Old Testament. In it, God promises that He will elevate one of David’s descendants to unprecedented heights.

David Plans to Build a Temple
2 Sam 7:1-7

2 Sam 7:1-3 – David has brought the ark of the covenant to the nation’s new capital in Jerusalem (2 Sam 6). With David’s military victories over surrounding nations, he now has some time on his hands…and it occurs to him that the ark of the covenant deserves more substantial surroundings than a tent. Nathan offers encouragement to the idea.

2 Sam 7:4 – It wasn’t that Nathan had done wrong to encourage David; it was just that the Lord had thoughts on the subject that neither Nathan nor anyone else could have anticipated. Thus did God go on to reveal to Nathan the prophet what was on His mind.

God’s Covenant with David
2 Sam 7:5-17

2 Sam 7:11 – David was planning to build a house for God, but now he’s hearing that God is going to build a house for him.

(David will build a house for God through his son Solomon – what will come to be known as “Solomon’s Temple” even though David will have been more responsible for it than Solomon. But that story will come later. For now, God has changed the subject from the house David wanted to build for Him to the house He’s going to build for David.)

2 Sam 7:12 – The foundation of this house God will build for David will be David’s descendant – whom the world will come to know as “The Messiah.” See (Christ – Messiah – Anointed – (King). That God will “raise up” this Messiah is a reference to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The “kingdom” that this Messiah will build will be called “the kingdom of God,” also called “the kingdom of heaven,” in the New Testament.

2 Sam 7:13 – That this kingdom will last “forever” means that it will not be earthly like David’s was, for all earthly kingdoms pass away, just as everything on the earth passes away.

James 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

2 Sam 7:14 – The statement “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me” is the root of all references to the Messiah as “the Son of God.” As for “when he commits inequity…” that’s a reference to us – Messiah’s offspring.

2 Sam 7:15 – If not for this promise, you can I would be as likely to succeed as King Saul. Remember Jesus said:

John 14:16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
John 14:17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

Yes, the Holy Spirit came upon Saul (1 Sam 10:10), but not with the promise “that He may be with you forever”! The Spirit departed from him (1 Sam 16:14) as the Spirit had departed from Samson (Judg 16:20). But the new covenant is different in that the Spirit will not depart (though He may go silent when we grieve Him).

Heb 13:5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
Heb 13:6 so that we confidently say,
“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID.
WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”

2 Sam 7:16 – It would be another thousand years before this promised descendant of David would walk the same streets of Jerusalem that David walked. And many other prophets besides Nathan would speak along the way – including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel – filling out the profile that Nathan was painting in this vision. Even the promises of God made before this, including the ones to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are incorporated into this vision. Even the promise made to the serpent after he successfully tempted Adam and Even to sin is included.

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

All the promises of God would come together in the one who was first referred to as “the Messiah, the Son of God” because of this chapter of the Bible (2 Sam 7).

2 Cor 1:19 For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us–by me and Silvanus and Timothy–was not yes and no, but is yes in Him.
2 Cor 1:20 For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.

(David’s Psalm 2 about the Son of God is founded on the vision God revealed to him through Nathan in this chapter – 2 Sam 7.)

With all this, and more, in mind, the apostle John would one day write:

John 20:30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
John 20:31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

David’s Prayer
2 Sam 7:18-29

2 Sam 7:19 – When David says “distant future,” he knows that Solomon will not be the fulfillment of this promise but simply a foreshadowing of the fulfillment (Types and Shadows of Christ) in the same way that Joshua was not the fulfillment of God’s promise to Moses in Deuteronomy but simply a foreshadowing of the fulfillment (Joshua/Jesus). For God through Moses:

Deut 18:15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.

2 Sam 7:27 – This vision from the prophet Nathan (2 Sam 7:8-17) was a revelation to David, who was a prophet himself. This revelation allowed him to write, among other psalms including Psalm 2 (mentioned above in the note on 2 Sam 7:16), Psalm 16, which Peter quoted in part when preached on the day of Pentecost, which was 50 day’s after Messiah’s (Christ’s) resurrection from the dead. At that time, Peter said:

Acts 2:25 “For David says of Him,
‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE;
FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.
Acts 2:26 ‘THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED;
MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;
Acts 2:27 BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,
NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.
Acts 2:28 ‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;
YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’
Acts 2:29 “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Acts 2:30 “And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE,
Acts 2:31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

Jesus had told Peter and the other apostles how the Lord brought along David and the other Old Testament prophets to gradually document His messianic plan. After Jesus’ ascension into heaven, the apostles went into all the world to bear witness to the fulfillment of that plan, preaching first to only to Jews but then, within ten years, to Gentiles as well. And that message has been proclaimed to the whole world ever since. The pebble Nathan dropped in David’s pound is still producing ripples.

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2 Samuel 8

David’s Triumphs
2 Sam 8:1-18

2 Sam 8:1 – David defeats the Philistines.

2 Sam 8:2 – David defeats Moab.

2 Sam 8:2-8 – David defeats Hadadezer and the Arameans of Damascus.

2 Sam 8:9-12 – Toi and Joram of Hamath seek peace with David.

2 Sam 8:13-14 – David subjugates Edom.

2 Sam 8:15 – Summary: David reigned and found no unbeatable foe.

David’s Chief Staff Members
2 Sam 8:16-18

A strong leader implies a strong staff. No leader does everything by himself. Even a leader with full-time support from God needs human help.

Ex 18:13 It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening.
Ex 18:14 Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”
Ex 18:15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
Ex 18:16 “When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws.”
Ex 18:17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good.
Ex 18:18 “You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

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2 Samuel 9

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth
2 Sam 9:1-13

Mephibosheth was briefly mentioned in the earlier chapter about Ish-bosheth’s murder by Rechab and Baanah.

2 Sam 4:4 Now Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the report of Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that in her hurry to flee, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

We should all see ourselves as being in the shoes of Mephibosheth, lame feet and all. As Mephibosheth was shown favor for Jonathan’s sake, so you and I are shown favor for Jesus’ sake. As Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s heir, so we are Jesus’ heirs. As the servants of Saul were repurposed to serve the house of Mephibosheth, so the Holy Spirit and the angels of God have been repurposed to serve our houses. Therefore, as Mephibosheth responded to all the benefits he received by saying, “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?” so we should say the same thing – as we humbly eat at the king’s table every day.

Matt 6:11, 13 ‘Give us this day our daily bread…Yours is the kingdom…

If we’re seated at His table, our lame feet won’t even show. (If you don’t think you have lame feet, why do you stumble?)

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2 Samuel 10

David Puts Down the Rebellion of Ammon, and Subjugates Aram
2 Sam 10:1-19

Just because an enemy was defeated by Israel didn’t mean they necessarily remained defeated. With a new generation of leaders in a foreign nation, sometimes new challenges came. David and his staff proved equal to the challenges that arose including the one described in this chapter that came from the Ammonites. The new Ammonite king was inexperienced and his counselors gave him foolish advice. As a result, he started a war with Israel he couldn’t finish. He and his team enlisted the aid of the Arameans, but even their combined forces were not enough to defeat David and his staff.

As a king, David proved himself not just capable of winning wars and establishing peace, but of maintaining peace whenever it was disturbed. Saul may have been Israel’s first king, but David was its model king.

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2 Samuel 11

David’s administration of the kingdom of Israel has been going so well! Consider what has happened since he was made king of all Israel.

• 2 Sam 5 – David Made King over a United Israel; Conquers Jerusalem
• 2 Sam 6 – David Brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem
• 2 Sam 7 – David Plans a Temple but God Plans the Messiah
• 2 Sam 8 – David Subdues Surrounding Nation
• 2 Sam 9 – David Shows Kindness to Mephibosheth for Jonathan’s Sake
• 2 Sam 10 – David Puts Down the Rebellion of Ammon, and Subjugates Aram

That parade of successes is going to be interrupted in this chapter by a double fault (adultery and murder) involving Bathsheba and her husband Uriah. David was a great man, but even great men are flawed.

Mark 10:18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.

(As for what Jesus’ response means about His identity, note that He didn’t address His identity. He just asked a question and made a statement about the uniqueness of God’s goodness. Jesus was a man, but He was also more than a man. How much more wouldn’t be revealed until His Second Coming. Jesus had no flaws, but David did…and to that subject we now return.)

Bathsheba and Uriah, David’s Great Sins
2 Sam 11:1-27

2 Sam 11:1-2 – Bathsheba could have chosen to bathe somewhere that afforded more privacy. Even more importantly, David could have chosen to do his duty by going out with his army instead outsourcing his job to a general so that he could stay home and be idle. This is the way it is with sin – start with a little, end with a lot.

James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.

The last time David had some time on his hands, he got to thinking about how he could build a temple for God. No idea that productive occurred to him this time. He just seemed to think he deserved some time off.

It also makes sense to notice that it’s easier to avoid temptation than to resist it. That is, don’t walk around your penthouse looking down into your neighbors’ houses.

We could even say that “idleness is the devil’s workshop.” Just because that adage is old doesn’t mean it’s trite.

The point of all this is that no one brought this trouble on David but David himself.

2 Sam 11:6-13 – David tries to cover his tracks. Only trouble is…Uriah is not just a better man than he is, he’s a much better man than he is. Even drunkenness could not make Uriah forget the hardships being suffered by his brethren. He was not going to have a good time if his brothers couldn’t. He was doing the very thing David didn’t want to do – being faithful to his military duty to be in the field. And even when he was kept from it, he kept that duty foremost in his mind.

2 Sam 11:14-17 – David murdered Uriah by this means just as surely as if he’d put a sword through him.

2 Sam 11:21 – Joab is alluding to how Abimelech, the wayward son of Gideon, died in battle (Judg 9:50-54). Everyone in Israel would know from hearing this story at synagogue or temple that fighting too close to an enemy stronghold would be inviting death.

2 Sam 11:25 – David thinks this will be the end of his problems. Alas, it is only the beginning.

2 Sam 11:26-27 – David has taken Uriah’s wife and made her his own…with no one on earth the wiser. But David is going to learn what Nebuchadnezzar would have to learn: that earth doesn’t rule in the affairs of men.

Dan 4:26 ‘…your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is Heaven that rules.

Even Ben Franklin came to realize this as he got older.

“I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this Truth, that God governs in the Affairs of Men!”

benjamin franklin (1706-1790)

Why then do we think we’re getting away with anything? It would be left to Solomon – of all people – to make this point clearly.

Eccl 12:13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
Eccl 12:14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

(Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes.)

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2 Samuel 12

Nathan Rebukes David
2 Sam 12:1-15

2 Sam 12:1 – The Lord did not intervene to stop David from sinning; but a reckoning eventually came. God dispatched one of his prophets (Nathan) to deal with another of His prophets (David).

2 Sam 12:2-4 – The Lord doesn’t immediately tell David what he did wrong. On the contrary, He uses a parable so that David will render judgment on himself.

2 Sam 12:5-6 – It is always easier for us to recognize sin in someone else than it is to recognize it in ourselves.

2 Sam 12:7 – Nathan was a true prophet of God because how else would he have found the courage to speak such words to a king?

2 Sam 12:8 – If it sounds to you like God is showing approval of polygamy, see BSN note on 1 Sam 25:43-44.

2 Sam 12:10-15 – These are the words that must have haunted David the most. He has brought the sword into his own house and he will be as hounded by it as he was by Saul’s. David did nothing to deserve the evil that came on him because of Saul, but he will have to live with the fact that the evil brought upon him because of what he did with Bathsheba and to her husband will have been brought about by he himself. In other words, when Saul caused him to suffer, David could comfort himself that he was suffering for the Lord, but in this case he will be suffering for his own sin, and there’s no righteous way to comfort yourself for that.

When I was a kid, stepping on someone’s tossed aside chewing gum was always a hazard. Trying to scrape the gum off your tennis shoe was difficult and smelly. And you felt you’d never fully removed it all. It was a miserable experience for a kid. As a result, I never spit my used chewing gum on the ground. (I was a normal kid who did stupid and wrong stuff, but this was an exception.) Although that was commendable behavior on my part, my primary purpose was not to “do the right thing because it was the right thing to do.” Rather, the primary reason was that it was miserable enough to step in used gum when it was solely someone else’s fault, but the thought that I had brought it on myself – that I deserved to step in it because I had myself thrown used gum on the ground – was more misery than I was willing to bear. I knew I could still step on chewed gum, but at least I knew it would never be a fate I deserved because it would never be a case of my own wrong coming back on me. For this reason I say that underserved suffering is always easier to bear than deserved suffering. And suffering for Jesus is the easiest suffering of all to bear because we have His comfort to receive for that.

Acts 5:40 They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them.
Acts 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Acts 5:42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Loss of a Child
2 Sam 12:15-25

2 Sam 12:23 – This is the money quote from this story: “I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” David knew that everyone in that age eventually went to Sheol (Hades) at death. Therefore, while he could not bring his child back from death, he knew that he would eventually join his child in death. Given that the kingdom of God came with Jesus, we know that we will be reunited with all our fellow human beings in heaven – an even greater hope! ***** David may have been a sinner where Bathsheba and the child were concerned, but he had a mind that was informed by God’s truths. Therefore, he could rise from his grief over the child in a way that an unbeliever could not understand. ***** Be sure to know that Sheol/Hades is a thing of the past and that everyone goes to heaven now.

Solomon Born
2 Sam 12:24-25

David’s repentance was genuine; presumably, Bathsheba’s was as well. And it was surely hard on the two of them to lose that child. God demonstrated His forgiveness by giving them another child as comfort.

Gen 4:25 Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for, she said, “God has appointed me another offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him.”

Adam and Eve did not need forgiveness in the case of Abel’s death because it was Cain’s sin that caused it – but they did need comfort. Newborns are a special comfort because they are comfort of kind that only God can give.

In addition to being called Solomon, which comes from the Hebrew word for “peace,” the baby was named “Jedidiah” which means “beloved of the Lord.” #FJOT God was certainly not going to hold the baby responsible for David’s and Bathsheba’s sins.

That God was not ashamed of the forgiveness and comfort He showed to David and Bathsheba is indicated by this line in Matthew genealogy of Jesus.

Matt 1:6 Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.

War Again
2 Sam 12:26-31

2 Sam 12:26-28 – Even though David was his uncle (1 Chr 2:13-16), Joab still had to choose his words carefully. Translation: “Either get out here and do your job, Uncle David, or give me your crown!”

2 Sam 12:29-31 – David gets back to his responsibilities. The subjugation of the Ammonites was an allusion to the Lord’s mention of them earlier in the chapter (2 Sam 12:9). By using the Ammonites to kill Uriah, David had given aid and comfort to Israel’s enemy. Now, by getting out in the field and doing his job as king (2 Sam 11:1), and by defeating Ammon, David was doing for Israel what he as its king should have been doing for them. Repentance is behavior modification.

***

2 Samuel 13

The previous chapter described some of the fallout from David’s sins. This chapter is not a change of subject, but rather a description of the continuing fallout. In fact, most of the rest of this book of Samuel continues to describe the woes David brought on himself and the nation by his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. God’s mercy helped David and the nation deal with those woes, but it’s left clear that it’s better not to sin than it is to sin and have God forgive it.

This chapter begins by describing some of the notable sibling problems and rivalries that would plague David’s family for the rest of his life. As Adam’s and Eve’s sin was followed by contentions between their sons, David’s sins are being followed by contentions between his children. David’s many wives and many sons had set the stage for these problems, but his great sins poured gasoline on the fire.

Amnon Violates Tamar
2 Sam 13:1-19

2 Sam 13:1 – David had at least 8 wives and 18 children. Absalom was one of the more notable sons of David. Absalom’s father was David and his mother was Tamar’s mother: Maacah (David’s third wife). Therefore, Tamar was Absalom’s full sister. That is, they had the same father and mother. By contrast, Amnon shared a father with Absalom and Tamar: David. However, Amnon’s mother was Ahinoam. This, of course, made Tamar his half-sister and Absalom his half-brother. The net of all this is that Absalom and Tamar were closer to each other than either was to Amnon. And that’s even before Amnon did wrong.

2 Sam 13:2-6 – Whenever our hearts are inclined to do wrong, as Amnon’s was, Satan always seems to have one of his representatives nearby to inspire us with a very clever scheme to get what we desire. In this case, it was a rogue named Jonadab.

2 Cor 2:11 so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.

Had Amnon kept better friends, he would have gotten better advice – like “you don’t have to act on every wicked impulse you have, bro.”

2 Sam 13:7-14 – Rape is one of the most despicable crimes imaginable. It’s a sign of how coarsened our culture has become that rape does not call for the death penalty.

2 Sam 13:15 – Lust is never satisfied. That’s why we’re fools to feed it.

2 Sam 13:16-17 – Our hearts have to go out to this poor young woman. She has been grievously wronged and Amnon cannot muster the least bit of compassion for her.

2 Sam 13:18-19 – Tamar demonstrates admirable character as she refuses to cover up the incident. She has been harmed and shamed…yet she bears it heroically.

Absalom Plots Revenge; David Fails to Act
2 Sam 13:20-27

2 Sam 13:20 – Absalom could have sought justice for his sister; instead, he nursed his anger and this would lead him to take his own revenge. Absalom was avoiding the way of righteousness, which would have been to turn over Amnon to the lawful authorities.

Deuteronomy 32:35 “Vengeance is Mine” (says the Lord)

The apostle Paul reinforces this point from Deuteronomy in the New Testament.

Romans 12:19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

Paul would go on to explain how God’s vengeance is supposed to be exacted through lawful authority.

Rom 13:1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
Rom 13:2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;
Rom 13:4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.

2 Sam 13:21 – David gets angry about the situation, but does not deal with it. This will only make matters worse, leaving a vacuum of justice which will ultimately allow Absalom to feel justified in taking vengeful action himself.

2 Sam 13:22-27 – As for Absalom’s plotting, his vengeance seems cold and calculating when compared to the more hot-headed vengeance that Simeon and Levi took out on the men of Shechem for the violation of their sister Dinah (Gen 34). Absalom is going to wait two full years before pulling the trigger on his wrath against Amnon. It’s a dark soul who can premeditate a murder for that long.

Absalom Avenges Tamar
2 Sam 13:28-36

2 Sam 13:28-29 – Like Dinah’s brothers, Absalom’s anger at his sister’s assailant seemed to be driven more by his own sense of loss and shame rather than his sister’s. In addition, Amnon was King David’s firstborn son, so Absalom was removing a rival to any claim he might want to make on their father’s throne. Thus personal career advancement was likely a part of Absalom’s motive for taking out Amnon.

King David’s other sons got out of Dodge in a hurry because they probably did not want to be associated with either with Amnon or Absalom.

2 Sam 13:30-33 – Jonadab sees the opportunity to bring some good news to the king (never a bad idea for someone looking to advance his career) without divulging his complicity in the sordid affair. A shady friend indeed.

2 Sam 13:34-36 – David and his other sons all grieve the loss of Amnon – particularly because it was a fratricide. Like Cain and Abel.

Absalom Flees Israel
2 Sam 13:37-39

As with the death of his first child with Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:23), David let God take care of his dead children while he focused on the living. However, David saw nothing he could do about the situation, so Absalom remained in exile for three years.

***

2 Samuel 14

Joab Enlists a Wise Woman from Tekoa to Motivate David
2 Sam 14:1-20

2 Sam 14:1-3 – Joab, commander of Israel’s army and nephew to David, finds an unnamed wise woman from the city of Tekoa who will follow his directions. The goal is to motivate David to stop fretting over his estrangement from Absalom and instead do something about the situation – especially now that three years have passed since Absalom killed Amnon.

2 Sam 14:4-13 – Whether knowingly or not, Joab is using the same approach to reach David that God used to reach David in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Sam 12:1-15). That is, as God had sent Nathan the prophet to tell David a parable as if it was a true story, so Joab sent the woman to tell David a fiction as if it were a true story. In both cases, once David heard the story he rendered judgment. (He was a king, and therefore was accustomed to being called upon to dispense justice.) As Nathan had responded to David with “You are the man!” (2 Sam 12:7) so the woman responded to David with “the king is as one who is guilty” (2 Sam 14:13).

One of David’s virtues was that he judged himself by the same standard he judged others. Sometimes he had a blind spot – such as we see in the case of his sins (Bathsheba and Uriah) and in this case of his not taking action with respect to Absalom when there was actually something he could do. But if someone had the courage to reveal David’s blind spot to him, David would accept the truth and not fight it. By contrast, double standards are commonplace in our sinful generation. It does no good to point out someone’s hypocrisy to them nowadays because they feel no shame about it. They are so used to judging others according to standards they would never apply to themselves that they have made themselves blind to the fact that they are hypocrites. David may have been an adulterer and a murderer but he was not a hypocrite…and therefore he could be forgiven and redeemed from his sins. Let us learn to have only one standard by which to judge behavior – the one we apply to ourselves as well as to others.

Prov 11:1 A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,
But a just weight is His delight.

***

Prov 20:10 Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the LORD.

***

Prov 20:23 Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD,
And a false scale is not good.

If we do this, then we will be following Jesus’ direction about judging.

Matt 7:1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
Matt 7:2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
Matt 7:3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
Matt 7:4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
Matt 7:5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

We can’t always avoid having a blind spot, but if we ever do, then if and when our eyes get opened, whether by someone else or by the Holy Spirit, at that moment let us immediately act on the opportunity to judge ourselves rightly…and change…as David did. To repent is to change; merely being sorry for our sins is not enough.

2 Sam 14:14 – This wise woman here identifies the principle that is driving her dialogue. This principle is one David would recognize because all the Israelites were taught it in the Scriptures Moses had given them. That principle: “God does not take away life, but plans ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from him.” And they saw this principle first and foremost in the story of Adam and Eve. For when God banished those two from the garden of Eden because of their sin, He immediately began working on ways to restore to them what they had squandered (The Messianic Plan).

2 Sam 14:15-17 – The woman of Tekoa closes her case to David.

2 Sam 14:18-20 – The wise woman and the wise king figure each other out.

Absalom Is Restored
2 Sam 14:21-33

2 Sam 14:21-24 – David deputizes Joab to return Absalom from exile, but only to Jerusalem – not all the way to the king’s quarters. While David recognized from the wise woman’s (Joab’s) counsel that Israel would be pleased with the return of Absalom, it might be going too far, or at least be premature, for David to let Absalom back into the inner circle. Therefore, Absalom returns to Jerusalem to live in his own house – not the king’s quarters.

2 Sam 14:25 – Alas, Absalom was like Saul. They both looked the part but lacked the character to live the part.

2 Sam 14:26 – Fabio?

2 Sam 14:27 – It’s hard to tell whether naming his only daughter “Tamar” was his way of expressing a tender and ongoing sympathy for his sister or his way of reminding everyone that he wouldn’t forgive or forget anyone who did him wrong. Or maybe it was some of both.

2 Sam 14:28-31 – Absalom was used to having his way and he didn’t waste time on charm when the immediate exercise of brute power could get him what he wanted.

2 Sam 14:32-33 – We could wish that this was the happy end to the estrangement between Absalom and his father. Alas, things would only get worse now. The problem wasn’t David, because when he sinned, he repented. But Absalom was a man who just kept on sinning.

***

2 Samuel 15

Absalom Plots Rebellion
2 Sam 15:1-12

2 Sam 15:1-6 – Absalom was campaigning to replace his father David as king of Israel. He was, first of all, attempting to distinguish himself from his many brothers who might also want to be king. Secondly, he was attempting to distinguish himself from his father. That is, Absalom was not willing to wait until his father died before assuming the throne. He wanted the people to depose David. Contrast this with David, who would not venture to take King Saul’s life even when he had multiple opportunities to do so (1 Sam 24 and 1 Sam 26). Though David knew that God had promised to make him king, he was willing to wait his turn. Absalom was narcissistic and unwilling to delay his desire for gratification. Absalom possessed the charm and wits to be king, but did not have the character to be worthy of the position.

2 Sam 15:7 – As for “forty” years, an NASB footnote says “Some ancient versions render ‘four’.” Because “forty” doesn’t make sense in the context, I’m surprised the translators didn’t go with “four.” A check of 54 English translations shows that 37 say “four” and 17 say “forty.”

2 Sam 15:8-11 – Through Absalom’s long-term plan to exact revenge on his half-brother Amnon, we learned that Absalom could be a cold and calculating man; by invoking the Lord’s name to advance his conspiracy, we see also that he has no compunction about taking the Lord’s name in vain.

2 Sam 15:12 – Absalom was politically shrewd enough to co-opt David’s senior advisors. Ahithophel was a particularly advantageous catch because his counsel was highly respected by everyone (2 Sam 16:23).

David Flees Jerusalem
2 Sam 15:13-31

2 Sam 15:13 – By the time David realized that Absalom was initiating an insurrection, Absalom’s forces were too strong for David to resist. All David could do was to flee the palace and Jerusalem.

Although Absalom deserves no absolution, David brought a lot of this trouble on himself – not just by his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah, but also by letting Absalom get away with so much for so long. As Eli the priest did not sufficiently correct his sons Hophni and Phinehas (1 Sam 2:20), so David did not sufficiently correct his many sons – especially Absalom.

2 Sam 15:19-22 – In the midst of all his distress, David shows compassion on Ittai the Gittite. And, in turn, Ittai shows David nothing but loyalty. In verse 21, Ittai speaking to David sounds like Ruth speaking to Naomi in Ruth 1:16-17. Because David did not ask too much of his friends, his friends gave him more loyalty than he asked for. David had great friends because he was a great friend.

2 Sam 15:23 – Absalom’s unchecked ambition has brought much of the nation to unnecessary and overwhelming grief.

2 Sam 15:24-26 – It is to David’s credit that he didn’t want to imperil the ark of the covenant of God or exploit it to save himself. He knew his sins had brought these difficult times about and he was resting his hope on the Lord’s mercy, not on his own ability to save himself by clinging to religious objects.

2 Sam 15:27-29 – As long as Zadok was going to be staying in Jerusalem with the ark of the covenant, David asked him to send word when the coast was clear to return. Thereby David shows that he was maintaining his hope in God for deliverance and he was wise enough to take advantage of the loyalty of faithful priests.

2 Sam 15:30 – What a word picture of the grief David and his followers were experiencing. One of his own sons was driving him from his home!

David Enlists Hushai to Help against Ahithophel
2 Sam 15:31-37

As Moses and Joshua had sent spies as scouts before battles, so David commissioned spies to be his eyes and ears in Jerusalem. He was especially concerned about the damage his wise counselor Ahithophel (2 Sam 15:12, 31), having switched his allegiance to Absalom, could do to him. Foiling Ahithophel was the primary task David assigned to his friend Hushai the Archite. Hushai was an answer to prayer (verse 31) for David.

***

2 Samuel 16

Ziba, a False Servant
2 Sam 16:1-4

Ziba was a servant to the family of King Saul. After Saul’s and Jonathan’s death, King David assigned Ziba to care for Saul’s grandson (Jonathan’s crippled son) Mephibosheth. All this was described in 2 Samuel 9. Although that account noted that Ziba himself had twenty servants and fifteen sons, no mention was made of any corruption in him. However, his accusation of Mephibosheth in this chapter should not be taken as the last word on the subject. We will learn more in 2 Samuel 19. As for this moment in time, David regrets his kindnesses to Mephibosheth and transfers all his property to Ziba. When David arrived at a conviction, he took action.

David Is Cursed by Shimei
2 Sam 16:5-14

This passage provides yet another example of David reacting to situations in ways that many people don’t expect. A consistent theme in David’s life is that he is content to let God be the judge where he is concerned, coupled with the belief that God’s judgment of him will be fair. Even though David was on the run, he was still a king and could have had his soldiers arrest or even execute Saul’s relative Shimei for his his cursing of the king. Instead, David instructed his men to stand down and let the man have his say. Even though David’s men had come to know what kind of man David was, they were still surprised by some of the things he said. David’s greater descendant – the Messiah (the Christ) would one day surprise people even more with the things He said. (David is a major type of Christ: Types and Shadows of Christ)

John 7:46 The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.”

Absalom Enters Jerusalem
2 Sam 16:15-23

2 Sam 16:15-19 – Hushai the Archite succeeds in the first important step of his assignment from David to thwart the counsel of Ahithophel: that is, he secures a place for himself in Absalom’s court.

2 Sam 16:20-22 – What Ahithophel proposes and what Absalom executes is a provision of God’s judgment on David’s great sins (adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah) that the prophet Nathan had recited to David. Recall this from chapter 12:

2 Sam 12:11 “Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
2 Sam 12:12 ‘Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.'”

2 Sam 16:23 – This verse explains why David thought it important enough to ask Hushai the Archite to risk his life by staying in Jerusalem: it was so that he could “thwart the counsel of Ahithophel” (2 Sam 15:34). David couldn’t predict what Ahithophel was going to say, but he knew that Ahithophel was wise enough to make Absalom succeed. And success for Absalom could only mean death for David. In the next chapter, we will see how Hushai was indeed able to “thwart the counsel of Ahithophel” so that David’s prayer to the Lord in 2 Samuel 15:31 was answered.

***

2 Samuel 17

Hushai’s Counsel
2 Sam 17:1-14

The genius of Hushai’s counter-proposal, whether it was contrived by Hushai himself or by inspiration of the Spirit of God, was that, if successful, it would make Absalom – not Ahithophel – the one to strike down the king. And in front of the whole nation, no less! Absalom could not turn down the opportunity to be the hero. He took the bait.

Absalom was a spoiled child and a sick dude. Whichever plan Absalom chose, he was seeking to murder his own father so that he could become king in his father’s place! Other than failing to discipline Absalom properly, David had never done the young man wrong. Whatever demons were haunting Saul couldn’t have been any more diabolical than the ones haunting Absalom. Thus David experienced persecution both before and after his rise to power.

2 Sam 17:3 – The words “The return of everyone depends on the man you seek” have their application not just in this immediate context, but also allude to the singular importance of Jesus to all our lives – in the here and now as well as in the hereafter. That is, if He did not truly live, die, and rise from the dead, then we are all still in our sins…and without hope in this world (1 Cor 15:12-20). #FJOT

Hushai’s Warning Saves David
2 Sam 17:15-29

2 Sam 17:15-22 – The network of spies David had set up to remain in Jerusalem behind him – Hushai the Archite, Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar’s son Jonathan (2 Sam 15:32-37) – worked to perfection.

2 Sam 17:23 – What a tragic figure is Ahithophel – wise like God but not loyal like God. The name of Ahithophel goes down with names like Balaam and Judas Iscariot.

2 Sam 17:24-29 – David made many friends over the years both inside and outside Israel. Throughout the ordeal of Absalom’s rebellion, these friends were like manna in the wilderness to David.

***

2 Samuel 18

Absalom Slain
2 Sam 18:1-18

2 Sam 18:1-5 – David sits out the battle and assigns his troops to three commanders. As the three commanders – his nephews Joab and Abishai, along with Ittai the Gittite – the only instruction we hear David give them is “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” What a strange thing for anyone present that day to hear! They were all that day facing the prospect of injury or death, and all because of one man: “the young man Absalom.” Yet here the commanders are being told by the senior leader to go easy on him. In this sense, it’s a wonder any of David’s people stuck with him.

2 Sam 18:6-8 – In spite of being hamstrung by David’s insistence on a victory that preserved Absalom, the servants of David decisively won the battle that day.

2 Sam 18:9 – What irony that Absalom should be captured this way – by what had been his glory: his hair.

2 Sam 14:26 When he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king’s weight.

This is ironic, but common in human experience…for we are often captured by our glory. Pride is the way of capture, humility is the way of escape.

Prov 16:18 Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
Prov 16:19 It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly
Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

In other words, Absalom created his own tragic destiny with his narcissism.

2 Sam 18:10-15 – David was trying to preserve a son, but Joab was trying to preserve a nation. Joab was thinking along the same lines as Caiaphas in Jesus’ day.

John 11:49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,
John 11:50 nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”

Thus in the shame of the king’s son dying do we see foreshadowed the death of another king’s Son dying. #FJOT That is, as Absalom hung from a tree, so Jesus hung from a dead tree.

Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”–

See more at CRUCIFIXION.

As Absalom was pierced, so Jesus was pierced.

John 19:37 And again another Scripture says, “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”

***

Zech 12:10 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

***

Rev 1:7 BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

So much for the similarities between the death of Absalom and that of Christ. As for the differences, the main one was that Absalom brought this on himself but Jesus did nothing to deserve any of what happened to Him.

1 John 3:5 You know that He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin.

2 Sam 18:16 – Joab blew the trumpet to recall the people because, as stated above, the only one who needed to die that day was dead. No one else should have to die. 

2 Sam 18:17-18 – What a pathetic way for a man to have lived! Alas, throughout history men who would be great in the sight of men have vainly worked to build monuments to themselves. Folly. And as for “I have no son to preserve my name,” that is a lament God has never had to make. #FJOT

David Is Grief Stricken
2 Sam 18:19-33

2 Sam 18:19-32 – Ahimaaz knew David well enough to know how he would respond to the news, but the Cushite did not.

2 Sam 18:33 – What wailing! It must have been hard on anyone who had to listen to it. To think that we wayward sons have given our Father in heaven reason to wail like this is an awful thought.

***

2 Samuel 19

Joab Reproves David’s Lament
2 Sam 19:1-7

2 Sam 19:2 – David was snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

2 Sam 19:5-7 – Joab stated the issue plainly and rightly to David. To David’s credit, he would come to his senses and act on it. Maybe one of David’s greatest virtues was that he was not a hardhead. He made mistakes, but he was teachable. We don’t have to be perfect to please God – just willing to do better.

David Restored as King
2 Sam 19:8-43

2 Sam 19:8-10 – The nation has been through a lot, but David has a plan to reunify it. First, he presents himself to the people who had rejected him in favor of Absalom. The people respond favorably to him.

2 Sam 19:11-12 – Next, David secures the support of his own tribe: Judah.

2 Sam 19:13 – Then, David tells Amasa that he will head the army instead of Joab. Recall that Absalom had set Amasa over the army in place of Joab (2 Sam 17:25) because Joab had fled Jerusalem with David when Absalom came to power. Naming Amasa to head the army going forward would be a reunifying gesture appreciated by the soldiers who otherwise might worry that the forceful Joab was going to administer payback to some of them for rebelling with Absalom.

2 Sam 19:14-15 – David’s actions found favor with the elders of Judah and they were now securely in his camp again. In political terms, he had “secured his base.”

2 Sam 19:16-23 – Shimei – the man who had cursed David when he was fleeing from Jerusalem before Absalom arrived (2 Sam 16:5-14) – is singing a different tune now that David is being welcomed back as king. David’s nephew Abishai is not as wise as his uncle, not recognizing that now is not a time for settling scores. Rather, it’s time for healing wounds. When he wasn’t in a funk or otherwise off track, David was a wise man, understanding the times.

Eccl 3:1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

***

1 Chr 12:32 Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do…

***

Matt 16:3 “…Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?

2 Sam 19:24-30 – Ziba’s story in 2 Sam 16:1-4 sounded suspicious in its characterization of Mephibosheth. In this chapter, Mephibosheth tells a very different story and one more consistent with his character as previously displayed, as well as with his current grisly appearance. Consistent with David’s purpose of avoiding any fights as he attempts to bring the company back together, David divides the land of Mephibosheth and Ziba between them. Mephibosheth shows his sterling character once again when he says, “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.” This is as good as his previous great line: “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?” (2 Sam 9:8)

2 Sam 19:31-39 – In the story of Barzillai the Gileadite, David demonstrates once again that he knows how to deal with a man on the man’s own terms. It’s a beautiful thing.

2 Sam 19:40-43 – David’s reunification efforts have gone well to this point, but now we have Judah (David’s tribe) arguing with all the others.

***

2 Samuel 20

Sheba’s Revolt
2 Sam 20:1-7

2 Sam 20:1-2 – Though Sheba was a worthless man, his gambit was strengthened by the fact that he was from the tribe of Benjamin – the same tribe as Saul and his descendants. This enabled Sheba to exploit the rivalries between the houses of David and Saul that had preceded David becoming king. Recall also that David was king over Judah alone for seven and a half years before ruling the entire nation (2 Sam 5:5) so this, too, provided a fault line that Sheba could exploit. The nation was still unsettled from Absalom’s rebellion. By Ussher’s reckoning, Sheba’s rebellion was only about a year after Absalom’s. ***** The troubles that David unleashed through his misdeeds with Bathsheba and her husband Uriah (2 Sam 11-12) continue to manifest.

2 Sam 20:3 – Absalom had made a public spectacle with these ten concubines according to the advice of David’s counselor Ahithophel (2 Samuel 16:21-23). Just as Absalom was making a statement in what he did with the ten concubines, so David was making a statement in what he wasn’t doing with them.

2 Sam 20:4-5 – Recall that Amasa – a relative of David’s and Absalom’s – had been named by Absalom to replace Joab, another of David’s and Absalom’s relatives, as head of Israel’s army (2 Sam 17:25). After Absalom’s rebellion was quelled, and for the sake of national unity, David had decided to keep Amasa as the commander (2 Sam 19:13). However, it was not a good sign that Amasa was late for his first important assignment from the king.

2 Sam 20:6-7 – The rebellion of Sheba will only grow stronger if a military response from David is delayed any longer. Therefore, he goes to his tried and true resources. These include his nephews Abishai and Joab (brothers).

Joab Murders Amasa
2 Sam 20:8-13

2 Sam 20:8-11 – It’s hard to tell how much of Joab’s motivation to kill Amasa was driven by his frustration that Amasa had replaced him as head of Israel’s army and how much was driven by his zeal for Israel and the need he felt to rectify what he thought were bad decisions by David. In any case, Joab made quick work of Amasa and rallied Israel to help him put a stop to the revolution headed by Sheba.

2 Sam 20:12 – This verse foreshadows the crucifixion of Jesus which, when proclaimed, usually causes people to stop in their tracks. For this reason, the powers that be are always seeking to censor – cover up as if with a blanket – that proclamation.

2 Sam 20:13 – The pursuit of Sheba continues.

Sheba’s Revolt Is Put Down
2 Sam 20:14-22

2 Sam 20:14 – The forces of Joab, tracking Sheba, increase and intensify.

2 Sam 20:15 – Sheba holes up in a city he thinks will be a stronghold for him.

2 Sam 20:16-22 – A recurring theme in the Old Testament is “a wise woman,” sometimes named and other times nameless, who provides an effective solution to a problem. The rebellion of Absalom, and the follow-on rebellion of Sheba are now concluded with the involvement of just such a wise woman. Joab achieves victory for the forces of David by putting down another rebellion.

An Updated List of David’s Key Staff Members
2 Sam 20:23-26

A list like this was last given in 2 Sam 8:16-18. Only a few names have changed since then.

***

The remainder of 2 Samuel – that is, the book’s last four chapters – appears to be “appendix” or “epilogue” material such as we saw at the end of the book of Judges (see BSN note there just before Judg 17.) In both books, such supplemental chapters are a break in the flow of the chronological narrative that has preceded it; they provide related information in separate chunks. That said, James Ussher’s chronology shows less disruption in the chronological sequence for 2 Samuel 21-24 than he shows for Judg 17-21 even though there is the same staccato effect in the sequence – both within and between chapters. That is, this last section of each book seems a collection of discrete pieces rather than a continuation of the chronological flow seen in all the chapters leading up to it. In Judges, the miscellaneous collection at the end consists of two pieces, both of which probably occurred much earlier in the book’s timeframe, whereas the miscellaneous collection a the end of 2 Samuel consists of more pieces (maybe seven, depending on how you count them) but perhaps continuing the same general time line.

***

2 Samuel 21

Gibeonite Revenge against Saul
2 Sam 21:1-14

2 Sam 21:1 – One point of the story we’re about to be told was that David’s sins were not the only cause of woe in Israel. Others sinned, too. Another point is that the consequences of sins can be softened by acknowledgment before God, and repentance.

2 Sam 21:2 – Josh 9 tells the story of the city of Gibeon, whose Canaanite inhabitants tricked Joshua into making a covenant with them. Apparently, King Saul violated this covenant though such an incident is not to be found elsewhere in Scripture.

2 Sam 21:5-6 – This is to us a gruesome request, but we should at least appreciate that the Gibeonites were looking for something memorable – a deterrent against any future aggression that might arise within Israel against them or their descendants.

2 Sam 21:7 – David never forgot the covenant Jonathan made with him. We modern people typically think we are “better” people than the ancients because we don’t do some of the gruesome things they did. But anyone who reads the Old Testament sees that while the ancients sometimes do seem less morally refined than us, they often seem morally superior to us. (The only reason anyone in the world today has better morals than the ancients is because Jesus of Nazareth elevated everyone’s moral just by being here.) One of the ways the ancients’ moral superiority shows through is in their concern for their posterity – which includes us! As the Gibeonites were concerned for their descendants, and as David was concerned with the descendants of Jonathan, so we should be concerned about the well-being of our descendants. We seldom show that concern.

2 Sam 21:12 – The account of what the men of Jabesh-gilead did was reported in 1 Samuel 31:8-13.

Abishai Saves David
2 Sam 21:15-17

At the time of his sin with Bathsheba, David was wrong to stay at home instead of going to the battlefield with his men. He was still strong at that time and was only being lazy and idle – which, of course, opened the door to all the mischief. In the case of this incident, however, David has reached an age where he has lost strength and it is the right thing for the country that he be kept out of harm’s way. What’s unrighteous at one time may be righteous at another.

Eccl 3:1 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven–
Eccl 3:2 A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
Eccl 3:3 A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
Eccl 3:4 A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
Eccl 3:5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
Eccl 3:6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
Eccl 3:7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
Eccl 3:8 A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

This is why Jesus expected people to recognize the times.

Matt 16:3 “…Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?

***

Luke 23:31 “For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

One of the benefits of reading the Old Testament is that it helps us exercise our sense of righteousness in the context of various times.

More Giants Slain
2 Sam 21:18-22

“Goliath the Gittite” means the Goliath from the city of Gath. Saying that someone besides David “killed Goliath the Gittite” is confusing given what 1 Sam 17 says about David killing Goliath. What are we to think? Commentators over the centuries have proposed different solutions to this problem. One is that the ancient copies we have include textual errors in this passage. Another is that “Goliath” could be a word like “Pharaoh.” That is, “pharaoh” can be a generic term meaning simply “ruler” or “king” and is not always used as a personal name. Thus “goliath” could mean simply “a giant.” There were certainly multiple “giants,” and not just in Gath. Canaan at large was noted for them all the way back to the Anakim mentioned in Deut 1, who were tied back to the Nephilim mentioned in Gen 6. That’s just a couple of examples of proposed solutions; I won’t take the time to describe more. We don’t have to resolve this issue. There are surprisingly few of these in the Bible, especially given how old all the texts are. Let us not strain out gnats.

Matt 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.
Matt 23:24 “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

In any case, there should be no doubt that the Israelites had to slay more than one giant – they had to slay many giants – to take the promised land.

***

2 Samuel 22

David’s Psalm of Deliverance
2 Sam 22:1-51

This chapter is essentially the same as Psalm 18. Rather than make comments here and there, I’ll just make them there. (This chapter is one of the more prominent examples of 2 Sam 21-24 consisting of “appendix” or “epilogue” type materials.)

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2 Samuel 23

David’s Last Words
2 Sam 23:1-7

2 Sam 23:1 – #FJOT Notice the parallels to Jesus Christ in this verse. The only element of foreshadowing (Types and Shadows of Christ) that might not easily come to mind is “the sweet psalmist of Israel.” But consider this:

John 7:46 The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.”

Indeed, the red letters of the New Testament are like a love song to humanity.

(Although I’m calling your attention to the foreshadowing of Messiah in the first verse, the foreshadowing applies to all of 2 Sam 23:1-7.)

2 Sam 23:2-3 – #FJOT Indeed, David was not just a king – he was a prophet. The apostle Peter confirmed it.

Acts 2:29 “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Acts 2:30 “And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE,
Acts 2:31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

The point Peter makes above about David in particular, he makes below about Old Testament prophets more generally.

1 Pet 1:10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,
1 Pet 1:11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
1 Pet 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven–things into which angels long to look.

God made known to David and all the prophets that they were engaged in a collaborative effort to paint a portrait of the coming Messiah. The prophets naturally wondered when the Messiah was coming and who he would be. Peter mentions this.

1 Pet 1:11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.
1 Pet 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you…

David speaks of this knowledge when he said this earlier in 2 Samuel that he was receiving revelation of the Messiah.

2 Sam 7:19 “And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future…

And this is why Peter had said that David “looked ahead.” God had made known to David that Nathan’s vision wasn’t going to be fulfilled in the near future. (A major difference between the testaments is that the messianic prophecies of the OT are presented as being fulfilled in the distant future while those in the NT are presented as being fulfilled in the near future.)

Again, speaking of David, Peter says:

Acts 2:31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

When the prophets “looked ahead,” what did they see? Sufferings and glories.

1 Pet 1:11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

Peter had learned this from Jesus.

Luke 24:25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Luke 24:26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”
Luke 24:27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

The combination of the sufferings and glories of Christ formed an opaque portrait. That picture was presented as a mystery…to be revealed when it was time for the prophecies to be fulfilled. Thus are the mysteries of the Old Testament revealed in the New Testament.

I mentioned in the comments above on 2 Sam 7:5-17 that the vision God gave David through the prophet Nathan about the Messiah being the Lord’s anointed and the son of God made 2 Sam 7 one of the Old Testament’s most important chapters. Although David was a prophet and could have received that vision directly from God, God sent it through the prophet Nathan instead. That God involved two prophets (David and Nathan) emphasizes its importance. This arrangement also discouraged those who might have attributed that prophecy to self-aggrandizement on David’s part. The two-prophet arrangement also further underscored the divine nature of the vision in that Nathan had already spoken to David and had no reason to think there’d be anything more to say…until God spoke to him after he’d left David’s presence.

To many people the Old Testament is simply a repository of Jewish law and history, but Israel’s prophets who wrote the Old Testament – including David who wrote more of the psalms than anyone else – knew they were writing about someone whose importance would eclipse all that.

David’s Mighty Men
2 Sam 23:8-39

David was a great leader who inspired great followers. Because David was a type of Christ, his leading followers were types of our Lord’s apostles.

2 Sam 23:13-17 – I take it from this passage that David was not literally asking any of his men to risk their lives in order to get him water from the well in his hometown square. Instead, he was doing what we all do from time to time: that is, he was coping with the difficulties of life by expressing a passing wish for one of the small comforts of his boyhood. I think he was shocked – and greatly humbled, if not embarrassed – when he found out what these men had done as they presented the “requested” water to him. By refusing to drink it, he demonstrated to the men that they were more important to him than any sensory delight. This short story is thus quite moving to me.

What makes the story even more moving is that I believe it reflects how the Lord feels when we attempt to do what He wants even while misunderstanding Him. That is, if we read the Bible and determine that Jesus wants us to do such-and-such, and we go out and seek to do that such-and-such, He will honor us even if we’ve misunderstood what the such-and-such meant. Jesus is not a demanding taskmaster; He is loving father. Peter won his heart by jumping at the chance to please Him. That Peter often fell on his face in the attempt because he misunderstood what the Lord actually wanted subtracted nothing from Jesus’ appreciation of him.

2 Sam 23:23 – The expression “He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three,” indicates that there were different degrees of glory that David’s mighty men achieved. The apostles knew that Jesus was a son of David and potentially, if not actually, the Messiah. They knew about David’s mighty men and aspired to be mighty men for “this Jesus.” Thus we have a context for following interaction.

Mark 10:35 James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.”
Mark 10:36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
Mark 10:37 They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.”
Mark 10:38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”
Mark 10:39 They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.
Mark 10:40 “But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

It wasn’t just the sons of Zebedee who were seeking a place in this “hall of fame.” The other men wanted a place there as well.

Mark 10:41 Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John.
Mark 10:42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.
Mark 10:43 “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant;
Mark 10:44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.
Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

NT warfare is of a different kind than OT warfare – but it is fighting nonetheless.

2 Cor 10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
2 Cor 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
2 Cor 10:5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
2 Cor 10:6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

May you be listed among the mighty men of Jesus.

***

2 Samuel 24

The Census Taken
2 Sam 24:1-14

The text doesn’t make clear David’s reason for the census or what made it a sin. Most commentators point out that since Moses himself conducted a census (in Num 2 and again in Num 26), it couldn’t have been the census per se that was the problem. Such commentators go on to suggest it was therefore David’s motive in calling for the census – such as to boast in a large number or perhaps it was fear that the Lord wouldn’t protect Israel if there weren’t enough soldiers or some other sort of failure of trust in God. Whatever the reason, it brought trouble.

2 Sam 24:14 – David is declaring wisdom in that sentence. It’s worth remembering.

Pestilence Sent
2 Sam 24:15-17

2 Sam 24:17 – Would that all leaders had such an attitude. Certainly, it’s the way a God-fearing father thinks about his wife and children.

David Builds an Altar
2 Sam 24:18-25

This is David purchasing the land for the temple Solomon would build.

2 Sam 24:24 – What David says here indicates that he has retained what he learned from the parable Nathan told him in the rebuke over Bathsheba and Uriah.

2 Sam 12:1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said,
“There were two men in one city, the one rich and the other poor.
2 Sam 12:2 “The rich man had a great many flocks and herds.
2 Sam 12:3 “But the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb
Which he bought and nourished;
And it grew up together with him and his children.
It would eat of his bread and drink of his cup and lie in his bosom,
And was like a daughter to him.
2 Sam 12:4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man,
And he was unwilling to take from his own flock or his own herd,
To prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him;
Rather he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
2 Sam 12:5 Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die.
2 Sam 12:6 “He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion.”
2 Sam 12:7 Nathan then said to David, “You are the man!…

Surely it was that day that David resolved to never again take something that someone else had paid for.

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