The Book of II Samuel
Chapters 1-4
2 Samuel Chapter 1
1 And it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
2 it came to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul, with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance.
- Dirt on his head was a sign of mourning.
3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.
4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, The people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and the horsemen followed hard after him.
7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.
8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.
9 And he said unto me, Stand, I pray thee, beside me, and slay me; for anguish hath taken hold of me, because my life is yet whole in me.
10 So I stood beside him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
- The Amalekite lied that he had killed Saul in order to gain David’s favor.
- He did have the armband and crown, but we don’t know if he was present when Saul died or if he came by later.
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him:
- Tearing of the clothes and fasting were signs of mourning.
12 and they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of Jehovah, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
- One thing that makes David a “man after God’s own heart” is that he thinks like God, he has the same attitude as God, he sees things in the same way that God does.
- The heart signifies the mind.
David was a man after God’s own heart, and one of the meanings of that is that he understood things the way God understood them with a godly viewpoint.
- So often David did not react in the way that people expected him to react.
- They were not in tune with the way of the Lord like David was.
- And this is one such case.
- This Amalekite was expecting them to jump up and down and shout woo hoo!
- David’s men urged him to kill Saul on 2 different occasions where the opportunity arose be he refused “to lift his hand against the Lord’s anointed”.
2 Sam 1:13-27
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died.
16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD's anointed.
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:
18(Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
- The term “the use of” was added by the translators
- This could be translated: ”and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow”
19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!
- Literally the Gazelle or antelope of Israel. As having a form of symmetry, elegance and beauty.
- How the mighty are fallen! Forms the chorus.
20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
The army of the Israelites did not use many horses during the entire time of the judges and during Saul and David's reigns. Not having horses, they had built up a reputation as swift runners:
1 Chron 12:8
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains
24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou was slain in thine high places.
26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! KJV
- This poem shows the people the right attitude toward Saul, his sons and what happened to them.
- David is deeply grieved.
- The community participated in death and burial. No specialists in burial.
2 Samuel Chapter 2
RECAP of the Book of I Samuel:
- Israel lost a major key battle to the Philistines at Mt. Gilboa.
- King Saul and his sons have been killed.
- Samuel is dead and there is no prophet revealing the word of God.
- Religious life had deteriorated in the country.
- The Philistines have conquered Hebrew land around Mt. Gilboa.
- David is in exile in Philistine country. He had been working for the Philistines.
- But the Lord prevented him from going to battle against his own people.
- It seems like God has abandoned his people.
- Israel is so low they need to reach up to touch rock bottom.
- The Lord is going to turn all this around virtually overnight.
- Israel will go from this condition to a glorious kingdom.
- It amazes me that people might say that the study of the Old Testament is boring or is not relevant.
- There are direct parallels to today.
- You get to see how God operates, how he deals with nations.
- You get to know him better by seeing how he has gradually revealed his will and his plan.
- You get to see how prophecies are fulfilled.
- You get to see the substance behind types and shadows.
- These times are a lot like today.
- On the surface it looks like we are losing to Satan.
- Jesus said that the end times would be like that
- A great falling away. Churches becoming worldly.
- Jesus is in heaven, not ruling on earth.
- Satan is ruling on earth.
- God may appear to be somewhat quiet. Some people even said that
”God is dead.” - It gets even worse when the Great Tribulation and the AntiChrist come.
2 Sam 2:1-4
2:1 And it came to pass after this, that David inquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron.
- The text doesn’t say what the mode of inquiry was.
- Bible analysis principle: Don’t get too hung up speculating on what the text doesn’t tell us. There is plenty that we can know so that we don’t need to speculate.
- Now you see that David is enquiring of the Lord before making his move.
- Why Hebron instead of Jerusalem?
- Jerusalem was still a Jebusite city at this time.
- Hebron was the political center of Judah at the time.
- Hebron was an ancient city where Abraham had lived.
- Hebron was given to Caleb and he drove out the three sons of Anak.
2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.
3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.
4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-gilead were they that buried Saul.
KJV
David As A Type of Christ (cont.):
David |
Christ |
|
Rejected By His Brothers |
1 Sam 17:28 |
John 7:5 |
Sent With Authority |
1 Sam 16:13 |
John 6:38-40 |
In Exile Before His Glory |
1 Sam 26:1, 2 Sam 7:1 |
Isa 53:3, Rev 11:15 |
Isa 53:3 The Lord Is Despised and Rejected
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
John 6:38 The Lord Is Sent With Authority
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
Rev 11:15 The Lord In His Glory
5 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
- David represents the King in his glory.
- A picture of when Christ returns.
2 Sam 2:8-11
8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim;
9 And made him king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.
10 Ish-bosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed David.
11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
- The kingdom is divided for 7.5 years:
- Judah in the south under David.
- Israel in the north under Ishbosheth
- Ishbosheth is a puppet king
- Abner, the commander of the army is the real power behind the throne.
2 Sam 2:17-23 Abner kills Asahel in Battle.
17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.
18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai, and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.
- Could also be translated: “Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle.” NIV
Swift of Foot: A legacy of running.
1 Samuel 31:23
23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
1 Chron 12:8
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains.
Josh 11:6-9 Joshua hamstrings the horses
This practice was a command given by the Lord in Dueteronomy in order that he could give Israel victories without them taking the credit through their military strength.
6 The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel, slain. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots."
7 So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, 8 and the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. 9 Joshua did to them as the LORD had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.
1 Sam 8:10-12 Israel Had No War Machine.
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
2 Sam 8:3-4
3 Moreover, David fought Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control along the Euphrates River. 4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses. NIV
2 Samuel 2:19
19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he answered, I am.
21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour. But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.
22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?
23 Howbeit he refused to turn aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. KJV
- Abner killed Asahel in battle so it is not murder. It is also self-defense.
2 Sam 3:6-11
6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul.
7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?
8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this woman?
- Did Abner really sleep with Rizpah the concubine?
- Bible analysis: what does the text reveal?
- What does it really say?
- Did the stone kill the giant?
- Were there 2 men or 2 angels in Acts Chapter 1?
- Not important?
- Was Peter the Rock? NO.
9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD hath sworn to David, even so I do to him;
10 To translate the kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beer-sheba.
11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared him.
- Abner saw himself as the king maker.
2 Sam 3:20-21
20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.
21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.KJV
2 Sam 3:22-5:1
22 And, Behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.
23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done? behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away, and he is quite gone?
25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and to know all that thou doest.
26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew it not.
27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner:
29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
- Abner and Joab: not clear who is wearing the white hats.
- Joab is a complex character. He serves David until Adonijah’s cou, but he is a murderer.
- David is probably the closest to white hat guy, but even he has black hat days.
31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.
33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool dieth?
34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters: as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the people wept again over him.
35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.
36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.
37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.
38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?
39 And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
2 Samuel 4
4:1 And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
2 And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin:
3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.)
4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.
5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ish-bosheth, who lay on a bed at noon.
6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.
7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.
8 And they brought the head of Ish-bosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed.
9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
10 When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?
12 And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth, and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
Introduction | 2 Samuel 1-4 | 2 Samuel 5 | 2 Samuel 6 | 2 Samuel 7 | 2 Samuel 8 | 2 Samuel 9 | 2 Samuel 11 | 2 Samuel 12 | 2 Samuel 13-14 | 2 Samuel 15-17 | 2 Samuel 18-19 | 2 Samuel 20-21 | 2 Samuel 22 | 2 Samuel 23 | 2 Samuel 24