The Word of God - A Discussion: 2 Samuel
3/27/22 Sunday Evening Study

This was a lot of story to get through - pretty much the life and times of King David. It begins - the very first verse of 1 Sam 25 with a very unceremonious death of Samuel - like an afterthought “Oh, by the way - he's gone now.” Then immediately we are introduced a bit deeper to the character of David - the flaws beginning to surface.

I believe there is a pretty solid theme for this week’s reading too - see if you track with me here. No matter who you are or where you come from, you are subject to life-altering sin.

I am going to go on a limb and say that David was a bit of a ladies man. The first story to which we are treated this week in chapter 25 is the story of David and the already married woman who will become David’s 2nd wife - remember he is already married to Saul’s daughter Michal, even though she is with Saul and we learn she had been given to another by Saul.

This story in 25: Abigail, smart, beautiful, great woman married to a man who doesn’t deserve her, and David is ready to remedy that situation. She offers tribute to David to make up for her husband’s insult, David spares them, she tells her husband, and he dies. Now David can have her. So he takes her - and another woman from Jezreel (back up plan?) both as his wives.

In 26 David has another opportunity to kill Saul, and doesn’t, taunting him further. By now, the guy has to be going nuts - he never knows when David will show up. Saul tries to convince David that he has turned and that they can live in peace. But we learn in Chapter 27 that David is not fooled and knows that Saul will kill him, so he goes and hides with the Philistines.

For almost a year and a half he lives in Philistine land, spending his days performing raids on their mutual enemies - others under Saul’s control, and amassing great wealth. Saul goes to see a medium who summons Samuel who is none too pleased to see Saul. Samuel tells him exactly what he has told him all along, plus the little tidbit that he’s going to die the next day.

Suddenly, almost like divine intervention (what?!) David is rejected by the Philistines to whom he has been loyal for over a year, and he and his men are ejected from the army before the clash between the Philistines and the Israelites.

In chapter 30 the Amalekites kidnap all the women and children from David’s folks, including the 2 wives David has at this point. They pray and they give chase, finding a servant man half-starved. They feed him and he takes them to the army that kidnapped the ladies. Then David’s men beat on these guys for a full day, killing every one of them except a scant 400 who fled by camel. The book ends with Saul falling on his own sword.

2 Samuel begins with David hearing and lamenting Saul’s death - still recognizing Saul as God’s anointed and Jonathan as his own brother.

David is made king of Judah, Saul’s son king of Israel. We have the battle of Gibeon which David's side won decidedly - really a battle between military commanders Joab of Judah and Abner of Israel.

David grows stronger, the people of Saul grow weaker. In the beginning of 2Sam 3 we learn of another of David’s wives - Eglah. The king of Israel - Ish-Bosheth accuses Abner of wrong, Abner contacts David wanting to join him. David says ok, only if you bring my first wife Michal with you, which Abner does, removing her from a husband who weeps for her, and then there were 4 wives for David. He meets with Abner, they agree to join together. Joab believes it’s all a trick, so without David’s knowledge, he murders Abner, and David weeps for Abner.

In chapter 4 we have the king of Israel murdered by his own men who take his head to David, who basically tells them that they are wicked, just like the one who brought news of Sauls death. David has the men killed and displayed at the Pool of Hebron.

In chapter 5 David becomes king of Israel, uniting the 2 kingdoms at last. They take Jerusalem from the Jebusites, and David moved his capitol from Hebron to the City of David, and there he took “more wives and concubines from Jerusalem.” Then, following the directions of God, he defeats the Philistines all over the place.

Chapter 6 brings the ark from its place in Balle-judah, and the the priest steadies it while it is moving and is immediately struck dead. As a result, he doesn’t bring it to Jerusalem right away, but keeps at this guy Obed-edom’s house for 3 months, during which the house was blessed richly.

Finally David moves the ark into Jerusalem, and he is leaping and dancing with joy in front of it. Saul’s daughter Michal - his wife, sees him and is embarrassed, and hates him for it, comparing it to him flashing himself to all the servant women. David meets this accusation telling her - “When it comes to God, I will make myself far more undignified than this, so get ready.” She is punished by bearing no children.

Chapter 7 is the promise to David that his offspring will build the temple - the house for God’s presence. This promise also points further down the line of David to Jesus - the line of David enduring forever. David spends time in gratitude recognizing the honor and responsibility God has given him.

Chapter 8 speaks of David and Joab basically winning every battle they encounter, and David establishing his rule. Chapter 9 speaks of David’s heart connection to the house of Saul when he brings Sauls remaining son - Mephibosheth the cripple to his court where he treats him like his own son.

Chapter 9 has David attempting to continue relations with the Ammonites when they have a new king, but the king insults him by taking his messengers by shaving half their beards and cutting their clothes down the middle - apparently very shameful. So against huge odds, Joab and the army defeat the Ammonites and the Syrians who show up later to try and bolster the Ammonites.

Chapter 11 is the big sin - David blows it big time. He has innumerable wives and concubines at this time, including a barren wife who hates him - then he sees the naked woman on the roof and has to have her, sends her husband, one of his mighty warriors, to the front lines and he dies. Then David takes what’s his in his eyes. 

Chapter 12 brings Nathan who brings David back down to earth, rebukes him, and delivers God’s judgment - their first child will die, and so it does. David understands his folloy - while he waits with the child he prays and fasts, and he pulls himself together afterward, and they have Solomon. Solomon lives, so He also calls him Jedidiah - which means “beloved of the Lord” because God allowed the child to live despite David’s sin.

The story shifts more to David’s kids after this. Chapter 13 tells the infuriating story of Amnon and Tamar - both children of David. Amnon rapes his own sister, then decides he hates her afterward and sends her away. Their brother Absalom takes her in, and murders Amnon, which I have a really hard time disagreeing with, if I’m honest. After the murder, Absalom flees.

Since Joab knows that David loves and misses Absalom, he tricks him into promising Absalom’s safety upon return to Jerusalem, but he was not allowed to see David and did not live in the king’s house. Absalom was apparently the most handsome and beautiful man ever, with beautiful children, even a daughter named after his sister that had been violated.In Chapter 14, Absalom cannot see his father, and he cannot get Joab to respond to him either, so he sets Joab’s field on fire to get his attention. Finally Absalom is brought before David again.

Absalom works for his father’s kingdom again. Chapter 15 talks about how he ingratiates himself to all of the people, gaining their love and trust, then he goes to Hebron and rallies the kingdom to himself as king. The people love Absalom, so David flees his post.

Chapter 16 talks of David's travels - first he is blessed by Mephibosheth's servant, then cursed by another from the house of Saul. The finally arrive at the Jordan and rest there, while Absalom in entering into Jerusalem as king, and he goes into the place of his father’s concubines, making sure everyone sees it happen - like he’s exerting his dominance over David. 

17 talks about Absalom’s advisors - the one giving him advice to go pursue David now while they are weak and tired. Yet another - Husai, actually loyal to David, consoles against it, and warns David, saving his life. When the original advisor is ignored, he sulks, runs home, and hangs himself. Stand-up guy.

Chapter 18 is the battle in the fields of Ephraim - David’s servants defeat the men of Israel. David was clear with the men that they were to spare Absalom - who gets himself caught in a tree. Joab goes against the orders of David and kills Absalom. David grieves when he hears.