Bible 101 - 2 Samuel Chapters 1-6

Presented November 22, 2004 by Phyllis Gilbert

By way of review, we completed I Samuel on a sad note with the death of Saul and three of his four sons. David has once again saved Saul's life (ch. 26) and he's lived with the Philistines for protection from Saul. But the final battle of Saul's life against the Philistines ends not only in Saul's death, but in Israel losing many men and cities. David's got a big job ahead of him as king. And now that Saul is dead, David's anointing as king will be public, and he will take the throne. But it will be in stages.

What we learned about David in I Samuel: David is a man of God; he is a man of action; he is a man who can patiently wait for God (he's anointed to be the next king when he's about 16, and it's 14 years before he actually becomes king); he is not a revengeful man; he passes the tests when God puts him in situations that call for him to act on his principles; he's respected by the people; he thinks about others' welfare (recall that he took his parents to Moab for safekeeping in ch. 22); he has two wives (and had a third whom Saul gave to another man); he has children. David has learned to trust God over the 10 years of being pursued by Saul. Has he learned to be king? That's what we'll discover in II Samuel.

II Samuel 1: As we contrasted the two accounts of Saul's death (I Sam 31 and II Sam 1), we discovered that the Philistines did injure him, mortally, and that either he took his own life after his armor-bearer refused to kill him, or an Amalekite gave him the final blow. The best explanation is probably that the Amalekite came on Saul's dead body and stripped it of crown and gold bangles (which he takes to David as proof), and in his torn and dirty state, hopes David will think he's grieving. David is not fooled. David's reaction is evidence that the truth is that Saul fell on his own sword, and that the one who comes with his crown, is guilty of disrespect for God's anointed. David has him killed.

II Samuel 1:17-27: For the rest of this chapter, David mourns. He grieves not only the death of Saul and what he might have been, but he grieves the loss of his friend Jonathan. He writes a lament to honor them, teaching it to his own men and ordering that the "men of Judah" learn it. He is not about to mock Saul in death; he is respectful of Saul's position as king, and as the one God put on the throne. It is a tribute to Saul and Jonathan's accomplishments and to God's people. Note that he repeats "how the mighty have fallen" - emphasis on their prowess as warriors. Also note that David doesn't want this news shouted in the streets of Philistine cities because their boasting would be an insult to Israel - and to God.

II Samuel 2: After a decent interval, David asks God if he's to go into Judah and there become king. God tells him "go." Then David wants to know specifically where to go, and God answers "Hebron," and that's where David goes with his two wives. Hebron, remember is a historic and significant city to Israel. It's closely associated with Abraham; there Abraham built an altar after he and Lot separated (Gen. 13). And there Sarah died and was buried; Abraham was also buried there with Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob and Leah (recall that Rachel died in childbirth near Bethlehem and that's where she was buried). Joseph's bones were taken out of Egypt with Moses and the children of Israel, and Joshua buries him in Shechem (Josh. 24) in the land which was the inheritance of Joseph's two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Caleb, the other faithful spy with Joshua, inherited Hebron in the Promised Land. To this day is it considered a sacred site, and is in dispute. In any event, it's where David is told to go when he leaves Ziklag. David is there anointed king over Judah (v. 4), appropriate since he is of the tribe of Judah. (As another aside, he's sent gifts to the people of Hebron after he and his men had recovered their families and a lot of plunder from the Amalekites in I Sam 30). However, David is not king over all the nation. And we see the cracks in Israel's unity that eventually break the kingdom in half at Solomon's death.

II Samuel 2:4: One of David's first acts as king is to send a message of gratitude to the men of Jabesh Gilead for burying Saul. He then appeals to them for their loyalty to him as Saul's successor. David has no guarantees that anyone will accept him as king. Recall that at Saul's introduction to the nation, there were opponents. David, hero that he was to Israel, has been an exile for many years. Does anyone remember him?

II Samuel 2:8: Abner, Saul's cousin and general of his armed forces, decides that a member of Saul's family must succeed him as king. (God had told Saul through Samuel, after Saul's failure to wait for Samuel to offer the sacrifice (I Sam 13) that his descendants would not be the royal family). Abner as Saul's relative doesn't want to see the power slip away from his family. So he gets Ish-Bosheth, Saul's surviving son, and makes him king over "all Israel" minus Judah. Abner's move was completely Abner's idea; it was not blessed by God nor directed by God. Nevertheless, Saul's son reigns for 2 years. David reigns over Judah for 7 years in Hebron. But not without turmoil.

II Samuel 2:12-30: Here we see an example of the kind of turmoil the land was to suffer for a few more years. God's plan is for David to unite and consolidate the country into one kingdom. But once again, David must be patient; it will be done in God's time, not David's. In this incident, Abner, Saul's general, challenges Joab, David's general. They each choose young men to fight hand to hand. This doesn't settle things, and David's men eventually defeat Abner's. But it doesn't end there. Joab has two brothers Abishai and Asahel (and all are David's nephews). We met Abishai in ch. 26; he went with David into Saul's camp and with David, took Saul's spear and water jug. Asahel was a swift runner. He chases Abner, apparently wanting to confront him. Abner, as the stronger and front man, tried to warn him off, but eventually stabs and kills Asahel. Abishai and Joab continue the chase, but Abner and his men say "how long will you do this? Must swords kill all of us?" and Joab turns back. After all, the battles are between brothers, another civil war. Recall how the tribe of Benjamin was nearly wiped out in a conflict at the end of Judges. Now they're at it again. Joab sees the logic of Abner's words and returns to Hebron.

II Samuel 3: The first verse summarizes the civil war: the fighting continued between Saul's men and David's men, but David grew stronger and Saul's men weaker. And then we read that David's wives gave birth to six sons while they were in Hebron.

II Samuel 3:6: We read that Abner, though not gaining on David, was gaining respect and support in Saul's own house. And then Ish-Bosheth spoils everything He suggests that Abner slept with Saul's concubine Rizpah. Abner is furious. He says he's no dog (a term of derision that's been used throughout I and II Samuel; recall that Goliath called David a dog, and David called himself a dog when asking Saul why he'd chase someone so insignificant as David; Nabal acts like a dog in addition to being a fool, etc. In the Matt. 15:22ff, a Gentile woman asked Jesus to heal her child, and Jesus tried to ignore her. She persisted, and Jesus said "is it right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs?" She answers that "even the dogs get the crumbs," and Jesus responded to her faith and persistence with a healing. Calling someone a dog was never a compliment in the Bible.) Abner responds by professing his loyalty to the house of Benjamin and Saul, but he threatens to take steps to make David king over all Israel. Ish-Bosheth reveals his weakness when he doesn't answer Abner out of fear. Clearly Abner is the strongest man in this "kingdom."

II Samuel 3:12: Abner sends a message to David, saying he'll help him consolidate his reign over all of Israel; David accepts. But he asks for the return of Michal, Saul's daughter whom David had married (I Sam. 18). Saul had given her to another man because David had "abandoned" Michal to run from Saul. Ish-Bosheth gave orders to take Michal from her husband Paltiel. Paltiel follows her weeping until Abner orders him to go home. What a scene! Paltiel and Michal had been married for over 10 years and he at least found love in it. How said that David demands her return, but it was strategy. David has a claim over the house of Saul in Michal, and he exercises it.

II Samuel 3:17: Abner continues to work to make David king over all the nation. He's setting aside his own ambition here. Perhaps he realizes that David is the stronger man; he definitely sees that David is God's man. And so he convinces the people of Benjamin to support David, telling them "The Lord promised David 'by my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'" Abner is no dummy; he sees value in a united nation and one that follows God. When he brings this news to David, David gives a feast in his honor. Abner then, anxious to get Israel together for David, leaves to continue his work. Abner is a man that all Israel recognizes as Saul's general. They can therefore see a link to David as king over the entire nation. Abner makes a good ambassador. And we're told he leaves David in peace. But not all of David's family agrees; Joab wants revenge. He is told, after returning from a raid, that Abner has been with David and left in peace. Joab storms into David and tells him it's stupid to let Abner go and to believe that he's on David's side. He accuses Abner of coming to spy on David. Joab sends men to bring Abner back, and then he kills him. Pure revenge. David washes his hands of it saying "I am innocent; Abner's blood be on Joab's head." David ordered everyone to mourn Abner - including Joab. And the king led the funeral, burying Abner in Hebron. And David fasted for the entire day as a sign of respect for Abner. He composed a lament, too, to honor him. David is a politician, yes, but more, he's a man of God, and he genuinely mourns the loss of a man who was forging alliances and giving up his own ambition to follow God's plan. Joab is not Abner's equal.

II Samuel 3:38: The people approve of David's response to Abner's death, and indeed "everything the king did pleased them." This is good news for David. Not such good news for Ish-Bosheth. The "king" is without a strong ally now that Abner is dead. And the consequences are fatal.

II Samuel 4: Two of Saul's former raiders decide to take matters into their own hands; Ish-Bosheth "has lost his courage," and so they sneak into the house in the "heat of the day" while the king is resting and they kill him, and sneak back out - with Ish-Bosheth's head. Under cover of darkness, they travel all night to Hebron to deliver the king's head to David. David, however, does not celebrate; instead, he responds to the death of Saul's son as he did to the death of Saul and has the two murderers killed. David has Ish-Bosheth's head buried with Abner.

II Samuel 4:4: Parenthetically in chapter 4, we learn of a son of Jonathan who is a cripple because a nurse dropped him when he was five years old. Jonathan and David had sworn to take care of each other's families, and Mephibosheth is introduced here for two reasons: first, he's a member of Jonathan's family and David is committed to taking care of him. And two, he's a survivor of Saul's family, and thus, another who could claim the throne. Later we will see David making good on his promise to Jonathan (II Sam. 9). It's unlikely that David knows about him at the time of Ish-Bosheth's murder.

II Samuel 5: Finally, David is acclaimed king by all of Israel. The shepherd who was anointed in I Sam 16 is now to be on the throne, God's choice to lead Israel. Notice how they greet him: they see him as a military hero (and in I Sam 8, a king to lead them into battle was an important characteristic of the king they demanded), and they also acknowledge that he will be a "shepherd to Israel." What a contrast this is: the two images seem in opposition. How can a strong warrior be a gentle shepherd? And yet, recall that David told Saul that as a shepherd he'd killed lions and bears while protecting the sheep. It was his strength on those occasions that prepared him to go fearlessly after Goliath. And the shepherd is one of the names Jesus gives himself: "I am the good shepherd" he tells his disciples in John 10. Now in Hebron, he's anointed king by all the leaders. God is fulfilling the promise made to David all those years before. David is now 30.

II Samuel 5:6: David first takes on Jebus (soon to be Jerusalem) as his first military campaign as king. He and his men march to the city and are taunted by the Jebusites: "no one can take this city; even the lame and the blind can defend it." But David stood up to taunts by Goliath and he's got a strategy. Instead of storming the walls and gates, he goes in through the water tunnels and takes the city. He makes it his own, the city of David, and his capital city. We think of Jerusalem as a significant city; here's where its reputation began.

II Samuel 5:11: With gifts from Hiram king of Tyre, David builds a palace. And we read that David "knew that God had established him and his kingdom," and he is there "for the sake of God's people." But in the next verses, we read that David had taken more wives and concubines; his sons and daughters keep coming. While a family was then considered a man's wealth, so many wives were not a good thing. In Deut. 17:17, God had said that a king was not to take many wives for himself "because they will lead him away from the Lord." God gave other instructions including that a king was not to acquire horses and wealth, and that he was to copy the law and to read it and abide by it.

II Samuel 5:17: The Philistines hear that David is king and so they march out to challenge him. We know that at the death of Saul, the Philistines had taken many Israelite cities for their own. They want now to defeat David and take the entire nation. But God has other plans. David leaves Jerusalem for his stronghold, probably En Gedi, where he'd hidden from Saul. There he asks God if he should fight them; God says "I will surely hand them over to you," and so David confronts the Philistine army at Baal Perazim, and defeats them. But it's not the end of them; once again they challenge David; once again he inquires of God, and once again, God gives him a victory. David is doing well as king.

II Samuel 6: In this chapter, David makes his first move to renew the spiritual life of his now-consolidated kingdom. He goes to Abinidab's house where the ark had rested for many years (Samuel was a youth when the ark was taken there; David hadn't even been born). Recall that it was lost when, during the time of Eli the high priest, the Israelites took the ark into battle with the Philistines. The Philistines captured it and after several months of plague visited on them as punishment by God, they sent the ark back to Israel on a cart pulled by a cow. The cow pulled the cart (and the ark) to Beth-Shemesh where the people immediately recognized the Ark and celebrated its return. However, 70 men from Beth-Shemesh looked into the ark and were killed. This punishment prompted the people to send the ark to Kiriath-jearim and that's where it's been ever since, at the home of Abinidab where Abinidab's son Eleazar had been charged with keeping it safe (I Sam. 4-7:2).

II Samuel 6:1-8: David has made Jerusalem his capital city, and it is to this city he intends to bring the ark. He and 30,000 men go to Kiriath-jearim and place the ark on a new cart drawn by oxen and led by Uzzah and Ahio, Abinidab's sons. David celebrates the ark's journey, but when Uzzah puts out his hand to steady the ark, he's struck dead instantly.

Ark transport: Numbers 4 had told the Israelites that the Kohathite clan of the Levites was to transport the Ark-and no one else. And it was to be carried by poles on the shoulders of the men. David had overlooked this-or perhaps had never known it. (It's now about 1000, and these rules were given to Israel in 1445-almost 500 years before). The Ark had not been moved for years once Israel settled in the Promised Land.

II Samuel 6:9: David fears the Lord's wrath and asks how he's to get the ark to Jerusalem. He allows the ark to remain with a family for three months; during that time, the family is blessed and David hears about it. Now he's motivated once again again to get the ark to a proper place of worship, and by reading the parallel passage in I Chronicles 15, we discover how he does it: he issues instructions that only Levites are to carry the ark, and he tells them to cleanse themselves for the task. We can infer that David has sought God's counsel on this; in addition, it's clear that he he's consulted with a priest who knew the law and who could tell him what to do.

II Samuel 6:13: Finally, David leads the procession back to Jerusalem, dancing and celebrating all the way. Sacrifices are offered, and David rejoices in the return of the Ark to the Tabernacle. Now he can encourage a complete return to keeping the law in all its detail.

II Samuel 6:16: While David is dancing with joy at the ark's arrival, his wife Michal looks out a window and sees him. She is "filled with contempt for him," and when she has a chance, confronts him about his performance. David cannot be made to feel guilt; he tells Michal "I was dancing before the Lord," and he promises that he will continue to show his joy in God. The chapter ends with the statement that Michal is barren for the rest of her life. A sad conclusion to a happy day for everyone else.

Homework for those who want to go deeper:

Let's close in prayer.