In Ancient Hebrew manuscripts 1 and 2 Samuel form one book. I understand that they were not divided into two until the Old Testament was translated into Greek. We are not told who wrote them, but Samuel contributed to them. Much was written after his death, but they describe much of his life and ministry. Samuel may have written or supplied, the information for chapters 1-24 which are a biography up to his death. It is noted in 1 Chronicles 29:29 that Samuel, Nathan and Gad recorded the acts of King David, and it may be that someone used the documents from those three to compile the record.
Second Samuel is set in the land of Israel during the reign of David and follows the course of his forty years as king of Israel (1011–971 BC). The events of 1 Samuel span approximately 100 years, from c. 1100 B.C. to c. 1000 B.C. The events of 2 Samuel cover another 40 years. The date of writing, then, would be sometime after 960 B.C.
First Samuel introduces the monarchy of Israel, and 2 Samuel chronicles the establishment of the Davidic dynasty and the expansion of Israel under God’s chosen leader. The book opens as David learned of Saul’s death. His lament over the deaths of Saul and of Jonathan. Jonathan was David’s best friend, and this is demonstrated David’s personal grief over their deaths. The Lord soon set David over the tribe of Judah (2:4) and then over all Israel as His anointed king (5:3), uniting all twelve tribes into a nation.
What I love about biblical writers is that they do not overlook great men’s flaws. In the chapters that follow, we note that David’s adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1–27) David’s daughter Tamar’s rape by his son Amnon (13:1–39), Amnon’s murder (13:28–30), David’s own political overthrow by his son Absalom (15:1–37), and Absalom’s subsequent death (18:1–33).
Despite the turmoil in his later years, David enjoyed the Lord’s forgiveness and favour. His genuine sorrow and regret over his sins revealed his repentant heart, with which the Lord was pleased.
One could say that the key to the book and to the entire biblical record is 2 Samuel 7:16, “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” This divine promise marked the beginning of an additional covenant, called the Davidic covenant, in which God promised an eternal throne to the house of David. ‘Because of David’s faith, God did not treat [David’s] descendants as He had treated Saul’s. Sin would be punished, but David’s line would never be completely cut off.’
David celebrated God’s faithfulness in Psalm 89:34-37,
God’s unconditional promise to David would be fulfilled ultimately in David’s future descendant Jesus Christ. The covenant also included a continuing promise that the people of Israel would have a land of their own forever.
David is known as a ‘man after [God’s] own heart’ because, though he sinned greatly and made mistakes, he acknowledged those failures and repented before God. Repent means to turn away from sin and turn toward righteousness. Our Father knows we are not perfect. Therefore, His Son, Jesus Christ, paid the price for our sins so that we can become righteous in God’s sight through faith. And although our salvation is secure, our daily sins can hinder our relationship with God. When we confess our sins, turning to the Lord in humility, He will forgive us and restore our relationship with Him.
The book of 2 Samuel can be divided into two main sections—David’s triumphs (chapters 1-10) and David’s troubles (chapters 11-20). The last part of the book (chapters 21-24) is a non-chronological appendix which contains further details of David’s reign.
The book begins with David receiving news of the death of Saul and his sons. He proclaims a time of mourning. Soon afterward, David is crowned king over Judah, while Ishbosheth, one of Saul’s surviving sons, is crowned king over Israel (chapter 2). A civil war follows, but Ishbosheth is murdered, and the Israelites ask David to reign over them as well (chapters 4-5).
David moves the country’s capital from Hebron to Jerusalem and later moves the Ark of the Covenant (chapters 5-6). David’s plan to build a temple in Jerusalem is vetoed by God, who then promises David the following things: 1) David would have a son to rule after him; 2) David’s son would build the temple; 3) the throne occupied by David’s lineage would be established forever; and 4) God would never take His mercy from David’s house.
David leads Israel to victory over many of the enemy nations which surrounded them. He also shows kindness to the family of Jonathan by taking in Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s crippled son (chapters 8-10).
Then David falls. He lusts for a beautiful woman named Bathsheba, commits adultery with her, and then has her husband murdered (chapter 11). When Nathan the prophet confronts David with his sin, David confesses, and God graciously forgives. However, the Lord tells David that trouble would arise from within his own household. And we shall see that it does.
A general feeling of unrest plagues the remainder of David’s reign. The men of Israel threaten to split from Judah, and David must suppress another uprising (chapter 20).
The book’s appendix includes information concerning a three-year famine in the land (chapter 21), a song of David (chapter 22), a record of the exploits of David’s bravest warriors (chapter 23), and David’s sinful census and the ensuing plague (chapter 24).
Lessons to be learned –Anyone can fall. Even a man like David, who truly desired to follow God and who was richly blessed by God, was susceptible to temptation. David’s sin with Bathsheba should be a warning to all of us to guard our hearts, our eyes, and our minds. Pride over our spiritual maturity and our ability to withstand temptation in our own strength is the first step to a downfall.
God is gracious to forgive all our sins when we truly repent. However, just as healing the wound can still leave a scar, forgiveness of sin does not always erase the scar. Sin has natural consequences, and even after he was forgiven, David reaped what he had sown. His son from the illicit union with another man’s wife was taken from him (2 Samuel 12:14-24) and David suffered the misery of a break in his loving relationship with his heavenly Father (Psalms 32 and 51). How much better to avoid sin in the first place, rather than having to seek forgiveness later!
