Study Notes for 2 Samuel
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:1–20:26 Story of King David. Most of 2 Samuel tells of David’s rise to kingship, first over Judah and then over all Israel. Most of the problems David had to deal with resulted from his own sins.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:1–27 The book begins where 1 Samuel ends, with the death of King Saul and his sons at Mount Gilboa. David, who is in Ziklag, hears of Saul’s death. But instead of rejoicing that his enemy is dead, he mourns Saul’s death and executes the man who claims to have killed Saul.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:1–2 An Amalekite man (see v. 8) arrives to report the events of 1 Samuel 31. The torn clothes and dirt are signs of mourning.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:6–10 So I stood beside him and killed him (v. 10). The narrator in 1 Samuel 31 said that Saul killed himself. This man is lying to gain favor with the person most likely to replace Saul as king.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:12 David and his men fasted in mourning. After this summary statement, the story resumes the actual dialogue between David and the young man who told of Saul’s death.
FACT
Laments were a common way of showing grief and mourning for the dead. They could poetically capture a person’s feelings toward the departed.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:14 How is it you were not afraid . . . to destroy the LORD’s anointed? See note on 1 Sam. 24:6. As a sojourner subject to the laws of Israel (Lev. 24:22), the Amalekite should have respected Saul as his king (as did Saul’s armor-bearer; 1 Sam. 31:4–5). David himself had refrained from killing Saul (1 Samuel 24; 26).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:15 Go, execute him. David believed the Amalekite’s story (but see note on vv. 6–10). On that basis he had him executed. David’s action shows he had no part in Saul’s death.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:16 Your blood be on your head means that the Amalekite (not David) is responsible for his own death (see Josh. 2:19; 1 Kings 2:32, 37; Ezek. 33:4).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:17–27 And David lamented. Though terribly wronged by Saul, David chose to remember him in a generous way.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:18 It should be taught refers to the lament that follows. Compare the heading of Psalm 60, “A Miktam of David; for instruction.” The Book of Jashar is a non-biblical written source.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:19 How the mighty have fallen! This is the theme line of David’s lament for Saul and Jonathan, repeated in vv. 25, 27.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:20 Gath and Ashkelon are Philistine cities. David does not want the Philistines to rejoice over Saul’s death.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:21 let there be no dew or rain . . . nor fields of offerings! David wishes for lack of blessing on the place where Saul and Jonathan died. The line the shield of the mighty was defiled is paralleled by the next line, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil (that is, “not in proper condition,” since leather shields were treated with oil).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:22 Blood and fat are often used as a word pair to refer to the whole of a sacrifice. For bow of Jonathan, see 1 Sam. 20:18–23.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:23 In life and in death . . . not divided. In 1 Samuel 14 Jonathan acted without his father’s knowledge and readily criticized him, and they disagreed over David (see especially 1 Sam. 22:8). Yet they apparently maintained a relationship, eventually fighting and dying together for Israel.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:24 Scarlet cloth, colored with a dye made from the dried bodies of an insect, was a sign of prosperity (Prov. 31:21).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 1:26 surpassing the love of women. David’s remark does not carry any sexual overtones. Rather, he is calling attention to Jonathan’s self-denial in giving up any right to the throne of Israel (1 Sam. 23:17). Jonathan loved and supported David as the Lord’s choice to succeed his father Saul. He even risked his life for David (1 Sam. 20:30–33).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:1–5:5 Judah makes David its king. Saul’s general Abner, however, seeks to restore Saul’s kingdom with Saul’s son Ish-bosheth as king. During the struggle between the two kingdoms, Abner, who has decided to go with David, is killed by David’s commander Joab. Later, Ish-bosheth is killed by two of his own men, but David executes them for murder. With no candidate for king in the house of Saul, all of Israel unites to anoint the hero David as king. There are many cases of Israelites’ shedding the blood of fellow Israelites, and this is tragic, but the narrator holds David innocent in each case, and thus he is qualified to be king over all Israel.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:1–3 Saul is no longer pursuing David, and David’s home base of Ziklag has burned. After inquiring of the Lord, David moves to the Hebron area with his family and men. Hebron was the most important city of southern Judah. It was not far from Bethlehem.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:4b–7 See 1 Sam. 31:11–13. David seems to be presenting himself as Saul’s successor and suggesting that Jabesh-gilead should enter into a treaty relationship with Judah. He is moved by their faithfulness toward Saul and wants to reward them.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:4 Rather than seeking a relative of Saul (from the tribe of Benjamin, 1 Sam. 9:1), the people of Judah choose one of their own, the hero David, as king. He was also chosen by the Lord (1 Sam. 16:1–23).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:8–9 Abner tries to continue Saul’s kingdom, on a reduced scale. From these verses and 3:9, it appears that Abner, not Ish-bosheth, was actually in charge. Mahanaim, a city on the Jabbok River, was apparently the capital of Gilead. The fact that the capital had to be in Transjordan suggests the weakness of Ish-bosheth’s reign. Gilead and the Ashurites and Jezreel refers to the northern and Transjordanian part of the country. Ephraim and Benjamin refers to the central and main part. Ish-bosheth did not necessarily have real control over all this area; the Philistines apparently were in the Jezreel Valley (1 Sam. 31:7). All Israel is a summary description of the area just mentioned.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:10–11 For a time, there are two kings in the land of Israel.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:12 Gibeon is about 6 miles (9.7 km) north-northwest of Jerusalem. The “pool” (v. 13) is probably the huge round cistern cut into the rock on its north side (compare Jer. 41:12).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:13 This marks the first appearance of Joab the son of Zeruiah, though Abishai was referred to as his brother in 1 Sam. 26:6. Joab was commander over the army (2 Sam. 8:16). He appears frequently in 2 Samuel, often in a major role. Since Abner knows him and his brothers well (2:20–22), Joab probably came to Saul’s court soon after David’s rise to prominence. He was one of the three sons of David’s sister Zeruiah (1 Chron. 2:16), so he was David’s nephew (2 Sam. 2:18).
FACT
The pool of Gibeon (2:13) was probably a huge round cistern cut into limestone rock. Since the water was about 80 feet (24 m) below ground, nearly 30 feet (9 m) of stairs were carved into the side of the shaft. These stairs led to a tunnel about 40 feet (12 m) long. At the end of this tunnel was the pool, where a person could draw water for daily use.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:19 Asahel was one of David’s mighty warriors, “one of the thirty” (23:24; see also 1 Chron. 11:26).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:23 Abner, an experienced warrior, apparently stopped suddenly, thrusting his spear backward so forcefully that it went right through Asahel’s body as he ran into it.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:28 Here, as in 18:16 and 20:22, Joab uses a trumpet to summon an army and mark the end of fighting after a victory.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 2:29 The Arabah is part of the Jordan Valley rift south of the Dead Sea.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:2–5 It is assumed that Chileab (called Daniel in 1 Chron. 3:1) died young, since he is not mentioned as a possible successor in 1 Kings 1. Geshur was north of the area controlled by Saul’s house, so David’s marriage with its king’s daughter strengthened him against Ish-bosheth (2 Sam. 3:1).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:7 Saul’s concubine Rizpah bore him two sons. Taking the previous king’s wives was considered acceptable only for the new king (see 12:8; 16:21–22). If Abner had sex with Rizpah, it could be considered an act of treason.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:12–15 David clearly does not mind taking the Israelite kingdom from Ish-bosheth, and he stresses his closeness to Saul as Saul’s son-in-law. David states that he has legally paid the bride-price for Michal (see 1 Sam. 18:25–27). Apparently David never divorced Michal, even though Saul had given her to another man (1 Sam. 25:44).
FACT
Dogs are mentioned 40 times in Scripture, and few of the references are positive. Dogs were viewed as unclean animals because they were scavengers, not pets. To compare someone to a dog was a great insult (3:8).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:22–30 Joab’s motive for killing Abner could have been concern for David’s position as king (v. 25), concern for his own position (v. 23), personal revenge (v. 30), or a mixture of these motives (compare 18:14; 20:10).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:25 Know your going out and your coming in mainly refers to military actions (as in 1 Sam. 18:13). In other words, Joab claims that Abner came as a spy.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:26 Sirah is about 2.5 miles (4 km) north of Hebron.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:27 into the midst of the gate. City gates were elaborate structures.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 3:28–39 Joab is apparently too important and useful for David to punish him for killing Abner. Instead David curses Joab and publicly mourns Abner, having a funeral for him and chanting a lament for him. This is the only funeral described in detail in the OT. Because of Abner’s relationship to Saul, it was important for David and his future kingdom that all Israel know it was not David’s will to put Abner to death.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 4:2–3 Beeroth is about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Gibeon. It is one of the cities that tricked Joshua into making a treaty with them (Josh. 9:17). The Beerothites had probably fled to Gittaim when Saul put the Gibeonites to death (see 2 Sam. 21:1). Apparently after that the Benjaminites (Neh. 11:33), including Rimmon and his family, came to live there.
Abner
Abner was the commander of Saul’s army. When Saul died, Abner took the king’s son, Ish-bosheth, and made him king of Israel. During the Battle of Gibeon, Abner killed Asahel, one of David’s mighty men. This led to hostility between himself and Asahel’s brothers, Joab and Abishai. After a quarrel with Ish-bosheth, Abner convinced the elders of Israel that they should side with David. He was welcomed by David but was then murdered by Joab. David cursed Joab for killing Abner and held a public funeral for the murdered warrior. David called Abner “a prince and a great man” (3:38). (2 Samuel 3:38)
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 4:4 The information about Mephibosheth is probably put here to show why there was no move to make him king after Ish-bosheth’s death. He was still a child, and he was crippled. Apparently his real name was “Merib-baal” (1 Chron. 8:34). Because “baal” could mean “lord” in general, the name probably referred to the Lord of Israel (as in 2 Sam. 5:20). At some point, to avoid using the name of the god Baal, in Samuel he is referred to as “Mephibosheth.” Similarly, Saul’s son Ish-bosheth is called “Eshbaal” in 1 Chron. 8:33, but “Ish-bosheth” in Samuel. Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon; Judg. 6:32) is called “Jerubbesheth” in 2 Sam. 11:21.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 4:7 This verse is an expansion of the previous verse.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 4:10–11 This refers to the incident in 1:13–16. The Amalekite had at least given the excuse that Saul had requested his own death, but Ish-bosheth’s death was outright murder.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 4:12 Unlike the case of Joab, there is no problem with executing the killers of Ish-bosheth. For hanging a body after death, see 21:6 and Josh. 10:26.
FACT
Hanging by the neck was never used as a form of execution in ancient Israel. However, the hanging of a person’s body after execution was a common practice (4:12). This was done to cast shame on the criminal and to warn others not to commit similar crimes.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:1 we are your bone and flesh. Even though there is a distinct division between Judah and the rest of Israel, they still recognize each other as family (compare “brothers,” 2:26–27).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:6–13 The account of David’s kingship over all of Israel starts with his capture of the Jebusite city of Jerusalem, on the boundary between Judah and Benjamin. Jerusalem had not been controlled by any one tribe, and thus it was both symbolically and geographically better suited to be the capital of all Israel than Hebron, which was in central Judah. Jerusalem was the “Salem” of which Melchizedek was king (Gen. 14:18). It had been too strong to be conquered when the Israelites first entered Canaan (Josh. 15:63). The stronghold of Zion was on the western slope of the Kidron Valley above the city’s water source, the spring of Gihon. According to 1 Chron. 11:6, Joab led the attack by entering through the water shaft and was made David’s chief commander because of his success.
David Captures the Stronghold of Zion
c. 1005 B.C.
After securing his reign over all Israel, David moved his capital from Hebron, a southern city of Judah, to a more central and tribally neutral location at Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem (called “the stronghold of Zion”) was held by the Jebusites, and its terraced defensive walls and nearby steep hills and valleys made it seem impenetrable. But David sent men up a water shaft (believed by some to be Warren’s Shaft) to capture the stronghold, and he renamed it the city of David.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:6–8 the blind and the lame will ward you off. The Jebusites probably meant that the fortifications were so strong that the city needed no able-bodied defenders. The blind and the lame shall not come into the house may mean that the Jebusites were not allowed at David’s court.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:8 water shaft. See note on vv. 6–13.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:9 The Millo (see 1 Kings 9:15; 1 Chron. 11:8) was a series of terrace walls, built on a steep slope, that supported the fill dirt behind it to create level areas. Houses were built on these artificial platforms and connected by narrow staircases. During heavy rains, the fill became heavy and increased the pressure on the terrace walls. These required regular maintenance, lest the houses fall down the steep slope and the city disintegrate.
FACT
Millo means “fill” in Hebrew. The Millo (5:9) was a series of terraces built so that houses and other structures could rest on flat areas of land. A retaining wall would first be built and then workers would “fill” dirt in behind it, piling it up until it formed a raised terrace.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:11 Hiram king of Tyre provides David with cedars to build his house. Tyre was a trading empire. It was important to them to keep the inland trade route from Israel to Egypt open to their merchants.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:13–14 This is a summary statement about David’s kingship in Jerusalem (compare 3:2–5). It does not mean that these sons were all born before 5:17.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:17–21 Until now the Philistines may have considered David to be a paid soldier fighting for them (1 Samuel 27). But when David becomes king over Israel (that is, both Israel and Judah) and even captures Jerusalem, they realize he is a threat. went down to the stronghold. This is probably toward the Philistine country. The Valley of Rephaim is the valley leading toward Jerusalem from the southwest. “Baal” in Baal-perazim is here a common noun meaning “lord.” The Philistines left their idols there (2 Sam. 5:21) is a reversal of 1 Samuel 4, where the Philistines carried off the ark of the covenant. According to 1 Chron. 14:12, David had these idols burned.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 5:22–25 It may be that the sound of marching was a distinct sound caused by the Lord that frightened the Philistines (as in 2 Kings 7:6). Another possibility is that the Philistines knew the sound was of trees, so David used it as cover for his attack. He drove the Philistines out of the central hill country.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:1–23 Jerusalem would not only be the political capital of a united Israel. It would be the religious center as well.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:1–2 Baale-judah was called Kiriath-jearim in earlier times (1 Sam. 7:1). the LORD of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. See note on 1 Sam. 4:3–4.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:3–4 They carried the ark on a new cart. Presumably this refers to a ritually clean cart. But God had commanded that the ark be carried by Levites, using poles placed through rings on the sides of the ark (see Ex. 25:14–15; Num. 4:15; 7:8–9; Deut. 31:9).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:5 Before the LORD, as in Ex. 28:29, means that the Lord himself was present above the ark (see note on 1 Sam. 4:3–4). Both 2 Sam. 6:5–15 and 1 Sam. 4:1–7:2 show that the ark was not just a symbol of God’s presence. Wherever the ark was, God manifested his presence in a special way, so the ark should not be treated lightly. with songs . . . cymbals. Music is part of worship in most societies, and it was an important part of Israelite worship. lyres and harps and tambourines. The lyre was basically a sound box with arms in a U-shape supporting a bar across the top. The lyre seems to have been considered the premier instrument. The harp was similar to today’s concert harp. The tambourine was similar to the modern tambourine, but without the small cymbals. The Hebrew word translated castanets appears only here in the Bible.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:6–11 and God struck him down (v. 7). Touching the ark was a direct violation of God’s law (Num. 4:15). Even though Uzzah touched the ark to prevent it from falling, he and those with him were wrong to transport it on a cart rather than having the Levites carry it on poles (see note on 2 Sam. 6:3–4). afraid of the LORD. This incident was a dramatic reminder to David of God’s holiness and of the necessity of approaching God only according to his revealed instruction.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:12–15 those who bore the ark. This time the ark is carried properly (v. 13; 1 Chron. 15:12–15). The text may indicate that only one sacrifice was offered at the beginning of the journey, when they had gone six steps. But some interpreters think it means that David sacrificed every six steps. he sacrificed. Here and in 2 Sam. 6:17 it is doubtful that David himself killed all the animals, but it was done at his direction. David’s ephod was the simple linen robe worn by priests (see 1 Sam. 2:18). The ram’s horn was an instrument used especially for signaling.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:14 David danced before the LORD. The term for “dancing” in vv. 14 and 16 does not appear elsewhere in Scripture. It seems to describe a whirling dance. Dancing expresses joy (compare Ex. 15:20–21; Ps. 30:11) and can be a part of jubilant worship (see Ps. 149:3; 150:4).
FACT
Dancing was a vital part of both worship and celebration (6:14). The Hebrew word for dance can mean to twist or whirl about in circular movements or to leap or skip. Performed by both males and females, it was quite similar to traditional dancing in some parts of the world today.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:16–19 Michal . . . despised him in her heart. Michal is identified not as David’s wife but as the daughter of Saul. She shares Saul’s lack of spiritual understanding. She should have been rejoicing with David. The tent corresponds to the tabernacle of Exodus 26.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 6:20–23 Michal’s sarcastic comment, “How the king of Israel honored himself today,” suggests she felt he should have worn his royal robes. Michal’s remark about David uncovering himself seems to be an expression of Michal’s contempt for David rather than a statement of fact. had no child. The text does not say what caused Michal’s childlessness. It could have been God’s judgment of Michal for her contempt toward David, or the natural result of the rift between Michal and David.
Michal
Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and Saul hoped to use this to his advantage. Saul offered David the right to marry Michal, but he asked for a very unusual “bride-price” which he assumed would lead to David’s death (1 Sam. 18:20–25). The scheme didn’t work, and Michal became David’s wife. When Saul once again tried to kill David, Michal warned him and helped him escape. Saul then gave Michal to another man even though she was still married to David. After Saul’s death, David arranged for Michal to be returned to him. But the story of David and Michal had a sad ending. When David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, he celebrated by dancing before the Lord. This caused Michal to despise him, and she remained childless throughout her life. (2 Samuel 6:16–19)
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:1–29 This chapter, with its promise of the Messiah, is a key passage in the history of salvation. Verses 8–17 are often described as the “Davidic covenant,” even though the word “covenant” does not appear there. This covenant is described in Ps. 89:3, using the words “I have made a covenant with my chosen one.” The Lord states that he will establish David’s house forever, and he promises David an eternal throne. This points to Solomon, who would “sit on the throne of Israel” and build “the house for the name of the LORD” (1 Kings 8:20). The promise will be completely fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah who will sit on the throne eternally, thus establishing David’s throne forever (2 Sam. 7:16; Luke 1:32–33). See 2 Chron. 13:5; 21:7; Ps. 89:20–38; Jer. 33:17.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:1–3 the LORD is with you. Nathan gives his own opinion as David’s counselor. That night, however, he receives a specific revelation from God, which he delivers to David in his role as a prophet (vv. 4–17).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:6–7 I have not lived in a house. Nothing in the regulations about the ark in Exodus suggests that it was to be placed in a building. Rather, it would need carrying poles (Ex. 25:10–16), as it was carried from place to place.
FACT
Building a house for gods was a common thing for a king or leader to do in the ancient Near East. David’s desire to build a temple for the Lord (7:6–7) may have been influenced by this tradition. Ultimately, however, the temple was built only because the Lord directed that David’s son Solomon “shall build a house for my name” (7:13).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:8–17 God will not let David build him a house. Instead, the Lord will build David a house (a ruling dynasty). See notes on 1 Chron. 17:10b–14; 22:6–16.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:12 Your offspring after you refers to Solomon.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. Hebrews 1:5 applies these words to Christ. As Messiah, Jesus inherits David’s role as representative of God’s people (his “son,” Ex. 4:22–23; see Ps. 89:26–27).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:18–29 In this moving prayer, David uses the phrase O Lord GOD (or “O LORD God”) eight times, expressing his close intimacy with his God. this is instruction for mankind (v. 19). All people can learn about God’s faithfulness and grace from his promises to David. there is none like you, and there is no God besides you (v. 22). The Bible clearly teaches monotheism (compare 1 Sam. 2:2). Who is like your people Israel describes the uniqueness of Israel, God’s people, whom he has redeemed from Egypt and established for himself forever.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 7:18 Who am I, O Lord . . . , that you have brought me thus far? David humbly considers himself unworthy of all the Lord’s blessings. He attributes all his success to the Lord.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:1–18 Chapter 8 lists David’s military victories. These events do not necessarily match the historical order of the rest of the book.
David
David was the youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem. When Saul was rejected as king, God chose David as his successor. A handsome and gifted man, David played the lyre to soothe Saul, gaining his favor and eventually becoming his armor-bearer. On a mission to deliver food to his older brothers, David fought and killed the giant Goliath. He became Israel’s greatest king, and made Jerusalem the nation’s capital city. Although he was a godly man, David fell into sin with Bathsheba. God used him not because he was mighty or perfect, but because he found favor in God’s sight. The Lord promised David an eternal throne (2 Sam. 7:16), and through his lineage came Jesus the Messiah. (2 Samuel 7:1–29)
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:1 Metheg-ammah perhaps refers to a type of land. After the time of David, there are no references to battles with the Philistines until the time of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:8).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:3–12 Zobah and Damascus were both in Syria. Zobah was in the northern part of the Lebanon Valley (see Josh. 11:17), in what is now called the Bekaa Valley. Having captured chariot horses, David apparently decided to experiment with a small chariot force. He may have hamstrung the other horses (2 Sam. 8:4) to keep them from being used again by enemy soldiers. He may also have recalled the warnings of Moses that future Israelite kings should not be tempted to acquire many horses (Deut. 17:16). The hamstrung horses supposedly could have been used as farm or pack horses. Hamath was on the middle Orontes River; it bordered Zobah on the north.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:6 And the LORD gave victory. God’s blessing, not David’s skill, is the reason for David’s victories (see v. 14).
FACT
Hamstringing horses (8:4) was a practice used by victorious armies to ensure that their enemy’s horses could not be used in battle again. It involved severing the leg tendon on the horse so that it could not gallop. Though it was a cruel act, many of the horses could still be used for farming.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:13 The Valley of Salt must have been in the Edomite territory south and east of the Dead Sea.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:15–18 This is a list of David’s officials (for similar lists, see 20:23–26; 1 Kings 4:1–6). It was the task of the king to establish justice and equity (see 1 Kings 10:9). Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud appears as recorder in all three lists.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:17 Zadok helped David during Absalom’s rebellion (15:27–28; 17:15; 19:11) and later he supported Solomon (1 Kings 1:8). Zadok’s father Ahitub was probably not Ahitub the father of Ahimelech, priest at Nob (1 Sam. 22:9). Abiathar appeared in 1 Samuel accompanying David (1 Sam. 22:20; 23:6; 30:7). He worked with Zadok during Absalom’s rebellion.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 8:18 Benaiah led David’s personal force of Cherethites and . . . Pelethites. He was one of David’s mighty men (23:20–22). Like Zadok, he supported Solomon against Adonijah and became commander of the whole army under Solomon (1 Kings 1:1–2:46; 4:1–6). The Cherethites and Pelethites were foreigners who made up the king’s bodyguard (see 1 Sam. 28:2). David’s sons were priests. This may mean that they were chaplains for the royal family; only the descendants of Levi could serve as priests in the tabernacle and temple.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 9:1–13 Often in ancient times, even in Israel, a change in royal dynasty led to the killing of all male heirs of the defeated family (compare 2 Kings 10; 11; etc.). But David keeps his promise to Jonathan and Saul that he would not destroy their descendants (see 1 Sam. 20:14–17, 42; 24:21–22).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 9:2–4 For Ziba, Saul’s servant, see note on v. 9. The exact location of Lo-debar is unknown, but it seems to have been in northern Transjordan (17:27).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 9:6–8 For the name Mephibosheth, see note on 4:4. The word father can mean either “father” or “grandfather,” depending on the context. Dead dog is a term of self-abasement here and in 1 Sam. 24:14.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 9:9 Ziba had probably continued to be in charge of Saul’s land after his death, but had paid the profits from the estate to David. From now on he is required to pay the benefits to your master’s grandson, that is, Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 9:11 Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. The arrangement is similar to that for David’s older sons. Though they “ate at David’s table,” some of them lived in their own houses in Jerusalem (13:7, 20) and had fields and farmlands of their own (13:23; 14:30).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 10:1–12:31 The Ammonite war is the background for the events of chs. 10–12. The war led to David’s domination of the Syrian kingdoms (see 8:3–12; 10:15–19). Unfortunately, it was also the setting for his sin with Bathsheba (11:1–12:25).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 10:1–19 Israel’s war with Ammon began when the Ammonites disgraced David’s ambassadors; it did not result from any wrongdoing by David.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 10:1–5 David wants to deal loyally with Hanun because of his father Nahash (presumably the Nahash mentioned in 1 Samuel 11), who had dealt loyally with David. Also, David wants to keep the Ammonites as peaceful neighbors. It may be that the princes of the Ammonites are alarmed by the representatives of David, who had conquered Moab (2 Sam. 8:2), the country directly south of them. shaved off half the beard of each. This act of humiliation amounted to breaking off diplomatic relations. David allows his messengers to remain at Jericho so that they would not have to display their humiliation in the royal court.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 10:6–8 Beth-rehob, Zobah, Maacah, and Tob were Syrian kingdoms in the northern Transjordan and Lebanon Valley. Hiring armies was a common practice of the day (compare 2 Kings 7:6). The gate is that of the city of Rabbah (2 Sam. 11:1), the capital of Ammon, near present-day Amman, Jordan.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 10:9–19 David’s army under Joab is trapped between the Syrians and the Ammonites, but they defeat the Syrians and force them to leave. Hadadezer of Zobah (see 8:5) attacks again at Helam, apparently a city in northern Transjordan, but is again defeated.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 10:12 let us be courageous . . . and may the LORD do what seems good to him. Joab expresses both faith in God and a resolve to fight with all his strength. Faith and human effort rightly go together.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:1–12:25 The story of the Ammonite war continues up through 11:1 and concludes in 12:26–31. In between comes the account of David and Bathsheba (11:2–12:25).
The Rise and Failure of David in 1 and 2 Samuel
| David’s Rise (1 Samuel 16–2 Samuel 10) | David’s Failures (2 Samuel 11–20) |
|---|
| Eager holy warrior | Remains in palace |
| Marries honorably | Adultery with Bathsheba |
| Protects Saul’s life | Plots Uriah’s death |
| Decisive | Indecisive |
| Prayers effective | Prayers ineffective |
| Fearless when outnumbered | Fearfully takes census |
| Attracts thousands of followers | Loses thousands of followers |
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:1 With the defeat of the Syrians, David can concentrate on besieging Rabbah (10:14). the time when kings go out to battle. . . . But David remained at Jerusalem. The connection of these two phrases hints that something is wrong: all Israel went out to battle, but Israel’s leader did not.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:2 Archaeological discoveries suggest that the roof of the king’s house may have overlooked the entire city (see illustration). bathing. See note on v. 4.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:3 Uriah the Hittite is listed among David’s top warriors, the “thirty,” in 23:39.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:4 sent messengers and took her. Considering David’s elaborate attempt to cover up his act of adultery (vv. 6–13), it is hardly likely that he made his intention clear when he summoned Bathsheba. Since she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness (“bathing,” v. 2), probably after her menstrual period (see Lev. 15:19–24), it is clear that her husband, Uriah, was not the father of the child who was conceived (2 Sam. 11:5).
Jerusalem In the Time of David (c. 1010–970 B.C.)
About four millennia ago, Melchizedek was king of Jerusalem, which was then called Salem (Gen. 14:18). This was an unwalled city, which was taken over in c. 1850 B.C. by the Jebusites, who built a city wall around it and called it Jebus (see 1 Chron. 11:4).
King David captured this city after having ruled for seven years in Hebron (2 Sam. 5:5). The city was strongly fortified, especially the area around the Gihon Spring, where massive towers dating from this period have been excavated. The Jebusites were so confident of their fortifications that they taunted David, saying that even the blind and the lame would prevent him from capturing their city (2 Sam. 5:6).
However, Joab, David’s commander-in-chief, managed to secretly enter the city through its water system and open the gates for David to take control (1 Chron. 11:6). The Jebusite Citadel was destroyed and replaced by the “stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David” (2 Sam. 5:7).
Later on in his life, David built an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, which stopped a plague sent by God upon Israel from reaching Jerusalem (2 Sam. 24:18–25).
• •
• •
• •
• •
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:6–13 Instead of repenting and trying to settle the matter openly, David tries to cover up his adultery.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:9 Sexual intercourse was a source of ritual impurity (Lev. 15:18), and so it was avoided during a military campaign, as is mentioned in 1 Sam. 21:5. Uriah considered himself still on duty, in contrast to David.
FACT
Sexual activity while on military duty was expressly forbidden by law in ancient Israel. It brought about ritual impurity and therefore forced a soldier to undergo purification rituals. This would prevent him from performing his military duty.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:14–15 Uriah unknowingly takes with him the letter that orders him killed. David is so overwhelmed by the need to cover up his wrongdoings that he will take the life of his faithful soldier.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:21 Jerubbesheth. See note on 4:4. cast an upper millstone on him from the wall. See Judg. 9:53.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 11:26–27 The mourning period was probably seven days (Gen. 50:10; 1 Sam. 31:13).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:1–23 Through the prophet Nathan, God calls David to account for his sins of adultery and murder (ch. 11).
FACT
David’s disobedience. David broke three of the Ten Commandments in his relationship with Bathsheba. He broke the tenth commandment by coveting another man’s wife, then the seventh commandment by committing adultery. He broke the sixth commandment by arranging the death of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:4 The rich man in Nathan’s story took the poor man’s lamb, just as David “took” Bathsheba (see 11:4). The Lord’s special concern for the poor is a major theme in the Bible. As his representative, the king was supposed to protect the poor against abuse by the powerful (Ex. 23:6; Lev. 19:15).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:5–6 David is truly concerned about justice, when not blinded by his own passion. fourfold. See Ex. 22:1.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:7–13 David has despised the Lord and his word.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:8 gave you . . . your master’s wives. There is no other record of David marrying Saul’s wives, but he was certainly in a position to do so.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:9 With the sword is a general term for causing violent death, as in 11:25.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:10–11 the sword shall never depart from your house. David’s sons Amnon (13:29), Absalom (18:15), and Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25) all die by the sword. he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. Absalom will rebel against David and publicly have sex with David’s concubines on a rooftop (2 Sam. 16:22).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:13–14 David confesses his sin with Bathsheba and appears to repent. Yet the results of his actions remain: the child . . . shall die.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:15–23 When the child falls ill, David hopes that the Lord might change his mind and let him live, so he petitions him with fasting. When the child died, David washed and anointed himself and ate, even though fasting and refraining from anointing were also part of ordinary mourning (1 Sam. 31:13; 2 Sam. 3:35; 14:2). He has accepted the Lord’s final verdict, knowing that the child will not return to me.
Nathan
Nathan was a prophet during the reigns of David and Solomon. When David desired to build a temple, he asked for Nathan’s counsel. At first, Nathan told him to go ahead, with the Lord’s blessing. But then, after hearing directly from the Lord, Nathan told David that one of his sons, rather than David himself, would be the one to build the temple. Through Nathan God also promised to establish the house and the kingdom of David forever. After David sinned with Bathsheba, God sent Nathan to rebuke him. To show David how wrong it was for him to take another man’s wife, Nathan told a parable about a rich man who took the only lamb belonging to a poor man. It was a powerful story, and David repented of his sin. (2 Samuel 12:1–15)
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:20 The house is presumably the tent where the ark of the covenant was housed (6:17).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:23 I shall go to him seems to indicate that David expects a future personal reunion with the child.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:24–25 First Chronicles 3:5 suggests that Solomon was the fourth son of David by Bathsheba. The line promised to David will continue through this son, and from this line the Messiah will eventually come (Matt. 1:6).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 12:26–31 The author returns to the siege of Rabbah, last mentioned in 11:25. The city of waters was probably that section of the city that controlled the water supply. With no water, the inhabitants would soon have to surrender. Therefore, Joab calls David to come to the front so that he can get credit for the victory.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:1–20:26 Nathan had warned David of “evil . . . out of your own house” (12:11) as a result of his sin with Bathsheba. Chapters 13–20 show how this prophecy comes true. Absalom kills his half brother Amnon to avenge the rape of his sister, but is eventually pardoned by David. Absalom then forms a conspiracy and declares himself king, but the rebellion is put down and Absalom is killed. In the aftermath there is an attempt by a group of Benjaminites to withdraw from Israel.
David and Absalom
c. 985 B.C.
In retaliation for the incestuous rape of his sister, Absalom killed his brother Amnon at Baal-hazor and fled to Geshur. After three years, arrangements were made for Absalom to return to Jerusalem, and later he and David were reconciled. Soon after this, however, Absalom led a coup against David in Hebron, and David fled to Mahanaim. When Absalom attacked David’s forces in the forest of Ephraim, Absalom was defeated and killed, allowing David to return to Jerusalem.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:1–2 Tamar was Absalom’s full sister and the half sister of Amnon, David’s eldest son. he made himself ill. Amnon’s “love” could better be described as lust.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:1 After a time suggests that some time has passed since the end of ch. 12.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:3 The term crafty is normally translated “wise” or “skillful.” Here, however, it is used in a negative sense.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:6–8 cakes. Perhaps something considered helpful for the sick.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:12–13 such a thing is not done in Israel. Intercourse between brother and sister, even half brother and half sister, was forbidden in Lev. 18:9. he will not withhold me from you. Perhaps Tamar is saying that David would be willing to bend the rules, or perhaps she is just trying to escape.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:15–17 Then Amnon hated her. Having succeeded in seducing Tamar, Amnon’s professed love for her quickly turned to hatred. this wrong . . . is greater than the other. If a man seduced an unmarried woman, he had to marry her unless her father refused (Ex. 22:16). Having harmed Tamar, Amnon had a responsibility toward her. Put this woman out. Amnon’s hatred and contempt of his sister is expressed by his final refusal to heed her wishes or even use her name.
FACT
Why did Tamar not want to be sent away? Although Amnon raped her, Tamar knew that the Mosaic Law said he must now marry her or pay damages for what he had done. Though she told her father David what had happened, he did nothing to punish Amnon (13:20-22). Both Amnon and David ignored God’s standards in this sad episode.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:19 Putting ashes (or dirt) on one’s head and tearing one’s clothes were expressions of grief or humiliation.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:20 Following her rape by Amnon, Absalom advised Tamar to not take this to heart. But Absalom himself did take it to heart (vv. 23–29).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:21 David was very angry, but he did not do anything to punish Amnon. He showed favoritism toward his eldest son (3:2; see also esv footnote), which caused many of the later problems in David’s family (see 1 Kings 1:6). Because of his sin with Bathsheba, David had lost his moral courage and wisdom.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:23 As seen in 1 Samuel 25, sheepshearing was a time of feasting. Absalom invited David to the festivities, probably guessing that he would decline, in order to mask his true intentions. If he had started out by inviting Amnon, it could have seemed suspicious.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:29 The king’s sons seem to have normally ridden mules. Absalom even rides one into battle (18:9).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 13:37 Talmai was Absalom’s maternal grandfather (3:3).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:1–3 The king’s heart went out to Absalom does not necessarily imply that his thoughts were positive, just that he kept thinking about the matter. Tekoa is in the Judean hills about 10 miles (16 km) south of Jerusalem, near Bethlehem.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:4–7 A woman uses a parable to appeal to David, for the good of his family, to set aside the ordinary laws demanding the death of a murderer (e.g., Num. 35:31). Now that Amnon is dead, apparently Absalom is considered the heir.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:8–17 Perhaps David already suspects that Joab is involved in the woman’s coming to him, so he deliberately uses the vague word anyone in v. 10. The woman, however, sticks to her own story by referring to my son, while she uses a very sensitive term, avenger of blood (v. 11), which would apply to David himself. David indirectly expresses his determination to bring back his own lost son (v. 11). The woman says what Joab has sent her to say (vv. 13–14) and then goes back to her made-up story (vv. 15–17). This in v. 15 would refer both to her real message in vv. 13–14 and to her “family problem” in vv. 5–7.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:24 he is not to come into my presence. David’s forgiveness is incomplete, as Absalom complains in v. 32. David is unwilling to punish, but he is also unwilling to forgive fully. The situation remains unresolved.
FACT
Geshur was a border town between the nation of Israel and Aram to the north. David’s wife and Absalom’s mother, Maacah, was from this city, which may explain why Absalom fled there.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:26 The reference to Absalom’s long hair gives a detail that will be important later (18:9). The king’s weight indicates that Israel had a royal standard of measurement.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:27 Since the three sons are unnamed and Absalom says he had no sons (18:18), these sons probably died young. His daughter, Tamar, was probably named for his sister.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:28–32 Absalom is dissatisfied with being kept away by David. He wants to be either executed or restored to the royal household (v. 32).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 14:33 the king kissed Absalom. The kiss points to Absalom’s restoration.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:1–19:43 The account of Absalom’s rebellion against David is divided into six parts: (1) Absalom’s conspiracy and proclaiming himself king (15:1–12); (2) David’s escape from Absalom, and the people he met on the way (15:13–16:14); (3) the war council where the competition between Ahithophel and Hushai determines David’s fate (16:15–17:23); (4) David’s favorable reception at Mahanaim (17:24–29); (5) the battle and the death of Absalom (18:1–19:8a); and (6) David’s return to Jerusalem (19:8b–43).
FACT
Regicide is the act of murdering a king. In most cases, a person who killed a king was trying to place himself on the throne.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:1 a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. Absalom’s pride stands in contrast to David’s humility (1 Sam. 26:9–11; 2 Sam. 7:18; 15:25–26). Later Adonijah behaves similarly, “saying ‘I will be king’ ” (1 Kings 1:5). See also 1 Sam. 8:11.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:3 there is no man designated by the king to hear you. Absalom’s statement was surely an exaggeration. The widow of Tekoa got a hearing. And if it had been known that there was no chance of a hearing, people would not have come to Jerusalem in hopes of having their cases heard.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:4 Oh that I were judge in the land! Absalom is essentially saying that he wants to be king. For the judging role of kings, see 1 Sam. 8:5; Prov. 31:9.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:7 Hebron was where David had ruled when he was king only of Judah (2:4). It was Absalom’s birthplace (3:2–3).
Absalom
David’s son Absalom was a handsome man with the personality of a strong leader. When Absalom’s half brother Amnon raped Absalom’s sister Tamar, Absalom retaliated by killing Amnon. He then fled into exile. Three years later he returned to Jerusalem and was reconciled with David. But then he led a rebellion against David, and David himself was forced to flee the city. While battling David’s men, Absalom’s long hair became stuck in the branches of an oak tree, enabling David’s commander Joab to kill him. Absalom’s death allowed David to return to Jerusalem, but he mourned bitterly for his fallen son. Absalom’s betrayal of his father helped fulfill Nathan’s prophecy (12:10–12) that, because of his sin with Bathsheba, the “sword shall never depart” from David’s house. (2 Samuel 15:1–6)
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:10 The phrase the tribes of Israel sometimes refers to all of Israel, and at other times refers to Israel as opposed to Judah. Here, it refers to all of Israel, including Judah. It is clear that Judah participated in the rebellion. In chs. 15–18, “Israel” usually means “Absalom’s side,” while David’s side is referred to as “David’s servants” or “the army.”
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:12 These sacrifices were apparently part of a coronation ceremony (see 1 Sam. 11:14–15; 1 Kings 1:9–11) formally declaring Absalom’s kingship (2 Sam. 15:10; 16:16).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:13–16:14 David flees Jerusalem so that the city will not be destroyed.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:18–20 The Cherethites and the Pelethites are David’s bodyguard (8:18). The Gittites (that is, men from Gath) had come yesterday (15:20), that is, recently, and could go back to their homes. This group is probably not David’s own 600 men who had gone with him from Israel to Ziklag (1 Sam. 27:2).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:23 The brook Kidron runs just east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives (v. 30) is to the east of the brook.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:24–37 Though David leaves the city, by the providence of God he is able to set up a messenger system: from Hushai, to Zadok and Abiathar, to their sons (via a maid, 17:17), to David (15:36).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:25–26 Carry the ark of God back into the city. David does not try to use the ark as some sort of good luck charm. Perhaps he realizes that Absalom’s rebellion is partly the result of David’s own sins (12:10), and he does not know how far the Lord intends to punish him (let him do to me what seems good to him).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:27 Are you not a seer? Perhaps David is implying that Zadok does not know precisely what God will do about David (see note on vv. 25–26). Maybe he is indicating that Zadok, because the people hold him in honor as a seer, will be allowed to pass safely into the city, where he will be most useful to David.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:28 The fords of the wilderness were at the west bank of the Jordan River.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:30 Going barefoot and with his head covered were signs of mourning. weeping as he went. David had many reasons to weep: his own misfortunes and the dangers he now faced, as well as the troubles now facing Israel and his own family, for which he was partly responsible.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:31–32 Ahithophel had been David’s trusted counselor (v. 12; see 16:23), but now he was among the conspirators.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 15:33–36 whatever you hear . . . tell. Although earlier David may have questioned Zadok’s “seeing” (v. 27), it is clear that what Zadok and Abiathar “hear” from the undercover work of Hushai in Jerusalem (v. 34) will benefit David and his followers (vv. 35–36; see 17:15–16, 22).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:1–4 Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth (the disabled grandson of Saul, whom David had taken into his care; see ch. 9), arrives with provisions for David and his people. Ziba implies that the gifts are entirely his idea, and that Mephibosheth himself sees David’s difficulty as an opportunity to reclaim the kingdom (Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father). Mephibosheth will later present a different version of the situation (19:24–29). Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours. David judged too quickly, without opportunity to hear a defense from the accused Mephibosheth.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:5 Shimei is apparently a prominent man (19:16). Bahurim is a Benjaminite town on the north side of the Mount of Olives; some of its inhabitants supported David (17:18).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:9 As always, Abishai is ready to act (compare 1 Sam. 26:8). Cursing a ruler is forbidden in Ex. 22:28.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:10–11 What have I to do with you? David’s point is that he and Abishai do not see things the same way, and it would be disastrous for him to take Abishai’s advice. let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. David expresses his trust in God’s providence (compare 15:25–26; 16:12). He still wonders whether all this opposition is the Lord’s just punishment for his sin, and he humbly endures the abuse.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:14 arrived weary. The journey from Jerusalem to the Jordan was 21 miles (36 km).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:15–17:23 The writer resumes his account from 15:37. For “Israel,” see note on 15:10.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:21–22 Absalom’s public sexual relations with several of David’s concubines would indeed have strengthened . . . the hands of Absalom’s followers, as he made it clear that he was claiming the throne. Nathan had prophesied such an event (see 12:11).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 16:23 Ahithophel’s advice was highly valued. It seems he has chosen to help Absalom.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:1–23 This chapter presents the crucial contest between Ahithophel (Absalom’s ally) and Hushai (David’s ally) before Absalom and the elders of Israel (vv. 4, 14). Ahithophel offers the good advice to attack and kill David immediately. With no one else to turn to, he says, the whole country would embrace Absalom. If this advice had been followed, it is likely that David would have been defeated. But Absalom decides to also hear advice from Hushai. Hushai gives a time-consuming speech that flatters Absalom, giving David enough time to regroup and prepare for battle. Hushai knows that if Ahithophel’s advice is accepted, there will be no time to lose. So even before he hears the council’s response he sends word to David that he should at least cross the Jordan River (vv. 15–16). The council rejects Ahithophel’s good advice in favor of Hushai’s misleading advice. The poor decision leads to Absalom’s defeat. When Absalom finally gathers his army and goes after David (v. 24), David is already in Mahanaim in Gilead, with the forest of Ephraim (18:6) between him and Absalom.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:1 Ahithophel suggests that he himself lead the force against David.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:7–13 my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you . . . and that you go to battle in person (v. 11). Hushai appeals to Absalom’s pride and suggests that Absalom, not Ahithophel, should gather even more support and then personally lead the forces against David (v. 11). His proposal will let David choose his own time and place of battle with his experienced, trained force. Cities were often attacked by pulling down the walls with ropes attached to grappling hooks. Since cities were usually built on high places, they were hard to rebuild once the stones of their walls had been dragged into the valley.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:17–18 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were known to be allied with David, so rather than be seen in Jerusalem they waited at En-rogel, a spring near the city, for a female servant to deliver word from Hushai for David. The servant’s normal duties probably included trips to the spring.
FACT
When attacking a city, ropes with grappling hooks were often used to bring down its walls (17:13). Since most cities were built on hills, the attackers could simply pull the walls away and down the slopes of the hill.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:23 Realizing that the rejection of his advice meant Absalom’s defeat and his own ruin, Ahithophel set his house in order and hanged himself.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:24–29 From the place where he crossed the Jordan River (see 16:14), David had traveled another 37 miles (59 km) north.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:25 Amasa is David’s nephew (1 Chron. 2:16–17).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 17:27–29 Mahanaim, a city in the deep canyon of the Jabbok River, is where Saul’s son Ish-bosheth had set up his capital before David became king (2:8). Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites apparently was the brother of Hanun, the king of Ammon (10:2). David had probably set him on the throne in place of his brother (12:30). Machir had sheltered Mephibosheth in his childhood (9:4). Barzillai later accompanies David on his trip back to Jerusalem (19:31–39). The fact that these people came from a distance to help him suggests that David had real support in the area of Gilead.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:1–19:8a After a brief description of the battle, the author focuses on how Absalom died and on David’s grief over his son’s death.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:2–3 David’s men believe that the ultimate success or failure of Absalom’s rebellion will depend on whether Absalom can kill David. This was also the opinion of Ahithophel (17:3).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:5 Deal gently . . . with . . . Absalom. Why did David make this request? Was it out of pure fatherly love, or did it also involve a feeling of guilt toward Absalom?
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:6–8 The forest of Ephraim was actually not in Ephraim but east of the Jordan in Gilead. Here David’s experienced army could effectively attack a much larger force, most of whom were apparently unable to move around well in a forest (the forest devoured more people . . . than the sword).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:9 The king’s sons usually rode mules, rather than horses (13:29). his head caught fast in the oak. It seems that Absalom’s hair got tangled in the tree (see 14:26). In God’s providence, the source of Absalom’s pride became the cause of his downfall.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:17 every one to his own home. See note on 1 Sam. 4:10.
FACT
The forest of Ephraim was east of the Jordan River in Gilead. Gilead was known for its forests, and there David’s men would have a tactical advantage against a larger force.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:18 I have no son. See note on 14:27. The author contrasts the memorial pillar with Absalom’s actual tomb, a big pile of rocks (18:17; compare Josh. 7:26; 8:29).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:19–23 today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead. Joab does not seem to be hiding anything from David (Go, tell the king what you have seen). But he apparently wants to protect Ahimaaz, son of Zadok the priest, from having to deliver the bad news to David. Then Ahimaaz . . . outran the Cushite. It may be that the Cushite took a direct road over the mountains, while Ahimaaz took the longer but easier way along the plain.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:24–25 The two gates are the outer gate and the inner gate of the gate complex. A man running alone would be a messenger; a group would probably be men fleeing.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 18:29 a great commotion. Ahimaaz may have been trying to break the news gently.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning. David lets his own grief overcome his kingly responsibilities and even his gratitude to God for saving the nation.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:4–6 Because David has covered his face with grief, he has covered with shame the faces of his loyal servants. you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. The words for “love” and “hate” here can mean “be loyal” and “be disloyal.”
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:8 David makes peace with his men, behaving as king and sitting in the gate.
Joab
Joab was the commander of David’s army. He was a complicated person, showing both strong faith and chilling ruthlessness in battle. In retaliation for the death of his brother Asahel, Joab murdered Abner, Saul’s general. He helped to bring about David’s reconciliation with Absalom. But later, after Absalom rebelled against David, Joab killed Absalom even though David had told him not to do so. Then, Joab rebuked David for mourning for his rebellious son rather than rejoicing with his victorious troops. As Joab so memorably expressed it, “you love those who hate you and hate those who love you” (19:6). Later, Joab supported Adonijah instead of Solomon as David’s successor. David advised Solomon to have Joab put to death. Joab was killed as he hid in the sanctuary. (2 Samuel 19:1–8)
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:10 why do you say nothing? The question highlights the factions that developed within Israel and Judah concerning David’s return to the throne.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:13–14 commander of my army. It seems shocking for David to demote the victorious loyal general Joab in favor of the soundly defeated rebel general Amasa (17:25). Perhaps David did this because Joab had disobeyed his specific order not to kill Absalom (18:5, 14). He may also have promoted Amasa out of a desire to reunite the nation—which is exactly what happened (he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:15 Gilgal was an important religious center near Jericho and the Jordan River (Josh. 4:19; 5:10; 1 Sam. 10:8; 11:14; 15:21). Its location is uncertain.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:16–23 At the Jordan (see v. 15), David meets various people he had encountered during his flight from Jerusalem. David wants this to be a day of rejoicing, not revenge. However he apparently did not fully forgive Shimei (see 1 Kings 2:8–9, 36–46).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:24–30 David also met Mephibosheth the son of Saul (actually Jonathan’s son [4:4] and Saul’s grandson) after David had come to Jerusalem. The narrator does not state whether Mephibosheth or Ziba is telling the truth, but Mephibosheth’s sorrow (19:24) and gracious humility (v. 30) suggests that he is the honest one. In a city facing invasion, it is not surprising that a lame Mephibosheth (v. 26) was stuck when his own donkey was taken by Ziba.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:31–40 As he crossed the Jordan (see v. 15), David also met Barzillai, who had helped him in Mahanaim (v. 32; see 17:27). David never forgot Barzillai’s help (1 Kings 2:7).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 19:41–43 Apparently David left Mahanaim and came to the Jordan without allowing time for all the northern tribes to come and accompany him. They resent this, being the larger group and considering themselves more loyal to David (vv. 9–11) than Judah. The men of Judah retort that David did not favor his own tribe with grants (unlike Saul in 1 Sam. 22:7).
FACT
Kissing was a cultural means of showing respect, friendship, or reverence, as it is in many places today. A kiss was often given as a form of greeting or farewell (19:39). There are only three places in all of Scripture where kissing is connected with romance (Prov. 7:13, Song 1:2; 8:1.).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:1–26 Sheba’s rebellion is directly connected with the split within the nation seen in 19:41–43. This particular rebellion does not seem to have gained support outside of Sheba’s own clan (20:14), but the feeling that the king was not treating them well seems to have lingered among the northern tribes. That feeling increased under Solomon, who did not require Judah to supply him with food (1 Kings 4:7–19), and finally caused the nation to split in two (1 Kings 12).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:1 Sheba rejects David’s right to rule and leads a revolt.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:3 The ten concubines are those whom Absalom had claimed in 16:22.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:4–5 David had made Amasa commander in 19:13, replacing Joab. Three days is a rather short time if he is supposed to gather men from all over Judah.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:6 When Amasa failed to produce an armed force on schedule (v. 5), David turned to Abishai, brother of Joab (see note on 19:13–14). Abishai and Joab had often worked together in battle (3:30; 10:9–10; 18:2; also 1 Kings 11:15; 1 Chron. 18:12). Sheba . . . will do us more harm. David seems to have overestimated Sheba’s strength. Apparently only the members of Sheba’s own Bichrite clan were truly committed to his cause (2 Sam. 20:14). Your lord’s servants refers to David’s standing army, as does “the servants of David” in 18:7.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:8–10 Readers are not told why Amasa was in Gibeon instead of in Judah. The sword falls out of Joab’s belt, but when he takes Amasa’s beard with his right hand, with his left hand he either picks it up again or gets out a hidden sword (compare the story of Ehud; Judg. 3:15–23). Compare Joab’s similar murder of Abner in 2 Sam. 3:27 and his execution of Absalom in 18:14. brother. Joab and Amasa were first cousins.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:11–13 The people who are addressed in v. 11 and who stopped at the sight of Amasa were probably the “men of Judah” of v. 4 who had come from Judah to Gibeon with Amasa.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:14 Sheba and his men go to Abel. It is located just west of Dan in the north of Israel.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:15 The mound is a ramp built against the wall to get near its top.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:16–22 The woman is wise (v. 16), skilled in choosing a strategy to avert destruction and in persuading people to follow her plan. A mother in Israel (v. 19) describes a main city with associated (daughter) villages (see Judg. 1:27). The hill country of Ephraim (2 Sam. 20:21) includes Benjaminite territory.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:22 Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king. Apparently David did not punish Joab for the murder of Amasa (since Joab was still commander at the end of David’s reign; 1 Kings 1:19), but he did not forgive him either (1 Kings 2:5).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 20:23–26 This list is very similar to the lists in 8:15–18 and 1 Kings 4:1–6. The posts and officials overlap to a large degree, but the order is different. David’s priest (2 Sam. 20:26) may have been similar to a private chaplain or adviser.
21:1–24:25 Epilogue. The last four chapters provide an epilogue to David’s story. They contain six episodes, which are not necessarily in chronological order (e.g., the first episode occurred “in the days of David”; 21:1). The first describes a famine and its connection to Saul’s family. The second details David’s wars with Philistia. The third and fourth are psalms of David. The fifth lists David’s heroic warriors. The sixth describes David’s pride and its results, concluding with the important story of how David acquired the future site of the temple.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:1–14 When told by the Lord that a famine is the result of Saul’s misdeed against the Gibeonites, David has Saul’s sons slain to make atonement.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:1–2 Joshua 9 tells how the Gibeonites tricked the Israelites into guaranteeing their safety with an oath (Josh. 9:15). Because of his zeal, Saul had broken that oath and killed some Gibeonites. This incident is not recorded elsewhere.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:3–6 The Gibeonites’ request that seven of his sons be given to them to be put to death ignores the command in Deut. 24:16: “nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers.” The narrator never says that God approved of David’s action here.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:7–8 The writer lists the sons of Saul who were handed over to the Gibeonites. Mephibosheth the son of Rizpah (Saul’s concubine; see 3:7) is different from Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, who was spared. Likewise Barzillai, grandfather of five of the hanged men, is not the Barzillai of 19:31–40.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:9 The beginning of barley harvest was April.
FACT
Barley was an essential grain for the Israelite people and their livestock (21:9). A failed barley crop could spell disaster for a whole community.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:10–14 Rizpah, mother of two of the men hanged by the Gibeonites, sheltered their bodies from the birds and wild animals (compare 1 Sam. 17:44, 46; Ps. 79:2). According to Deut. 21:22–23, the bodies of those who are hanged should be buried that same day (see Josh. 8:29). until rain fell upon them. It may have been decided that the men would not be buried until the rains fell and the famine stopped. This suggests that, when David heard what Rizpah was doing, he buried them earlier than planned. God responded (2 Sam. 21:14), probably by sending rain.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:15–22 This section tells of four fights with Philistine giants. “There was war again” suggests that this is an excerpt from some writing about David’s wars.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:16 The giants are usually identified as the Rephaim, the ancient, pre-Israelite inhabitants of Canaan (e.g., Gen. 15:20; Deut. 2:10–11, 20–21; 3:11).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:19 Elhanan . . . struck down Goliath the Gittite. Since David killed Goliath of Gath (1 Samuel 17), and “Gittite” means someone from Gath, this statement is puzzling. Among the proposed solutions are three that uphold the truthfulness of Scripture: (1) in view of the parallel passage in 1 Chron. 20:5, perhaps this passage should read “Lahmi the brother of Goliath”; (2) the passages refer to two different men named Goliath; (3) “Goliath” was a common noun meaning “giant.”
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 21:21 Jonathan may be the Jonathan listed as one of David’s 30 mighty men (23:32). Shimei was David’s third eldest brother, not the Shimei of chs. 16 and 19. His name is given in various forms in 1 Sam. 16:9; 17:13; 2 Sam. 13:3; and 1 Chron. 2:13.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:1–51 David’s song recorded in this chapter is almost identical with Psalm 18, where it was adapted to serve as a public hymn.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:5–6 Here Sheol is a synonym for “death.”
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:7 Heard implies an attentive listening and, usually, a positive response. Temple probably refers to the heavenly temple of God, from which he came down (v. 10; see Ps. 11:4; Mic. 1:2–3).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:8–16 The Lord’s sudden appearance to help David is described in vivid language. It sounds like a description of a volcano, which causes earthquake, smoke, fire, fiery coals, and ash clouds (compare Ps. 77:18; Isa. 5:25; 24:18).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:10 Bowed the heavens could mean “spread open” or “parted” the heavens.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:15 Them refers to David’s enemies.
FACT
David’s Song of Deliverance is nearly identical to Psalm 18. Perhaps 2 Samuel 22 was meant to be read aloud for instruction and Psalm 18 was meant to be sung or prayed as part of worship.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:17 many waters. Compare v. 5, where “waves” and “torrents” of trouble were overwhelming David.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:20 A broad place is a place of comfort and freedom.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:26–27 To the crooked, God shows himself tortuous. That is, he makes simple truths seem confusing and impossible to understand.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 22:35 A bow of bronze is probably a bow reinforced with bronze, which would be powerful but difficult to draw.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:1–7 The “last words of David” are a song praising God for establishing his house as the ruler; the song recalls God’s promise in 7:8–19. It contrasts the just ruler and worthless men. The righteous ruler is like the morning light at sunrise; worthless men are like uprooted thorns.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:1 The man who was raised on high refers to David’s position as king. the sweet psalmist of Israel. David wrote about half of the psalms in the book of Psalms.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me. David describes himself as a prophet, whose songs and wise sayings come from God (see Acts 1:16; 4:25).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:4 Like the morning light, like the sun . . . like rain are images for bringing health and life. He in this verse refers to the just ruler of the previous verse.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:5 This verse refers to the covenant God made with David in ch. 7 (see also Ps. 89:29; 132:12). Ordered in all things and secure is probably a legal term. It stresses the validity of God’s covenant with David.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:8–39 This list of David’s mighty men is divided into two groups: the three (vv. 8–12), and the thirty (vv. 18–39). Together, these two groups include thirty-seven in all (v. 39). Actually, the list of the “thirty” includes 34 names. This could mean that (1) “thirty” is a round number; or (2) the group began with 30 members and continued to be called “the thirty” when other men were added to the group; or (3) the group remained at 30, but when some died they were replaced by others on this list (the parallel list in 1 Chron. 11:10–47 has 16 additional names, probably for this reason).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:11–12 Shammah is remembered for defending a garden against the Philistines. Compare the Philistines’ robbing the threshing floors in 1 Sam. 23:1.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:13–17 The three men remembered in these verses were apparently not the “three” of vv. 8–12 but rather members of the “thirty” listed in vv. 18–39. This episode may have occurred while David was fleeing Saul, or possibly during one of the Philistine attacks in 5:17–25. Oh, that someone would give me water . . . from the well of Bethlehem. David’s words are not a command. It probably did not occur to him that someone might actually act on his words.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:16–17 When his men actually brought David water from Bethlehem, he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the LORD. David realized that the water represented the very blood of his men, for they had risked their lives to get it. By pouring it out, David was saying that he was not worthy of it; he offered it “to the LORD” instead.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:18–39 This is the list of David’s thirty men. Some of the names appear as officers in 1 Chronicles 27. Most appear in the list in 1 Chron. 11:20–47, which is an expansion of this list but is not labeled as being a list of “the thirty” (compare 2 Sam. 23:24 and 1 Chron. 11:26).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 23:32 The sons of Jashen probably refers to two men, possibly twins. In the list, however, they seem to be counted as one item.
Abishai
Abishai was David’s nephew and became the commander of David’s “thirty men.” Like his brothers Joab and Asahel, Abishai was a loyal but ruthless warrior. He killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He urged David to allow him to kill Saul, but David refused to let him kill “the LORD’s anointed” (1 Sam. 26:8–9). He fought alongside his brothers at the Battle of Gibeon, where Abner killed Asahel. Abishai later helped Joab kill Abner in revenge. When Shimei cursed David, Abishai thought he should be put to death, but again David refused his request. He helped lead David’s troops against Absalom, and again fought for David when Sheba led a rebellion against him. Abishai also saved David’s life by killing the Philistine giant Ishbi-benob. (2 Samuel 23:18–19)
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:1–25 The Lord’s anger and David’s sin lead to a plague. It also leads to the purchase of a place of worship in Jerusalem.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:1 Here the text says the LORD . . . incited David, while the parallel account in 1 Chron. 21:1 reads, “Satan . . . incited David.” God himself never does evil, but sometimes he uses either Satanic forces or sinful human beings to accomplish his purposes. For more on how to reconcile the two accounts, see note on 1 Chron. 21:1; see also notes on Gen. 50:18–21; 1 Sam. 16:14; Mark 14:21; Acts 2:23.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:3 By numbering the people for military purposes (v. 9), David apparently was showing a lack of trust in the Lord to supply soldiers when they were needed. He was also displaying a sinful pride in the hundreds of thousands of fighting men at his command (see v. 10). Joab knew it was wrong. See note on 1 Chron. 21:5–6.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:5–8 The fortress of Tyre was probably an Israelite fortress.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:9 For the contradiction between these numbers and those given in 1 Chron. 21:5–6, see note there.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:10 I have sinned. See note on v. 3.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:13 Pestilence kills faster (three days) than famine (three years).
FACT
David’s census was most likely a military census. Its purpose would have been to find the age and location of potential new draftees for service in the army. It was either intended to give David pride in the number of his supporters or was a sign of his fear of another rebellion. Either way, it showed his lack of faith in God.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:17 Behold, I have sinned. David pleads that the people may not suffer for his sin. But he is the representative of God’s people: they will bear the consequences of his behavior, whether good or evil.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:18 Go up. From David’s home there was a yet higher place, the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. The Jebusites were the previous inhabitants of Jerusalem (see 5:6), and some still lived there.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:20 Araunah looked down. Threshing floors were usually on a high place so that the wind could blow the chaff away. This site was on the top of a hill about 450 yards (412 m) to the north of the city of David (see illustration).
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:23–24 David feels that, because he is the one who sinned, and because it is for the sake of the nation, he should pay for the sacrifice. He pays fifty shekels of silver for the threshing floor and the oxen.
2 SAMUEL—NOTE ON 24:25 The parallel account in 1 Chron. 22:1 states that this threshing floor is where Solomon would build the temple. This is a fitting end to the story of David.