- 1 2 Samuel 1 1 David's first act after hearing of Saul's death is not seizure but grief. That matters for the theology and politics of the Samuel transition alike. An Amalekite arrives from the battlefield imagining that the news of Saul's death, together with the royal diadem and armlet, will commend him to David. Instead, David responds in a way that makes plain how he understands kingship under YHWH: Saul had been his persecutor, but he remained the LORD's anointed. The messenger's confession is therefore not useful opportunism but bloodguilt, and David judges him accordingly. The scene is one of the clearest statements in the Former Prophets that divine anointing imposes a limit which ambition may not cross, even when the anointed king has fallen under judgment. Yet it is governed even more by lament than by judgment. David and his men tear their garments, weep, fast, and mourn not only Saul and Jonathan but the people of YHWH and the house of Israel, because the sword has cut down the covenant nation. The dirge that follows, the Song of the Bow, refuses Philistine triumph, curses the mountains of Gilboa, honors the martial excellence of Saul and Jonathan, summons the daughters of Israel to weep, and reaches its emotional summit in David's grief for Jonathan. It therefore opens the Davidic reign under restraint, sorrow, and remembered honor. The throne does not come to David wrapped in triumphal inevitability. It comes through bereavement, through fidelity to the sanctity of the LORD's anointed, and through poetry that teaches Israel how to mourn its fallen glory.
- 2 2 Samuel 2 2 2 Samuel 2 (32 verses in the MT) opens: And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of YHWH, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And YHWH said to him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, To Hebron. The middle of the chapter continues: And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David. It closes: And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.
- 3 2 Samuel 3 3 2 Samuel 3 (39 verses in the MT) opens: Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. The middle of the chapter continues: So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And David made Abner and the men that with him a feast. It closes: And I this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah too hard for me: YHWH shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
- 4 2 Samuel 4 4 2 Samuel 4 (12 verses in the MT) opens: And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled. The middle of the chapter continues: For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night. It closes: And David commanded his young men, and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth, and buried in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.
- 5 2 Samuel 5 5 2 Samuel 5 (25 verses in the MT) opens: Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we your bone and your flesh. The middle of the chapter continues: And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. It closes: And David did so, as YHWH had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until you come to Gazer.
- 6 2 Samuel 6 6 2 Samuel 6 (23 verses in the MT) opens: Again, David gathered together all chosen of Israel, thirty thousand. The middle of the chapter continues: And it was told king David, saying, YHWH has blessed the house of Obededom, and all that to him, because of the ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obededom into the city of David. It closes: Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
- 7 2 Samuel 7 7 2 Samuel 7 (29 verses in the MT) opens: And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and YHWH had given him rest round about from all his enemies; The middle of the chapter continues: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took from Saul, whom I put away before you. It closes: Therefore now let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you: for you, O Lord YHWH, have spoken : and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed for ever.
- 8 2 Samuel 8 8 2 Samuel 8 (18 verses in the MT) opens: And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines. The middle of the chapter continues: Then Toi sent Joram his son to king David, to salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And brought with him vessels of silver, and vessels. It closes: And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.
- 9 2 Samuel 9 9 2 Samuel 9 (13 verses in the MT) opens: And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake? The middle of the chapter continues: And David said to him, Fear not: for I will surely shew you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore you all the land of Saul your father; and you shall eat bread at my table continually. It closes: So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.
- 10 2 Samuel 10 10 2 Samuel 10 (19 verses in the MT) opens: And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead. The middle of the chapter continues: And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put in array against the children of Ammon. It closes: And when all the kings servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.
- 11 2 Samuel 11 11 2 Samuel 11 (27 verses in the MT) opens: And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth , that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But. The middle of the chapter continues: And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent by the hand of Uriah. It closes: And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased YHWH.
- 12 2 Samuel 12 12 2 Samuel 12 (31 verses in the MT) opens: And YHWH sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The middle of the chapter continues: David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. It closes: And he brought forth the people that therein, and put under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he to all the cities of the children of Ammon.
- 13 2 Samuel 13 13 2 Samuel 13 (39 verses in the MT) opens: And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. The middle of the chapter continues: And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? but hold now your peace, my sister: he your brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house. It closes: And king David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
- 14 2 Samuel 14 14 2 Samuel 14 (33 verses in the MT) opens: Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart toward Absalom. The middle of the chapter continues: Then your handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore YHWH your God will be with you. It closes: So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.
- 15 2 Samuel 15 15 2 Samuel 15 (37 verses in the MT) opens: And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. The middle of the chapter continues: Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest you also with us? return to your place, and abide with the king: for you a stranger, and also an exile. It closes: So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
- 16 2 Samuel 16 16 2 Samuel 16 (23 verses in the MT) opens: And when David was a little past the top , behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of. The middle of the chapter continues: It may be that YHWH will look on mine affliction, and that YHWH will requite me good for his cursing this day. It closes: And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.
- 17 2 Samuel 17 17 2 Samuel 17 (29 verses in the MT) opens: Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: The middle of the chapter continues: Then said Hushai to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. It closes: And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that with him, to eat: for they said, The people hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
- 18 2 Samuel 18 18 2 Samuel 18 (32 verses in the MT) opens: And David numbered the people that with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. The middle of the chapter continues: And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent. It closes: And the king said to Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against you to do hurt, be as young man .
- 19 2 Samuel 19 19 2 Samuel 19 (44 verses in the MT) opens: And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son! The middle of the chapter continues: And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I this day king over Israel? It closes: And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more in David than you: why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back.
- 20 2 Samuel 20 20 2 Samuel 20 (26 verses in the MT) opens: And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to. The middle of the chapter continues: And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. It closes: And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.
- 21 2 Samuel 21 21 2 Samuel 21 (22 verses in the MT) opens: Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of YHWH. And YHWH answered, for Saul, and for bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. The middle of the chapter continues: And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines. It closes: These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
- 22 2 Samuel 22 22 2 Samuel 22 (51 verses in the MT) opens: And David spake to YHWH the words of this song in the day YHWH had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: The middle of the chapter continues: With the merciful you will shew thyself merciful, with the upright man you will shew thyself upright. It closes: the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
- 23 2 Samuel 23 23 2 Samuel 23 (39 verses in the MT) opens: Now these the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The middle of the chapter continues: And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: It closes: Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
- 24 2 Samuel 24 24 2 Samuel 24 (25 verses in the MT) opens: And again the anger of YHWH was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. The middle of the chapter continues: So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? or will you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? or that there be three days'. It closes: And David built there an altar to YHWH, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So YHWH was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.