II Samuel 5, The City of David

After the death of Saul, David continues to collect allies and solidify control of Israel.

2 Samuel 5:1-3, Israel submits to David

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, "We are your own flesh and blood. In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD said to you, 

`You will shepherd my people Israel, 

and you will become their ruler.'"

When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

 

Israel comes together at Hebron to make David king of all twelve tribes.

2 Samuel 5:4-5, The Reign of David

David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

David's reign is summarized. He will shortly conquer the city that will be called the City of David.

2 Samuel 5:6-8, Capture of Zion

The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David cannot get in here."

Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the City of David.

On that day, David said, "Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those `lame and blind' who are David's enemies." That is why they say, "The `blind and lame' will not enter the palace." 

David has been living in Hebron.  But now he conquers Jerusalem and lives there.  

The Hebrew passage about the blind and lame is unclear and the NIV translation is one of several different options. Apparently the city was so well defended that the blind and lame could defend it but, in mockery of the blind and lame, David's men entered through a water shaft.

2 Samuel 5:9-10, The City of David

David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the supporting terraces inward. And he became more and more powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him.

The city David has conquered is now claimed as his capital and the center of power in Israel. Jerusalem becomes, for all ages, the City of David.

(The Hebrew translated "supporting terraces" by the NIV is unclear. It is literally "the Millo" and is mentioned several times in the Old Testament history. Wikipedia has an article on it here and the Biblical Archealogical Society has an online article on it here.)

2 Samuel 5:11-12, Hiram helps build a palace for David

Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. And David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

Hiram recognizes David's reign and seeks alliance with David.

2 Samuel 5:13-16, More concubines, more sons

After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

 

This is a summary paragraph. As king, David has more power, thus more wives and more children. The birth of Solomon will be described in more detail later.

2 Samuel 5:17-21, Victory of the Philistines

When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.

Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?" 

The LORD answered him, "Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you."

So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, "As waters break out, the LORD has broken out against my enemies before me." So that place was called Baal Perazim.

The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

The Philistines see an old enemy and seek to bring him down. But David wins in a battle at a place later called Baal Perazim which means (according to the NIV footnotes) "the lord who breaks out."

2 Samuel 5:22-25, The Philistines again

Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army."

So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

The Philistines return and once again, YHWH guides David to victory but this time in a different way. Eventually David drives the Philistines out of central Canaan.

First published September 1, 2023, updated September 1, 2026

II Samuel 4, Murder of Ish-Bosheth

Abner has betrayed Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, and helped bring Israel over to David. Joab has then murdered Abner. As David wraps up his power, the followers of Saul must worry.

2 Samuel 4:1-4, Alarm in Saul's camp

When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. Now Saul's son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Recab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin--Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin, because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have lived there as aliens to this day. 

(Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.)

 

Ish-Bosheth has two leaders, brothers, Baanah and Recab, who are Benjamites. We are tangentially introduced to Jonathan's young son, Mephibosheth, who was injured at the age of five when he fell while fleeing with his nurse. We don't know the details; presumably he broke legs which did not heal properly.

Recab and Baanah are apparently frightened of the increasing power of David's followers and are expecting imminent defeat and possibly execution as an enemy of David.

2 Samuel 4:5-7, Murder of Ish-Bosheth

Now Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest. They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Recab and his brother Baanah slipped away.

They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah.

Recab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon, turn on Ish-Bosheth and kill him, then flee. So ends Ish-Bosheth attempt to regain the throne.

2 Samuel 4: 8, A head brought to David

They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, "Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to take your life. This day the LORD has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring."

Apparently with plans to engragiate themselves to David, the two former soldiers bring Ish-Bosheth's head to David, as evidence that they have killed the usurper. But if one has been reading earlier accounts, one realizes this is not a good idea.

2 Samuel 4:9-12, David responds

David answered Recab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of all trouble, when a man told me, `Saul is dead,' and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news!

How much more--when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed--should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!" So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron.

David, as before, reacts to the murder by having these two men killed.

First published August 31, 2023, updated August 31, 2026

Is the Bible Perfect?

This Sunday essay is the result of conversations with Christian friends who live in a predominantly Muslim community. In that community, a common Muslim apologetic is:

1. The Quran is perfect, without error, across thousands of copies & hundreds of years.
2. The Christian Bible is imperfect, with lots of flaws and errors in its transmission.

The Muslim then concludes that Islam is correct and Christianity is not.

For many Muslims, without much experience in conversations with Christians, these claims are convincing. Both claims are often backed up with copious notes and references, so that the Muslim feels comfortable in their claim that their scripture trumps Christian scripture.

For example, here is a Muslim apologetic on the Quran (from an Ahmadiyya perspective.)  But there are significant issues with that first claim, that the Quran is perfectly preserved. (The Quran is not perfectly preserved! -- see the details in the pdf file here.; another response is here.) 

However, I want to focus on the second claim, above.  That second claim is often phrased, in the Muslim apologetic, as follows:

Christians believe that their Scripture, the Bible, is perfect. 

But Christians are not aware of the many flaws and errors in their Scripture.

This is sometimes communicated with a "gotcha!" list of discrepancies between the Old Testament Masoretic Text (MT) and the Septuagint (LXX). Most of these discrepancies are quite minor. One of the most famous discrepancy occurs in the Old Testament story of David and Goliath.  (That disagreement, along with a possible explanation for it, are given here.) As we work through the books of 1 & 2 Samuel, we will find other examples appearing in the Scroll of Samuel in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Before I confront the Muslim argument that Christians naively believe their scripture is "perfect" in transmission, I want to describe the underlying "straw man" fallacy of this debate.

A Straw Man

The second argument, that Christians believe the Bible is "perfect" in transmission yet it clearly is not, is an example of a straw man argument and demonstrates an important difference between the Muslim and Christian views of their sacred texts.

A straw man argument is a logical fallacy in which one wins one's point by attributing to their opponent a ridiculous claim and then easily knocking that claim down, as if it were a man of straw. (See this Wikipedia page on this logical fallacy.) An example, in a religious setting, might be

"The Bible says the world is flat.

The world is obviously not flat.

So the Bible is wrong."

A straw man argument often assigns to one's opponent a statement that they would in fact deny.  Another example:

"Muslims are terrorists.

Terrorists should not be in our country.

Therefore Muslims should not be in our country."

In both examples, the straw man argument is set up with a simplistic first statement. Yes, there are a few (even today) who believe that the Bible teaches a flat earth. Yes, there are a few Muslims who are terrorists. But the first lines of these centered arguments are misleading and deceptive.

In conversations involving an apologetic for Christianity, 

one must be alert for these Straw Man arguments!

The Islamic argument, "Christians believe that their Scripture, the Bible, is perfect", is, in fact, a straw man.  This straw man argument is set up by the very different views of scripture between Islam and Christianity.

Differing Views of Scripture

The Islamic view of the Quran is that it was dictated orally to Mohammed by the angel Gabriel across a period of more than twenty years. The dictation is in Arabic and is the literal "Word of God."  It is perfect and unchangeable. This belief gives Muslims significant incentive to learn Arabic and to recite the Quran in Arabic.

Christians believe that the Bible was "inspired by the Holy Spirit", acting through various human writers over centuries.  (The paragraph in 2 Peter 1:20-21 is one of a number of passages cited to support this view.)  The Scriptures were not dictated, but used human thought and languages (different languages over different times) and this is evident from reading the Bible text.  

The human element is important to emphasize. My favorite passage that demonstrates this human element is 1 Corinthians 1:14-17. In that passage, the apostle Paul confronts a certain rivalry within the church in Corinth, divisions caused by disputes as to who was the best leader. Some new believers in Corinth were proud to have been baptized by Apollos, others by Peter, and so on. Into that dispute, Paul claims

"I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius..." (verse 14)

Is this a correct statement?  NO, for Paul immediately corrects it!

"(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; 

beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.)"

We read an "oops" in Paul's first claim, "Oh wait, I forgot -- I also baptized the household of Stephanas.  And maybe some others."  

So verse 14 is false! This is not a problem -- unless one believes that this letter of Paul was dictated by an angel. Instead, it was written by a very human person who sometimes forgot things. Paul goes on to say, 

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel..."

This is the point of the passage in 1 Corinthians. Indeed, Paul's very forgetfulness emphasizes his message! He does not even remember whom he baptized!

If Christians treat the Bible as magically and perfectly dictated to us, they are using a Muslim view of Scriptures, not a Biblical/Christian one. The Bible, written in Hebrew and Greek (and a little Aramaic) comes to us through the voices of human beings over the centuries.

One can say more. Muslims believe that the Word of God (the Quran) is perfect and was given to Mohammed. But for Christians, the Word of God is Messiah Jesus!  (More accurately, the  "word" of God in the Old Testament was God's voice, God's plans and, in the New Testament, this is revealed as Jesus, see John 1:14, Hebrews 4:12-13.) If one wishes to compare views on the Word of God between Muslims and Christians, one should compare the Quran with Jesus! 

Muslims believe the Quran is perfect.

Christians believe that Jesus is perfect.

The Muslim believes that Mohammed points them to the perfect Quran. But the Christian believes that the Bible points them to the perfect Jesus.  

Is the Bible Perfect?

Is the Bible "perfect"?  I suspect a Christian's response to that question would depend on the definition of "perfect".  If one means "dictated correctly by God" then the answer is "No!"

There are, in fact, a variety of differing Christian views of the Bible. Many Christians believe that the Bible is "inerrant" or "infallible". (These are slightly different terms, see this Wikipedia site on inerrancy and this one on infallibility.)  

If a Muslim friend were to say to me, 

"Your Scriptures have textual disputes and transmission errors!" 

and then were to argue that this makes Christianity false, I would not accept this straw man. I would agree that there are textual disputes and transmission errors and merely shrug. These textual disputes are not a threat to my beliefs. (However textual differences in the Quran -- see the links in the third paragraph from the top -- are a threat to a Muslim's worldview!)

If we understand how the Old and New Testaments were communicated to us, we can confront a simplistic straw man argument. (Please see the previous Sunday essays: Transmission of the Old Testament, and The Old Testament Manuscripts.)

Acknowledgement

Thanks to my dear friends who started this conversation!  (You know who you are!) 😁😘

First published August 6, 2023; updated August 30, 2026

II Samuel 3, Ish-bosheth's Blunder

Joab and his men have arrived at Hebron, leaving Abner, commander of Saul's army remnant, in the tranjordan region of Gad.

2 Samuel 3:1, Warfare

The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.

 

After the first battle, in the previous chapter, the civil war continues. We are not provided details, but David's side is winning.

2 Samuel 3:2-5, Sons of David

Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;  and the sixth, Ithream the son of David's wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

At this point our narrator interrupts the story to catch us up on David's life and genealology. As Alter points out, the guerilla band leader with two wives now is a reigning king with six wives, as is typical of one with power. The wife, Maacah, is daughter of a king of Geshur, a region to the north of Benjamin, along the shore of Galilee. David is slowly gaining power over the northern tribes.

Six wives give David six sons. Maacah will later have a daughter, Tamar. Kileab, the son of Abigail, disappears from history and has no part in the succession battles that follow later. Presumably he died young. In 1 Chronicles 3:1, he has an alternate name, Daniel.

2 Samuel 3:6-11, Ish-Bosheth accuses Abner

During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, "Why did you sleep with my father's concubine?"

Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said and he answered, "Am I a dog's head--on Judah's side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oath and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba."

Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him.

The army general has more power than the putative king and Ish-bosheth is now merely a puppet. He learns this when Abner sleeps with one of the concubines of Saul. (Having sex with one of the king's concubines is a political statement. David's son, Adonijah, will make a similar statement by asking for Abishag, the Shunammite woman, in 1 Kings 2.)

2 Samuel 3:12-16, Abner's agreement

Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, "Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you."

"Good," said David. "I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me."

Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins." So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.  Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. 

Then Abner said to him, "Go back home!" So he went back.

David has recaptured his wife, Michal, who had been given away by Saul. David's feelings for Michal are not clear. Does he love her, or merely see her as a sign of his kingship, since she was a daughter of Saul. But Michal's current husband, Paltiel, loves her.

2 Samuel 3:17-21, Abner supports David

Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, "For some time you have wanted to make David your king. Now do it! For the LORD promised David, `By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'"

Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin wanted to do. 

When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a compact with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Abner agrees to turn over the rest of the kingdom to David. Since Judah is in the southern part of the tribes, Abner is apparently bringing over the northern tribes.

2 Samuel 3:22-25. Joab's anger

Just then David's men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.

So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing."

Joab is not willing to let Abner get away. Abner is an enemy that Joab intends to kill.

2 Samuel 3:26-27, Murder of Abner

Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway, as though to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.

Joab gets his revenge. Joab's life is one of violence --  intelligent violence -- but violence none the less.

2 Samuel 3:28-30. David's protest

Later, when David heard about this, he said, "I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. May his blood fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house! May Joab's house never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food." (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)

David blames Joab for the murder of Abner but does nothing to reign him in.

There is an interesting collection of curses here: running sores, "leprosy", being crippled so one has to use a crutch, dying in battle, or starving. This list says something about the common health fears of this culture.

2 Samuel 3:31-35, Abner mourned

Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner." King David himself walked behind the bier. They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner's tomb. All the people wept also.

The king sang this lament for Abner: "Should Abner have died as the lawless die? Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before wicked men." And all the people wept over him again.

Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!"

Abner is buried with honor. David publicly grieves Abner and makes it clear that he did not support the killing of Abner.

2 Samuel 3:36-39, The people are pleased

All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them.

So on that day all the people and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.

Then the king said to his men, "Do you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?  And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!"

The people appreciate a king who does not seem to bear grudges.

First published August 30, 2023, updated August 29, 2026

II Samuel 2, Generals Abner and Joab

Saul and his sons are dead. David is heir-apparent, anointed by Samuel as next king, although those in the regime and tribe of Saul will be resistant.

2 Samuel 2:1-3, David goes to Hebron

In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked. 

The LORD said, "Go up." 

David asked, "Where shall I go?" 

"To Hebron," the LORD answered.

So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.

David receives guidance on the next steps in his life, on the place where he and his wives will live, now that he is no longer on the run. The throne is unoccupied and, as the one anointed by Samuel, David should be the next to reign.

2 Samuel 2:4-7, Anointed at Hebron

Then the men of Judah came to Hebron and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. When David was told that it was the men of Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, he sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead to say to them, "The LORD bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. May the LORD now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.

Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

The people of Judah go to Hebron to anoint David as king. David recognizes the loyalty of Jabesh Gilead to Saul and compliments them, while inviting them to join him.

2 Samuel 1:8-11, Ish-Bosheth, king of Gilead

Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel. Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. 

The house of Judah, however, followed David. The length of time David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

 

Despite David's anointment by Judah, Ish-Bosheth, son of Saul, is anointed king by Abner and those in Saul's power structure. This sets up a conflict between Benjamin, the tribe of Saul, and Judah, the tribe of David.

2 Samuel 2:12-17, Abner vs. Joab

Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. Joab son of Zeruiah and David's men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

Then Abner said to Joab, "Let's have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us." "

All right, let them do it," Joab said.

So they stood up and were counted off--twelve men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve for David. Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent's side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim.

The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's men.
 

Abner and Joab arrange a battle between twelve pairs of fighters. The fighters all kill each other and subsequent warfare leads to victory by David's men.

(NIV footnotes, in verse 16, "Helkath Hazzurim" means "field of daggers" or "field of hostilities.")

2 Samuel 2:18-23, Asahel chases Abner

The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai and Asahel. Now Asahel was as fleet-footed as a wild gazelle. He chased Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he pursued him.

Abner looked behind him and asked, "Is that you, Asahel?" 

"It is," he answered.

Then Abner said to him, "Turn aside to the right or to the left; take on one of the young men and strip him of his weapons." 

But Asahel would not stop chasing him.

Again Abner warned Asahel, "Stop chasing me! Why should I strike you down? How could I look your brother Joab in the face?"

But Asahel refused to give up the pursuit; so Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asahel's stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He fell there and died on the spot. And every man stopped when he came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died.

Zeruiah is David's sister (1 Chronicles 2:13-16) and so Joab, Abishai and Asahel are all nephews of David. Asahel may be the youngest and is clearly a fast runner.  

After defeat by Joab, Abner flees. He tries to get Asahel to back off but when Asahel refuses, Abner kills him with a sudden surprise blow through his stomach.

2 Samuel 2:24-25, Abner protected

But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner, and as the sun was setting, they came to the hill of Ammah, near Giah on the way to the wasteland of Gibeon. Then the men of Benjamin rallied behind Abner. They formed themselves into a group and took their stand on top of a hill.

Abner runs on and eventually men of Benjamin come to his rescue.

2 Samuel 2:26-29, Truce

Abner called out to Joab, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?"

Joab answered, "As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued the pursuit of their brothers until morning."

So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. All that night Abner and his men marched through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, continued through the whole Bithron and came to Mahanaim.

 

Abner suggests a cessation of hostilities and Joab, David's general, agrees. The followers of Saul march away, crossing the Jordan and moving northeast to Mahanaim, once part of Gad.

(NIV footnotes: The word "Bithron" is unclear.  It could mean "morning" or "ravine.")

2 Samuel 2: 30-32. On to Hebron

Then Joab returned from pursuing Abner and assembled all his men. Besides Asahel, nineteen of David's men were found missing. But David's men had killed three hundred and sixty Benjamites who were with Abner. They took Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb at Bethlehem. Then Joab and his men marched all night and arrived at Hebron by daybreak.

David's men have won the first battle of this civil war. Burying their dead, they march back to Hebron, in Judah, south of Jerusalem. Both sides have now separated and put some distance between them.

First published August 29, 2023, updated August 28, 2026

II Samuel 1, Weeping for their King

David and his men have recently defeated the Amelekites and recaptured their families and possessions. This battle occurred while the Philistines were moving to meet Saul and the Israelite army. So David is unaware of Saul's defeat.

2 Samuel 1:1-4, The mighty have fallen

After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. On the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.

"Where have you come from?" David asked him. 

He answered, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp."

"What happened?" David asked. "Tell me." 

He said, "The men fled from the battle. Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead."

A man arrives from Saul's camp with the sad news of death and defeat. He has sought out David knowing that this is important news for David, believing that this is news David wants to hear.

2 Samuel 1:5-10. "I killed him"

Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?" 

"I happened to be on Mount Gilboa," the young man said, "and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and riders almost upon him. When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, `What can I do?'

"He asked me, `Who are you?' 

"`An Amalekite,' I answered.

"Then he said to me, `Stand over me and kill me! I am in the throes of death, but I'm still alive.'

"So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord."
 

The man with news makes the mistake of weaving himself into the story, claiming to be the one who killed David's enemy. This Amelekite is speaking to the man who twice had an opportunity to kill Saul and did not. (Robert Alter suggests that this individual was probably a battlefield scavenger who hoped to take advantage of finding a body with a crown and armband.)

2 Samuel 1: 1-12, Grief

Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

Despite their flight from Saul, this defeat is bad news for all of Israel. The people weep and grieve, knowing that their first king is gone.

2 Samuel 1:13-16, "You killed the Lord's anointed!"

David said to the young man who brought him the report, "Where are you from?" 

"I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite," he answered.

David asked him, "Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?" Then David called one of his men and said, "Go, strike him down!" So he struck him down, and he died.

For David had said to him, "Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, `I killed the LORD's anointed.'"

After grieving, David accuses the man of doing what he, himself, has refused to do numerous times: kill the Lord's anointed. Since the man claimed to have murdered Saul, then he is executed.

2 Samuel 1: 17-22, A lament

David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):

"Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. 

How the mighty have fallen!

"Tell it not in Gath, 

proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, 

lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, 

lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.

"O mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, 

nor fields that yield offerings [of grain]. 

For there the shield of the mighty was defiled, 

the shield of Saul--no longer rubbed with oil.

From the blood of the slain, 

from the flesh of the mighty, 

the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, 

the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.

 

David has a song in praise of Jonathan and Saul and a lament at their passing. The women in Gath and Ashkelon (Philistine cities) are not to hear of this, as they will rejoice and sing. The mountains of Gilboa are to be dry and desolate, reflecting the emotions of the Israelites.

What is the book of Jashar? It is apparently a now lost book of Hebrew poetry. (See this article at Encyclopedia Britannica.)

Alter points out that shields were rubbed with oil to make them better deflect weapons. He argues that a strange word is used here for the shield, translated by the NIV "no longer rubbed" (with oil.) The word can also mean "unanointed." The one who earlier was anointed by Samuel is now unanointed, as his shield demonstrates.

2 Samuel 1:23-27, Weep for the fallen

"Saul and Jonathan-- in life they were loved and gracious, 

and in death they were not parted. 

They were swifter than eagles, 

they were stronger than lions.

"O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, 

who clothed you in scarlet and finery, 

who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.

"How the mighty have fallen in battle! 

Jonathan lies slain on your heights.

I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; 

you were very dear to me. 

Your love for me was wonderful, 

more wonderful than that of women.

"How the mighty have fallen! 

The weapons of war have perished!"

David's song goes on to describe his grief at the lost of a dear friend and a powerful regime. Just as the daughters of Philistia are not to hear of their victory, the daughters of Israel are to weep. The women of each country are reflecting the emotions of their warriors.

The bond David had as a warrior, fighting alongside Jonathan, is described as "more wonderful than that of women", a phrase communicating the intensity of their friendship. (There is no reason to make that statement sexual; David's relationships with women was probably fairly shallow but his friendship with Jonathan, over many years, was apparently deep.)

First published August 28, 2023, updated August 27, 2026

I Samuel 31, Death of Saul

David and his men have defeated the Amelikites and recaptured the people and goods taken from them. This has all occurred while the Philistines marched on Saul. We now return to a report of that battle.

1 Samuel 31:1-5, Saul and his sons killed

Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.

Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me." But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it.

When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died with him.

The predicted defeat of Saul occurs. Saul does not want to be captured and tortured by the Philistines and so, after his armor-bearer refuses to kill him, Saul commits suicide by falling on his sword. His armor-bearer joins him in death.

1 Samuel 31:6-10, Body hung up

So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day.

When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them.

The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people.

They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan.

The Philistines overwhelm the Israelites and devastate the Israelite army. They kill Saul and his sons. They display Saul's body and armor at their temple. They hang the bodies of Saul's sons on a wall.

1 Samuel 31:11-13, Dignity in burial

When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard of what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their valiant men journeyed through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them.

Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

Saul's first act as king was to save the people of Jabesh Gilead. (See 1 Samuel 11.) They do not forget that. Their soldiers go to the town where the bodies of Saul and his sons are displayed.  They take down the body and give them a dignified burial (which involves first burning the bodies.)

The first king of Israel has died. His kingdom has had some improvements over the days of the judges, but there are still many failures. The first king will be followed, however, by Israel's greatest king, one promised to have an eternal line.

The death of Saul and the impending reign of David closes out this first half of the scroll of Samuel.

First published August 26, 2023; updated August 26, 2026