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.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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: 11-12, 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.)

An Introduction to II Samuel

At the end of the book of Genesis, Jacob and seventy members of his family migrate to Egypt.  Centuries later, a nation led by Moses leaves Egypt, guided by YHWH, the One God of Creation who has chosen this nation to represent Him. YHWH feeds the nation in the desert, implements a covenant and guides them into Canaan.  In Canaan, Joshua leads the nation to a mostly successful conquest but at the death of Joshua, the nation is still in conflict with various tribes of Canaanite. The book of Judges describes the chaos that follows. That book ends with a disorganized and decadent collection of tribes fighting with both outsiders and themselves.

The scroll of Samuel, in the Hebrew TaNaKh describes the passage from chaotic tribal disputes to the reign of King Saul and then to the dramatic reign of the charismatic king David. Eventually the scroll of Samuel was separated into two parts, First and Second Samuel.  First Samuel covers the transition from leadership by the judge-prophet Samuel to the first kingdom, the reign of King Saul. As Saul's reign decays, the shepherd-poet David rises in power and influence. The book of I Samuel ends with the death of Saul while David waits in the wings.

The second half of the scroll of Samuel tells the story of David's reign. The first half of II Samuel describes David's reign as a powerful poet-warrior, a man of humility, devoted to YHWH. But as David gains power, his humility and devotion wane and his reign enters a time of moral decay and strife. This king, one who seeks God above all else, commits adultery then covers up his affair ad kills one of his soldiers. After that follows family strife and civil war.

Historians believe David's death occurred about 970 BC. (See this Wikipedia page on the Kings of Israel and Judah.) The scroll of Samuel (1 & 2 Samuel) then covers about a century (1070-970 BC) in the history of the young nation of Israel.

Outline

II Samuel, the second half of the scroll of Samuel, covers David's reign in the first twenty chapters and then ends with a four chapter epilogue. In the epilogue is a song of David, a beautiful bookend to Hannah's song of I Samuel 2.

The height of the book occurs in chapter 7, where God promises to create an eternal dynasty in the line of David. At this time Israel is centered (finally) in Jerusalem (which has just been conquered by David) and there are plans to build a temple (eventually accomplished by his son, Solomon) and the twelve tribes are united.  

Shortly after this, however, David's humility is replaced by kingly arrogance; the humble shepherd enjoys the power and riches of being king and with that arrogance begins a fall. In chapter 11, David stays home from war, brings into the palace the wife of one of his soldiers and has an affair with her. When she announces she is pregnant, David kills her husband and then marries her.  This corruption cannot be kept secret and the effects of these sins ripples through David's family, leading eventually to civil war. At the end of chapter 20, David has recovered from most of these conflicts and remains king.

Chapters 21-24 form an epilogue of additional stories about David: two stories of conflict, two worship songs of David and two accounts of the "mighty men" he drew to himself. (These are set up in a chiastic structure, A B C C' B' A'.) At the end of this book, we are then ready for the scroll of Kings, which begins with David's death and then covers some four centuries of kings that followed David.

Problems and Questions

Rabbinical tradition gives three authors for the scroll of Samuel, attributing to Samuel everything up to the account of his death and then the remainder to the prophets Gad and Nathan. (See I Chronicles 29: 29-30 for support for this hypothesis.)  It is likely that the final scroll was completed by a later editor.

As in previous books, there are some questions on the Old Testament use of large numbers.  (I summarize what I know of that in the Sunday essay, The Problem of Large Numbers in the Old Testament.)

The details described in the scroll of Samuel occurred over three thousand years ago. They were probably originally written down in paleo-Hebrew and then, after the Babylonian captivity, copied in what we now call biblical Hebrew.  The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint copies of the scroll differ significantly in various places. A scroll of Samuel in the Qumran Caves gives some insight into these discrepancies.

Resources and References

My practice is to read through the text from the New International Version (NIV), copied into the blog and italicized in blue.  At the head of each blue paragraph of text I place a short title; after the text I place my thoughts or comments in black.  I begin this process with my own reactions and thoughts and then supplement these comments with gleanings from a commentary or two.

The real goal of this blog is to force me to read every verse thoughtfully. I hope that you, too, read the passages thoughtfully!   Feel free to disagree -- or to react in other ways! (I place hyperlinks in pink, created so that one can click on a link and see the linked site open in another window... and go down a rabbit hole if you wish!)

For the book of II Samuel I have found two commentaries helpful. 

• Robert Alter has an excellent and enjoyable translation and commentary called The David Story.  
• I have also used a commentary by Ronald F. Youngblood found in the third volume of the Expositor's Bible Commentary.

Both of these sources cover both I and II Samuel. In addition, in the online commentaries provided by EasyEnglishBible, is an online commentar on 2 Samuel.  (The Easy English Bible commentaries are easy to read, with deliberately simple language intended for those for whom English is a second language. The Old Testament text is included in the commentary.) 

In addition to these resources, there is a Wikipedia article on the scroll of Samuel and an online article from the Jewish Encyclopedia. A Bible Project video is here.

The book of Second Samuel is the second of four books on the kings of Israel. It focuses almost exclusively on the dramatic reign of David, of his kingdom, political intrigue and worship. His reign in many ways represents the best of Jewish culture.  

Once we have finished studying David, although we are ready for the scroll of Kings, in this blog we will digress to look at Book I of Psalms, worship songs many of which were written by this greatest of Jewish leaders.

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.

I 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 falls on his sword.

I 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.

I 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.

I Samuel 30, Ziklag

David has been told by the Philistine commander to return home, to Ziklag, where his family is residing in exile.

I Samuel 30: 1-5, Raid by Amalekites

David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.

When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

A catastrophe has occurred -- the Amelikites have taken advantage of David and his men joining the Philistine army and have sacked Ziklag and taken captive everyone in it.

I Samuel 30: 6-8, Ahinoam and Abigail captured!

David's two wives had been captured--Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Bring me the ephod." Abiathar brought it to him, and David inquired of the LORD, "Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" 

"Pursue them," he answered. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."

 

David's wives have also been captured.  Other men have lost wives and children and are angry at David. David calls for the "ephod" of the priests and uses it to inquire of YHWH. The answer he gets is to pursue the Amalekite raiders.

I Samuel 30: 9-10, Fatigue

David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Ravine, where some stayed behind, for two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the ravine. But David and four hundred men continued the pursuit.

David's men have been on the march for some time.  Two hundred men are wiped out and stop on one side of the ravine while the rest cross over and continue the pursuit.

I Samuel 30: 11-15, An Egyptian slave escapes

They found an Egyptian in a field and brought him to David. They gave him water to drink and food to eat-- part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. He ate and was revived, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.

David asked him, "To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" 

He said, "I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite. My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago. We raided the Negev of the Kerethites and the territory belonging to Judah and the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag."

David asked him, "Can you lead me down to this raiding party?" 

He answered, "Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them."

In the hurried pursuit, the soldiers find an Egyptian who has information.  He is willing to share the information if David's men will protect him.

The Amalekites have captured the Israelites in order to use them as slaves. The sick, abandoned Egyptian, who has no water or food, exemplifies the brutality of the Amalekites with their slaves.

I Samuel 30: 16-20, Amalekites defeated

He led David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.

David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.

He took all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock, saying, "This is David's plunder."

 

With the help of the Egyptian guide, David's men overwhelm the larger Amalekite force.  Only four hundred Amalekites escape.

I Samuel 30: 21-25, Exhausted squad defended

Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them.

But all the evil men and troublemakers among David's followers said, "Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go."

David replied, "No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us. Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike."

David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.

 

David defends the exhausted two hundred who stayed behind and this grace becomes a standard military statute.

I Samuel 30: 26-31, Present to Judah

When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies." He sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir; to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa and Racal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites; to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where David and his men had roamed.

David sends gifts to the people of Judah, even though he has been hiding in the region controlled by the Philistines. David is still loyal to Israel, despite residing in the region of the Philistines.

I Samuel 29, David with the Philistines

Saul has consulted a medium who tells him he and his sons are about to die.

I Samuel 29: 1-5, David's role questioned

The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel. As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.

The commanders of the Philistines asked, "What about these Hebrews?" 

Achish replied, "Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him."

But the Philistine commanders were angry with him and said, "Send the man back, that he may return to the place you assigned him. He must not go with us into battle, or he will turn against us during the fighting. How better could he regain his master's favor than by taking the heads of our own men? Isn't this the David they sang about in their dances: "`Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands'?"

 

The other Philistine commanders are suspicious about David's loyalty. (For good reason.) 

I Samuel 29: 6-11, Achish makes a requesst

So Achish called David and said to him, "As surely as the LORD lives, you have been reliable, and I would be pleased to have you serve with me in the army. From the day you came to me until now, I have found no fault in you, but the rulers don't approve of you. Turn back and go in peace; do nothing to displease the Philistine rulers."

"But what have I done?" asked David. "What have you found against your servant from the day I came to you until now? Why can't I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?"

Achish answered, "I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, `He must not go up with us into battle.' Now get up early, along with your master's servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light."

So David and his men got up early in the morning to go back to the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

David is sent away by Achish (who comes across as a fairly honest leader.)  This will allow David to avoid any confrontation with Saul and instead David can go raid a few more villages.

What would have happened if Achish had not sent David away?  It is not clear whose side David is on.  But his actions in previous chapters, his devotion to Saul even when running from him (and even his psalms from this time) indicate that he will not side with the Philistines nor worship Philistine gods.  So Achish's generals are probably right -- David at the rear of their army is a threat.

I Samuel 28, The Witch of Endor

David is hiding from Saul among the Philistines.

I Samuel 28: 1-2, Invitation from Achish

In those days the Philistines gathered their forces to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, "You must understand that you and your men will accompany me in the army."

David said, "Then you will see for yourself what your servant can do." 

Achish replied, "Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life."

David has fooled Achish into believing that he, David, is fully supporting of the Philistines.  He is unaware of David's loyalty to Israel and David's response, although appearing to be an agreement, may be subject to interpretation.

I Samuel 28: 3-6, Philistines assemble at Shunem

Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.

The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa. When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets.

 

Saul seems to recognize that his time is running short and is increasingly frightened. His paranoia and vacillation are getting worse and worse.

I Samuel 28: 7-10, The witch of Endor

Saul then said to his attendants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her." 

"There is one in Endor," they said.

So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. "Consult a spirit for me," he said, "and bring up for me the one I name."

But the woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?"

Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this."

It is Saul who has gotten rid of the witches and mediums. Now he seeks these mediums and here has to reassure the woman that she will not come to harm.  (She is may fear that he is an agent of King Saul.)

Robert Alter comments that the Jewish Midrash, long ago, pointed out the hypocrisy of Saul seeking out a medium (prohibited by the covenant law, Deuteronomy 18: 9-13) while swearing by the name of YHWH in doing so. Surely this profaneas the name of YHWH, violating (among other things) the Third Commandment. 

I Samuel 28: 11-14, "Bring up Samuel"

Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" "

Bring up Samuel," he said.

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"

The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?" 

The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground."

"What does he look like?" he asked. 

"An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said. 

Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

Upon seeing the spirit, the woman somehow knows that the man making the request is Saul and is, of course, frightened. Saul brushes aside her worries and asks for the man to be identified. When he learns the spirit is wearing a robe, Saul knows it is Samuel. Samuel probably wore a robe of some type since his mother Hannah gave him one as a child. It was Samuel's robe that Saul tore in 1 Samuel 15: 27. Now the robe is apparently a form of identification.

I Samuel 28: 15-20, Samuel's appearance

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" 

"I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."

Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors--to David.  Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today.

The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."

Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and night.

 

One looking like Samuel appears and says, "Tomorrow you will die." This is Saul's great fear. It is possible that this is even brought on by Saul's disobedience in seeking a witch.

I Samuel 28: 21-25, Last meal

When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, "Look, your maidservant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way."

He refused and said, "I will not eat." 

But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch. The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. 

That same night they got up and left.

Saul is traumatized and the woman insists that he and his men eat.  They do eat and then leave.  Saul is going to his death and knows it.

I Samuel 27, David Flees to the Philistines

David has once again convinced Saul that he, David, is innocent. But Saul routinely undergoes a bout of sociopathic jealousy and is then after David again.

I Samuel 27: 1-5, Escape to Gath

But David thought to himself, "One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand." So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath.

David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal.

When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

 

David, correctly aware that Saul's repentance is only temporary, seeks a more permanent solution in Gath.  He takes an army of 600 men with him.

This is a low point in David's life and a somewhat treasonous action. In the previous chapter, David accuses Saul of denying his inheritance in Israel and sending off to worship other gods. It is not clear, in this chapter, where David's true loyalties lie, as David walks a thin line between Saul and Achish.

Robert Alter argues that regardless of one's view of the Old Testament, this passage makes a strong argument for the historicity of David. Were David a mythological figure, we would not hear of his sojourn in the enemy region of the Philistines.

I Samuel 27: 1-5, Ziklag

Then David said to Achish, "If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?"

So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since.

David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months.

 

Achish thinks David is a refugee from Saul and is opposed to Israel.  He lets David live in Ziklag. The exact location of Ziklag is unknown; Alter suggests that it is near Beersheba, within the control of the Philistines but on the border of the region claimed by Israel.

I Samuel 27: 1-5, Raids of David

Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.

When Achish asked, "Where did you go raiding today?" David would say, "Against the Negev of Judah" or "Against the Negev of Jerahmeel" or "Against the Negev of the Kenites." He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, "They might inform on us and say, `This is what David did.'" And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory.

Achish trusted David and said to himself, "He has become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever."

David and his men continue to raid Philistine encampments but keep the raids secret, apparently by killing everyone they find. David works hard to keep up the pretense of being a Philistine.