David Learns of the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan 1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he approached […]
This book is the history of the reign of king David. It relates his victories, the growth of the prosperity of Israel, and his reformation of the state of religion. With these events are recorded the grievous sins he committed, and the family as well as public troubles with which he was punished. We here meet with many things worthy of imitation, and many that are written for our warning. The history of king David is given in Scripture with much faithfulness, and from it he appears, to those who fairly balance his many virtues and excellent qualities against his faults, to have been a great and good man.
Matthew Henry
2 Samuel 2
David is Anointed King 1 Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied, “To Hebron.” 2 So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly […]
2 Samuel 3
1 However, the war was prolonged between the house of Saul and the house of David. David was becoming steadily stronger, while the house of Saul was becoming increasingly weaker.2 Now sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, born to Ahinoam the Jezreelite. 3 His second son was Kileab, born to […]
2 Samuel 4
Ish-bosheth is killed 1 When Ish-bosheth the son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he was very disheartened, and all Israel was afraid. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were in charge of raiding units; one was named Baanah and the other Recab. They were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, […]
2 Samuel 5
David Is Anointed King Over Israel 1 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron saying, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood! 2 In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the real leader in Israel. The Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel; you will […]
2 Samuel 6
David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem 1 David again assembled all the best men in Israel, thirty thousand in number. 2 David and all the men who were with him travelled to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts, […]
2 Samuel 7
The Lord Establishes a Covenant with David 1 The king settled into his palace, for the Lord gave him relief from all his enemies on all sides. 2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of […]
2 Samuel 8
David Subjugates Nearby Nations 1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah from the Philistines. 2 He defeated the Moabites. He made them lie on the ground and then used a rope to measure them off. He put two-thirds of them to death and spared the other third. The Moabites […]
2 Samuel 9
David Finds Mephibosheth 1 Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At […]
2 Samuel 10
David and the Ammonites 1 Later the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun succeeded him. 2 David said, “I will express my loyalty to Hanun son of Nahash just as his father was loyal to me.” So David sent his servants with a message expressing sympathy over his father’s death. When David’s […]
2 Samuel 11
David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba 1 In the spring of the year, at the time when kings normally conduct wars, David sent out Joab with his officers and the entire Israelite army. They defeated the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David got up from his bed and […]
2 Samuel 12
Nathan the Prophet Confronts David 1 So the Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, Nathan said, “There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing except for a […]
2 Samuel 13
The Rape of Tamar 1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her. 2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of […]
2 Samuel 14
David Permits Absalom to Return to Jerusalem 1 Now Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king longed to see Absalom. 2 So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning and put on garments for mourning. Don’t anoint yourself with oil. Instead, act […]
2 Samuel 15
Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David 1 Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a […]
2 Samuel 16
David Receives Gifts from Ziba 1 When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, and […]
2 Samuel 17
The Death of Ahithophel 1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night. 2 When I catch up with him he will be exhausted and worn out. I will rout him, and the entire army that is with him will flee. I […]
2 Samuel 18
The Death of Absalom 1 David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds. 2 David then sent out the army – a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership […]
2 Samuel 19
1 Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” 3 That day the people stole away to go to […]
2 Samuel 20
Sheba’s Rebellion 1 Now a wicked man named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He blew the trumpet and said,“We have no share in David;we have no inheritance in this son of Jesse!Every man go home, O Israel!”2 So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of […]
2 Samuel 21
The Gibeonites Demand Revenge 1 During David’s reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites.”2 So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke with them. (Now the Gibeonites were not descendants […]
2 Samuel 22
David Sings to the Lord 1 David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord rescued him from the power of all his enemies, including Saul. 2 He said:“The Lord is my high ridge, my stronghold, my deliverer.3 My God is my rocky summit where I take shelter,my shield, the horn […]
2 Samuel 23
David’s Final Words 1 These are the final words of David:“The oracle of David son of Jesse,the oracle of the man raised up asthe ruler chosen by the God of Jacob,Israel’s beloved singer of songs:2 The Lord’s spirit spoke through me;his word was on my tongue.3 The God of Israel spoke,the protector of Israel spoke […]
2 Samuel 24
David Displeases the Lord by Taking a Census 1 The Lord’s anger again raged against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go count Israel and Judah.” 2 The king told Joab, the general in command of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer Sheba and muster the […]