The second book of Samuel continues the rich story of king David, who goes from being rewarded for his service – in chapter 7, he's granted an eternal covenant with God, to be inherited by his son Solomon – to punished for his sins, notably for the adultery he commits with Bathsheba, before arranging the death of her husband. He's also a father whose beloved son, Absalom, engages in war against him, as recounted in a passage that spans most of the second half of the book.
Events start with David reflecting on the death of Saul – "How are the mighty fallen!" (1:19) – and learning some military lessons, such as the need for the Israelites to learn how to use bows in battle (given the fact that Saul was brought down by arrows). Though Saul is dead, civil war breaks out in the nation of Israel, with House of Saul vs House of David, both sides engaging in a long and bitter war. Despite this, David still manages to father 6 sons during this time (3:1-6), and also decides he wants his wife Michal back (whom we're told he bought for a dowry of "100 Philistine foreskins"), following her illegitimate union with a local ruler, Phalti. Their relationship soon goes sour though and, in chapter 6, Michal's hatred for David strikes a bum note among all the jubilation and naked dancing related to the return of the ark. Michal's punishment for disloyalty is that she will never bear a child.
David, now anointed king or "captain" of Israel, will rule his people for 40 years from age 30 and, after capturing the fortress of Zion, renames it as the city of David. Though Michal doesn't bear him a child, David continues to beget from his many other wives, with Solomon now among his newborn progeny. As well as the permanence of his royal line, David is also told by God that he will find a fixed abode for the wandering Jews, and "plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more" (7:10). This message is relayed to David by the prophet Nathan, with God's decision not to commune directly with David a sign of the growing distance between them.
Chapter 8 is a ling list of David's military victories, including as far a field as the Syrians (8:5), while chapter 9 recounts how David makes amends with the House of Saul. Then comes the famous moment (11:2-3) when David first sets his eyes on Bathsheba, and becomes so besotted that he conspires in order for Uriah, Bethsheba's husband, to be killed in battle against men from a city in Ammon. David's treachery displeases the Lord (11:27) and Nathan lays a clever verbal trap in chapter 12 that helps David admit to his own wrongdoing. As punishment, David's first son dies, though importantly Solomon remains alive.
The corruption then seems to spread in the House of David, when his son Amnon tries to encourage his sister Tamar to sleep with him (13:12). When she refuses, Amnon rapes her and this causes another son of David, Absalom, to be so disgusted by the act that he kills his brother, Amnon. This leads to much mourning and "renting" (ripping) of clothes, as is the custom, but also a poetic and philosophical line about mortality: "For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again" (14:14). This leads Absalom to flee the city, but Joab brings Absalom back to Jerusalem and, though he has three daughters in two years, Absalom still refuses to see his father David at all (14:26-28).
Animosity grows and, before long, a plan is being concocted by one of the conspirers, Ahithophel, to raise an army of 12,000 men with a mission to find and kill David, an idea which pleases Absalom and the elders of Israel, who had now grown estranged from David and the house of Judah. Hushai disagrees with Ahithophel's plan, however, and Absalom and others agree, and such is the shame that Ahithophel commits suicide (17:23). The battle between the Judah and Israel takes place in the wood of Ephraim and, in an odd scene, we're told that Absalom – who at that point was still "alive in the midst of the oak" – was killed by Joab despite David's express orders to keep his son alive.
The news of Absalom's death reaches David fast thanks to two running messenger boys, and causes much lamenting and more "renting" of clothes. Once he's recovered from his loss, David sets out on what seems like a victory tour designed to win back support among the various people and cities of Israel and Judah, though chapter 20 reveals a growing divide between the men of both camps. After a gruesome interlude that involves the rogue Joab disembowelling someone and then asking a women to throw the head of an enemy over a city wall, we find out that God has now decided to punish his people for an old crime committed under Saul – the slaughter of the Gibeonites. To make amends, seven sons of Saul are chosen by David to be killed, all of them hung. Two questions arise: Why did God wait so long for this punishment? Why punish the sons for the sins of the father?
Chapter 22 is one of the most lyrical passages I've read so far in the Old Testament, more like a psalm in style compared to mainly prose in the books of Samuel.
Chapter 22 also gives us a sense of God as the great leveller ("And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down") and the source of all solace in a chaotic world ("As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him"). We're told that chapter 22 is an account of the last words of David, who's called the "sweet psalmist of Israel". In chapter 23, David gives a roll call of military men and their deeds in battle (of whom there are 37 names in total), while in chapter 24, David surveys or "numbers" the people of Israel and Judah, as part of a process that takes over 9 months, and reveals that there are 800,000 men in Israel and 500,000 men in Judah.
For whatever reason (that's not entirely clear to me), this census evokes great anger in God – I've read that we find out later in the Bible that Satan apparently encouraged David to take this survey, which led to a breakdown in trust with God. In any case, the second book of Samuel closes with David having to choose between three awful punishments, so he chooses the plague, and three days of pestilence ensues, in which 70,000 men die (24:12). To keep the plague at bay, David buys from Araunah his "threshingfloor" and oxen for 50 shekels of silver, and builds an altar to God.
Events start with David reflecting on the death of Saul – "How are the mighty fallen!" (1:19) – and learning some military lessons, such as the need for the Israelites to learn how to use bows in battle (given the fact that Saul was brought down by arrows). Though Saul is dead, civil war breaks out in the nation of Israel, with House of Saul vs House of David, both sides engaging in a long and bitter war. Despite this, David still manages to father 6 sons during this time (3:1-6), and also decides he wants his wife Michal back (whom we're told he bought for a dowry of "100 Philistine foreskins"), following her illegitimate union with a local ruler, Phalti. Their relationship soon goes sour though and, in chapter 6, Michal's hatred for David strikes a bum note among all the jubilation and naked dancing related to the return of the ark. Michal's punishment for disloyalty is that she will never bear a child.
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| Michal watching David from a window (Tissot) |
David, now anointed king or "captain" of Israel, will rule his people for 40 years from age 30 and, after capturing the fortress of Zion, renames it as the city of David. Though Michal doesn't bear him a child, David continues to beget from his many other wives, with Solomon now among his newborn progeny. As well as the permanence of his royal line, David is also told by God that he will find a fixed abode for the wandering Jews, and "plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more" (7:10). This message is relayed to David by the prophet Nathan, with God's decision not to commune directly with David a sign of the growing distance between them.
Chapter 8 is a ling list of David's military victories, including as far a field as the Syrians (8:5), while chapter 9 recounts how David makes amends with the House of Saul. Then comes the famous moment (11:2-3) when David first sets his eyes on Bathsheba, and becomes so besotted that he conspires in order for Uriah, Bethsheba's husband, to be killed in battle against men from a city in Ammon. David's treachery displeases the Lord (11:27) and Nathan lays a clever verbal trap in chapter 12 that helps David admit to his own wrongdoing. As punishment, David's first son dies, though importantly Solomon remains alive.
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| Bathsheba bathing (Gentileschi) |
The corruption then seems to spread in the House of David, when his son Amnon tries to encourage his sister Tamar to sleep with him (13:12). When she refuses, Amnon rapes her and this causes another son of David, Absalom, to be so disgusted by the act that he kills his brother, Amnon. This leads to much mourning and "renting" (ripping) of clothes, as is the custom, but also a poetic and philosophical line about mortality: "For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again" (14:14). This leads Absalom to flee the city, but Joab brings Absalom back to Jerusalem and, though he has three daughters in two years, Absalom still refuses to see his father David at all (14:26-28).
Animosity grows and, before long, a plan is being concocted by one of the conspirers, Ahithophel, to raise an army of 12,000 men with a mission to find and kill David, an idea which pleases Absalom and the elders of Israel, who had now grown estranged from David and the house of Judah. Hushai disagrees with Ahithophel's plan, however, and Absalom and others agree, and such is the shame that Ahithophel commits suicide (17:23). The battle between the Judah and Israel takes place in the wood of Ephraim and, in an odd scene, we're told that Absalom – who at that point was still "alive in the midst of the oak" – was killed by Joab despite David's express orders to keep his son alive.
The news of Absalom's death reaches David fast thanks to two running messenger boys, and causes much lamenting and more "renting" of clothes. Once he's recovered from his loss, David sets out on what seems like a victory tour designed to win back support among the various people and cities of Israel and Judah, though chapter 20 reveals a growing divide between the men of both camps. After a gruesome interlude that involves the rogue Joab disembowelling someone and then asking a women to throw the head of an enemy over a city wall, we find out that God has now decided to punish his people for an old crime committed under Saul – the slaughter of the Gibeonites. To make amends, seven sons of Saul are chosen by David to be killed, all of them hung. Two questions arise: Why did God wait so long for this punishment? Why punish the sons for the sins of the father?
Chapter 22 is one of the most lyrical passages I've read so far in the Old Testament, more like a psalm in style compared to mainly prose in the books of Samuel.
The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.
I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid;
The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears. (22:3-7)
Chapter 22 also gives us a sense of God as the great leveller ("And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down") and the source of all solace in a chaotic world ("As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him"). We're told that chapter 22 is an account of the last words of David, who's called the "sweet psalmist of Israel". In chapter 23, David gives a roll call of military men and their deeds in battle (of whom there are 37 names in total), while in chapter 24, David surveys or "numbers" the people of Israel and Judah, as part of a process that takes over 9 months, and reveals that there are 800,000 men in Israel and 500,000 men in Judah.
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| Plague strikes David's people |
For whatever reason (that's not entirely clear to me), this census evokes great anger in God – I've read that we find out later in the Bible that Satan apparently encouraged David to take this survey, which led to a breakdown in trust with God. In any case, the second book of Samuel closes with David having to choose between three awful punishments, so he chooses the plague, and three days of pestilence ensues, in which 70,000 men die (24:12). To keep the plague at bay, David buys from Araunah his "threshingfloor" and oxen for 50 shekels of silver, and builds an altar to God.
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