The Reign of David: Loyalty & Humility 2 Samuel, Chapters 1 - 4

The Pattern of 2 Samuel The book of 2 Samuel divides into two main parts with a pivotal section between relating the sin that leads to his troubles: Chapters 1 – 10 speak of David’s successes. Chapters 11 – 12 speak of David’s sin. Chapters 13 – 22 narrate David’s many problems and eventual restoration. The pattern here is: triumph — sin — troubles – restoration.

David Learns Of Saul’s Death (1:1 – 15) Three days after David’s return to Ziklag, an Amalekite came with torn clothes and dust on his head (signs of mourning) to report the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. This Amalekite claimed to have found Saul alive but dying. He stripped Saul’s body of the royal crown and bracelet, thinking he would David’s favor by bringing them to him and claiming to have killed David’s enemy. David’s reaction was anger, not gratitude…

A Song Of Lament (1:15 – 27) David believed only God had the right to remove Saul from his God-given position. Holding the man responsible for killing the Lord’s anointed, David ordered his execution. David and his men mourned Saul’s death, tearing their clothes, weeping, and fasting until evening. It was the custom to salute a major event in poem or song. David honored Saul and Jonathan by writing a song of lament so the sons of Judah would remember them. The repeated refrain in this song is, “How the mighty have fallen!”

Civil War Between Judah & Israel (2:1 – 32) Knowing his destiny was to be king of Israel, David could have plotted a takeover of the empty throne. But he prayed instead. Judah seemed a logical place for him to go. God affirmed this, telling him to go to the city of Hebron (also known as Kiriath Arba). When David, his family, his men and their families settled at Hebron, the men of Judah came to anoint him king over the house of Judah.

Civil War Between Judah & Israel (2:1 – 32) David was home. Yet he was not king over all of Israel, only over Judah. Though he could have fought for Israel’s crown then, God wanted David to wait, trust, and learn for over seven years before the total kingdom would be his. Abner — son of Ner, Saul’s uncle and former general — led a rebellion against David, and made Saul’s remaining son, Ish-Bosheth, king over the rest of Israel. Abner used him as a puppet to serve his own purposes. It took Abner some five years to win all the territory back from the Philistines.

Civil War Between Judah & Israel (2:1 – 32) David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead. He thanked them for burying Saul, and stated that he was now king over Judah. It would seem that his words were almost an invitation for them to join him…but they did not do so. As the civil war between the two kingdoms raged on but “David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.” Among the casualties was David’s nephew Asahel—killed by Abner’s own hand.

Abner and David Make A Covenant (3:1 – 16) Abner sought to make a covenant with David. He promised to help bring all Israel over to David’s authority as king. David agreed on one condition. David insisted that first wife, Michal, daughter of Saul, return to him. She had loved David greatly in their short married life, but Saul had long ago given her to another man. Now Michal now despised David. David may have thought that having a son by Michal would establish his kingdom more firmly. But “Michal … had no children to the day of her death” (2 Samuel 6:23).

Peace and Revenge Don’t Mix (3:17 – 30) Abner rallied support for David among the other tribes of Israel. He appealed to their earlier desire for David to be their king. (“Now then, do it!”) David receives Abner with a feast. Peace is made. But Joab, the brother of Asahel, privately meets with Abner (taking him out of the city of refuge) and takes revenge by murdering him. Such treachery angers David. He rejected such action and cursed his nephews who had murdered Abner in revenge.

Mourning the Dead, More Bloodshed… (3:31 – 4:7) At Abner’s funeral, David publicly mourned and affirmed Abner’s service. The people responded favorably to David’s actions. “Indeed, everything the king did pleased them” (3:36). Meanwhile in the aftermath of Abner’s death, Rechab and Baanah, two of Ishbosheth’s own men, secretly murder him while he lays in bed.

Not The Reward You Were Hoping For… (4:8 – 12) Rechab and Baanah cut off Ishbosheth’s head and bring it to David in Hebron believing that they would please David and receive his praise for killing the son of Saul, his enemy. David rebukes them both for killing an innocent man and has them put to death. Ish-bosheth’s head is buried in Abner’s grave.