2 Samuel
The Books of Samuel reveal key episodes from the lives of Samuel and Saul and David.
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David and Jonathan
SUMMARY
Title
The Books of 1 and 2 Samuel are named for the Prophet Samuel.
The earliest Hebrew manuscripts made no division between the two books. They simply entitled the whole collection “Samuel.”
The Septuagint was the first version to divide the material into two parts. That artificial division has persisted to the present day in all translations and versions.
Author
The books of 1 and 2 Samuel do not identify their author. To this day, the author remains anonymous.
Some passages reveal biographical details from Samuel’s life. We assume he provided those details to the author.
Date
The date of the authoring of the books of Samuel cannot be determined with any degree of precision.
First Samuel opens with the narrative of Samuel’s birth, an event which occurred about 1120 BC.
Second Samuel concludes with David making provision for his son Solomon to follow him on the throne, which is dated at 971 BC.
Thus the Books of Samuel span about 150 years of history.
Purpose
The Books of Samuel reveal key episodes from the lives of Samuel and Saul and David.
In doing that, the Books of Samuel provide the history of Israel from the end of the 12th through the beginning of the 10th centuries BC.
OUTLINE
1. DAVID AT HEBRON
2 Samuel 1:1-16. David mourns for Jonathan and Saul
2 Samuel 1:17-27. David’s eulogy for Saul and Jonathan
2 Samuel 2:1-7. David anointed king of Judah
2 Samuel 2:8-11. Ishbosheth proclaimed king of Israel
2 Samuel 2:12-32. The battle of Gibeon
2 Samuel 3:1-21. Saul’s son Abner defects to David
2 Samuel 3:22-39. Joab assassinates Abner
2 Samuel 4:1-12. Ishbosheth is murdered
2. DAVID’S PROSPERITY
The Capital at Jerusalem
2 Samuel 5:1-5. David anointed king of all Israel
2 Samuel 5:6-16. David captures Jerusalem
2 Samuel 5:17-25. David conquers the Philistines
The Return of the Ark
2 Samuel 6:1-15. Bringing the ark to Jerusalem
2 Samuel 6:16-23. David and Michal
The Davidic Covenant
2 Samuel 7:1-17. The LORD’s promise to David
2 Samuel 7:18-29. David’s prayer of thanks
David’s Military Campaigns
2 Samuel 8:1-18. David’s military victories
David is kind to Saul’s family
2 Samuel 9:1-13. David’s kindness to Mephibosheth
Ammon abuses David’s Ambassadors
2 Samuel 10:1-19. David defeats Ammon and Syria
3. DAVID’S MORAL COLLAPSE
David’s Sin
2 Samuel 11:1-13. David abuses his power and commits adultery
2 Samuel 11:14-27. David orders Uriah to be killed
Nathan Confronts David
2 Samuel 12:1-12. Nathan confronts David
2 Samuel 12:13-15. David admits his guilt
2 Samuel 12:16-23. David’s child dies
2 Samuel 12:24-25. Solomon is born
2 Samuel 12:26-31. The capture of Rabbah
David sides with a Known Rapist
2 Samuel 13:1-22. Amnon rapes his sister Tamar
2 Samuel 13:23-39. David refuses to prosecute Amnon
David is Estranged from Absalom
2 Samuel 14:1-18. A wise woman confronts David
2 Samuel 14:19-22. David sends Joab to get Absalom
2 Samuel 14:23-33. Absalom returns to Jerusalem.
Absalom’s Revolution
2 Samuel 15:1-6. Absalom wins over the heart of the nation
2 Samuel 15:7-12. Absalom ousts David
2 Samuel 15:13-37. David flees Jerusalem
2 Samuel 16:1-4. Saul’s grandson helps David
2 Samuel 16:5-14. Shimei curses David
2 Samuel 16:15-23. Absalom takes Jerusalem
2 Samuel 17:1-29. Hushai saves David
2 Samuel 18:1-18. Joab kills Absalom
2 Samuel 18:19-33. David finally comes to his senses
David returns to Power
2 Samuel 19:1-14. Joab rebukes David
2 Samuel 19:15-17. David returns to Jerusalem
2 Samuel 19:18-23. David reconciles with Shimei
2 Samuel 19:24-30. David reconciles with Mephibosheth
2 Samuel 19:31-40. David reconciles with Barzillai
2 Samuel 19:41-43. Israel and Judah argue over the king
2 Samuel 20:1-26. The revolution of Sheba son of Bichri
Saul’s sons are Slaughtered and Buried
2 Samuel 21:1-9. Justice for the Gibeonites
2 Samuel 21:10-14. Burying Saul’s family
2 Samuel 21:15-22. Battling giants from Philistia
4. DAVID’S FINAL YEARS
2 Samuel 22:1-51. David’s song
2 Samuel 23:1-7. The last words of David
2 Samuel 23:8-39. David’s mighty heroes
5. DAVID’S SIN IN TAKING THE CENSUS
2 Samuel 24:1-9. David takes a census of the nation
2 Samuel 24:10-17. David’s sin is judged
2 Samuel 24:18-25. David builds an altar
MEMORIZE
2 Samuel 7:9. I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.
2 Samuel 22:29. For you are my lamp, LORD. The LORD will light up my darkness.
2 Samuel 23:5. Isn’t my house so with God? Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire.
Great verses to memorize from the entire Bible
2 SAMUEL
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David and Jonathan
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.