The book of Second Samuel begins with an Amalekite reporting to David that he killed Saul. David in return had him killed for murdering the Lord’s anointed. Judah appointed David King. Abner, Saul’s army commander took Ishbosheth, Saul’s son and made him King over Israel. War started between both houses, but David’s grew stronger and stronger.
Abner joined forces with David and after making peace and uniting Israel, Joab David’s captain stabbed him the stomach for killing his brother: Asahel. David mourned Abner’s death. Saul’s other captains beheaded Ishbosheth and thinking they did a good deed they brought his head to David. He executed the men and cut off their hands and feet.
David called his stronghold the City of David and took more wives and concubines. David went to war with the Philistines and defeated them. David and his men brought up the Ark and as the oxen stumbled, Uzzah grabbed hold of the Ark and God killed him for his error. After this, David feared the Lord and would not move the Ark to the City of David, but left it in Obed Edom’s house. God blessed his entire household. Three months later, David brought the Ark to the City of David, shouting and dancing to the Lord. David’s wife Michal told him he appeared foolish. She had no children till the day of her death.
David spoke to Nathan the prophet about building God a house and God made a covenant with David that from his seed will come a King whose throne and kingdom will last forever. David went onto defeat many of Israel’s enemies and dedicated the spoils of precious metals to God. David brought up Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, who was lame in both feet and restored all of Saul’s land to him and he ate with the King daily. The King of Ammon died and David sent servants to comfort his son concerning his father’s death. The princes believed that David sent them as spies and shaved their bears and cut their garments at their buttocks. They hired Syrians, who Israel defeated and they ended up serving the Israelites.
When David should have been in battle, he was on his roof and saw Bathsheba bathing. He sent for her and they slept together and she became pregnant. David on hearing the news, sent Bathsheba’s husband Uriah to the front line of battle. He told Joab to go where the battle was the fiercest, and retreat from Uriah so that the enemy will strike him and he was killed. Uriah was one of David’s loyal mighty men. Nathan came to David and pronounced judgment on David’s sin. God promised David adversity in his own house, that his wives would be taken before his eyes and given to his neighbor, and their child shall die. The child born to David and Bathsheba died. Bathsheba conceived again and gave birth to Solomon.
Amnon raped his half sister Tamar and Absalom her brother killed Amnon. Absalom fled for several years and David longed to see him. David ordered the return of Absalom. Absalom attempted to become king and fought and conspired against his father for the kingdom. Ahithophel, a conspirator with Absalom advised him to go into his father’s concubines and he did In the sight of all Israel. He also advised Absalom to gather 12,000 men and pursue David. Ahithophel hung himself when his plan foiled. A great battle took place and Absalom got caught by his hair under a tree and Joab took a spear and thrust it through his heart and killed him.
David showed kindness to elderly Barzillai, who supplied the King with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim. Sheba, a rebel arose and led men to desert David. Joab pursued him and was going to destroy the entire city to eliminate Sheba and a wise woman saved the city. She talked to Joab and got the people to cut off Sheba’s head and throw it to Joab.
A famine came to the land year after year and David inquired of the Lord and he answered: “because Saul killed the Gibeonites who were at peace with Israel and who Israel made a covenant to protect.” David asked the Gibeonites how to make atonement that they may bless the Israelites. They wanted seven sons of Saul to hang them before the Lord. David turned them over including Mephibosheth and they hung them and the plague was lifted.
The Philistines made war with David and he grew too faint to fight them, but they fell by the hands of his servants. David sang songs of praise and deliverance to the Lord. The mighty men of David are memorialized. The book of Second Samuel ends recounting David’s sin of numbering the people. God sent an avenging angel which David witnessed and it killed 70 thousand men. David made atonement by offering burnt offerings and peace offerings to God and the plague stopped.