13 Things Concerning 2nd Samuel--The Second Book of Kingdoms

The painting I've included here is titled David and Bathsheba. It was completed in 1640 by Artemisia Gentileschi. If you look very closely you see David across the way on the balcony watching Bathsheba.

1. The entire focus of this book is David’s reign. His name is used over 200 times.

2. David’s story relates times of elation such as his conquest of Jerusalem and the Lord’s promise of an everlasting dynasty.

3. David’s story also shares times of great failure with David’s adultry with Bathsheba and the treason of his son Absalom.

4. One enduring point concerning man’s relationship to God is seen through David. While his heart was passionately turned to pleasing God he was able to accomplish great tasks.

5. Another lesson learned from David’s life helps us to understand we can be redeemed but we must still deal with the effects of our sins and failures.

6. Salvation is taught in 2nd Samuel through the story of David’s adultry, Nathan’s confrontation, and David’s repentance and restoration after he confesses. The Lord has take away your sin, you will not die. David reflects on this experience in Psalm 51.

7. The time period presented in 2nd Samuel is between 1110 to 970 B.C. It was during this time that the Israelite culture rose to great heights.

8. 2nd Samuel is written honestly and David’s faults are not hidden.

9. We expect to see David’s poetry in Psalm but we also see it in 2nd Samuel: The Song of the Bow (1:19-27) and Psalm of Praise (22:1-51) which is also recorded as Psalm 18, and David’s Last Words (23:1-7).

10. The themes of 2nd Samuel are kingship and convenant, the Ark of the Covenant, and of course, David’s adventures.

11. The story of David is an extension of the covenant between God and Abraham. Jesus Christ fulfills the promise God made to David regarding his family and how they would be an unending dynasty of kings.

12. The book can be divided into three sections: David secured his kingdom in chapters 1-4, chapters 5-10 discuss David’s capital, covenant, and conquest, and finally David’s faults are shown in chapters 11-20.

13. Chapters 21-24 are considered to be the epilogue for 2nd Samuel and may have been compiled from many sources.

You can see other 13s HERE.

You can see more fact lists about the various books of the Bible HERE.