History · Old Testament

2 Samuel

c. 1010–970 BC

Section: History · Old Testament
Events span: c. 1010–970 BC
Written: c. 970 BC
Author: Nathan and Gad (by tradition)

2 Samuel chronicles David's forty-year reign: his rise to king over all Israel, the capture of Jerusalem, God's covenant to establish his throne forever, and then his sin with Bathsheba and the family and national turmoil that followed.

Historical setting: The united kingdom of Israel under King David, ruling from Jerusalem before the temple is built.

Key themes

The Davidic covenant
David's reign
Sin and its consequences
Repentance
God's steadfast promise

Key events

David's Reign Established (2 Samuel 1–10)

David mourns Saul and Jonathan and is anointed king over Judah 2 Sam 1–2c. 1010 BC
After a long war with the house of Saul, David becomes king over all Israel 2 Sam 2–5c. 1003 BC
David captures Jerusalem and makes it his capital 2 Sam 5c. 1003 BC
David brings the ark to Jerusalem, dancing before the LORD 2 Sam 6c. 1000 BC
God covenants to establish David's throne and kingdom forever 2 Sam 7c. 1000 BC
David shows kindness to Jonathan's crippled son Mephibosheth 2 Sam 9c. 995 BC

David's Sin & Its Consequences (2 Samuel 11–24)

David commits adultery with Bathsheba and has her husband Uriah killed 2 Sam 11c. 991 BC
Nathan confronts David, who repents; the child born to Bathsheba dies 2 Sam 12c. 991 BC
Amnon rapes Tamar; her brother Absalom kills Amnon and flees 2 Sam 13c. 985 BC
Absalom rebels, seizes Jerusalem, and David flees the city 2 Sam 15–16c. 979 BC
Absalom is defeated and killed, and David grieves bitterly over him 2 Sam 18c. 979 BC
David's census brings a plague; he builds an altar on Araunah's threshing floor 2 Sam 24c. 975 BC

Key lessons

No one is above sin’s pull or its wages: even David, “a man after God’s own heart,” falls into adultery and murder, and the damage ripples through his family for years. 2 Sam 11–12
God fully forgives genuine repentance, yet forgiven sin can still leave lasting consequences in this life; David is restored but his household reaps what he sowed. 2 Sam 12:13–14
God’s promise to establish David’s throne forever rests on his own faithfulness, not David’s record, and points ahead to the everlasting reign of Christ. 2 Sam 7:12–16

“And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

2 Samuel 7:16 KJV

Critical scholarship view

Where mainstream critical scholarship dates or attributes this book differently from the traditional view above.

Written: Part of the Deuteronomistic History, c. 6th century BC
Author: The Deuteronomistic historians