History · Old Testament
2 Samuel
c. 1010–970 BC
- Section
- History · Old Testament
- Events span
- c. 1010–970 BC
- Written
- c. 970 BC critical view: Part of the Deuteronomistic History, c. 6th century BC
- Author
- Nathan and Gad (by tradition) critical view: The Deuteronomistic historians
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.
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
- After a long war with the house of Saul, David becomes king over all Israel
- David captures Jerusalem and makes it his capital
- David brings the ark to Jerusalem, dancing before the LORD
- God covenants to establish David's throne and kingdom forever
- David shows kindness to Jonathan's crippled son Mephibosheth
David's Sin & Its Consequences (2 Samuel 11–24)
- David commits adultery with Bathsheba and has her husband Uriah killed
- Nathan confronts David, who repents; the child born to Bathsheba dies
- Amnon rapes Tamar; her brother Absalom kills Amnon and flees
- Absalom rebels, seizes Jerusalem, and David flees the city
- Absalom is defeated and killed, and David grieves bitterly over him
- David's census brings a plague; he builds an altar on Araunah's threshing floor
“And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”