1. David, King over Judah in Hebron  (7 1/2 years)  1-4
   1. David and the dead  1
      1. A false account of Saul's death  1:1-16
      2. David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan  1:17-27
   2. TWO kings crowned  2:1-11
      1. David over Judah  2:1-7
      2. Ish-bosheth over Israel  2:8-11
   3. War between Judah and Israel  2:12-4:12
      1. Joab and Abner  2:12-32
      2. Abner and David  3:1-21
      3. Joab, David and Abner  3:22-39
      4. Ish-bosheth and his murderers  4
2. David, King over all Israel in Jerusalem  (33 years)
   (2 Samuel 5-1, 1 Kings 2:1)
   1. The Triumphs of the king  2 Samuel 5-10
      1. Establishment of the throne  5-7
         1. The new capital and first conquests  5
         2. The establishment of worship in Jerusalem  6
         3. God's covenant with David  7
      2. Extension of the kingdom  8-10
         1. David's foreign conquests  8
         2. David and Mephibosheth  9
         3. Defeat of the Syrians and Ammonites  10
   2. The Troubles of the king  11-19
      1. His terrible sin  11
      2. His profound sorrow  12  (Psalm 51)
      3. His manifold sufferings  13-19
         1. Amnon's incest and death  13-19
         2. Absalom's flight and return  13:34-14:33
         3. Absalom's revolt and David's flight  15:1-18
         4. David's friends and foes  15:19-16:14
         5. Absalom's counselors  16:15-17:23
         6. Absalom's death and David's lament  17:24-19:7
         7. The return of David to the throne  19:8-43
   3. The Testimonies of the king  2 Samuel 20, 1 Kings 2:11
      1. The final Discipline  20, 21, 23:8-39, 24
      2. The final Songs  22:1-23:7
      3. The final Charges  1 Kings 1:1-2:11

WAR

The Second Book of Samuel gives us the history of the founding of Israel's empire.  War is dreadful and involves a terrible amount of material loss and physical injury; but it is at once God's penalty upon national debasement, and His remedy against national meanness and selfishness.  Nations rise to moral greatness through war, and when they have been sinking through corruption and immorality, it is generally war which reveals the gangrene in their midst, and either forces them by repeated disaster to humble themselves for it, or displaces them in order that a worthier people may fill their room. (Scroggie)

2012-11-20