The Book of 2 Samuel
2 Samuel is the 10th book of the Bible, with 24 chapters and 695 verses.
Chapters
Overview of 2 Samuel
The LXX. translators regarded the books of Samuel and of Kings as forming one continuous history, which they divided into four books, which they called “Books of the Kingdom.” The Vulgate version followed this division, but styled them “Books of the Kings.” These books of Samuel they accordingly called the “First” and “Second” Books of Kings, and not, as in the modern Protestant versions, the “First” and “Second” Books of Samuel.
The authors of the books of Samuel were probably Samuel, Gad, and Nathan. Samuel penned the first twenty-four chapters of the first book. Gad, the companion of David (1 Sam. 22:5), continued the history thus commenced; and Nathan completed it, probably arranging the whole in the form in which we now have it (1 Chr. 29:29).
The contents of the books. The first book comprises a period of about a hundred years, and nearly coincides with the life of Samuel. It contains (1) the history of Eli (1-4); (2) the history of Samuel (5-12); (3) the history of Saul, and of David in exile (13-31). The second book, comprising a period of perhaps fifty years, contains a history of the reign of David (1) over Judah (1-4), and (2) over all Israel (5-24), mainly in its political aspects. The last four chapters of Second Samuel may be regarded as a sort of appendix recording various events, but not chronologically. These books do not contain complete histories. Frequent gaps are met with in the record, because their object is to present a history of the kingdom of God in its gradual development, and not of the events of the reigns of the successive rulers. It is noticeable that the section (2 Sam. 11:2-12: 29) containing an account of David’s sin in the matter of Bathsheba is omitted in the corresponding passage in 1 Chr. 20.
From Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). More in the Bible Dictionary →
2 Samuel chapter summaries
| Chapter | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2 Samuel 1 | Tidings brought to David of the death of Saul. (1-10) · The Amalekite is put to death. (11-16) · David's lamentation for Saul and Jonathan. (17-27) |
| 2 Samuel 2 | David made king in Hebron. (1-7) · Abner makes Ishbosheth king Battle between Abner's men and those of Joab. (8-17) · Asahel slain by Abner. (25-32) · Both parties retreat. (18-24) |
| 2 Samuel 3 | David's power increases His family. (1-6) · Abner revolts to David. (7-21) · Joab kills Abner David mourns for him. (22-39) |
| 2 Samuel 4 | Ishbosheth murdered. (1-7) · David puts to death the murderers. (8-12) |
| 2 Samuel 5 | David king over all Israel. (1-5) · David's kingdom established. (11-16) · He defeats the Philistines. (17-25) |
| 2 Samuel 6 | David brings the ark to Zion. (12-19) · Michal's ill conduct. (20-23) |
| 2 Samuel 7 | David's care for the ark. (1-3) · God's covenant with David. (4-17) · His prayer and thanksgiving. (18-29) |
| 2 Samuel 8 | David subdues the Philistines, the Moabites, and the Syrians. (1-8) · The spoil dedicated. (9-14) · David's government and officers. (15-18) |
| 2 Samuel 9 | David sends for Mephibosheth. (1-8) · And provides for him. (9-13) |
| 2 Samuel 10 | The Ammonites defeated. (6-14) · The Syrians defeated. (15-19) |
| 2 Samuel 11 | David's adultery. (1-5) · He tries to conceal his crime. (6-13) · Uriah murdered. (14-27) |
| 2 Samuel 12 | The birth of Solomon. (15-25) · David's severity to the Ammonites. (26-31) |
| 2 Samuel 13 | Ammon's violence to his sister. (1-20) · Absalom murders his brother Ammon. (21-29) · David's grief, Absalom flees to Geshur. (30-39) |
| 2 Samuel 14 | Joab procures Absalom's recall. (1-20) · Absalom recalled. (21-24) · His personal beauty. (25-27) · He is admitted to his father's presence. (28-33) |
| 2 Samuel 15 | Absalom's ambition. (1-6) · His conspiracy. (7-12) · David leaves Jerusalem. (13-23) · David sends back the ark. (24-30) · He prays against Ahithophel's counsel. (31-37) |
| 2 Samuel 16 | Ziba's falsehood. (1-4) · David cursed by Shimei. (5-14) · Ahithophel's counsel. (15-23) |
| 2 Samuel 17 | Ahithophel's counsel overthrown. (1-21) · He hangs himself, Absalom pursues David. (22-29) |
| 2 Samuel 18 | Absalom's army defeated. (1-8) · He is slain. (9-18) |
| 2 Samuel 19 | Joab causes David to cease mourning. (1-8) · David returns to Jordan. (9-15) · He pardons Shimei. (16-23) · Mephibosheth excused. (24-30) · David's parting with Barzillai. (31-39) · Israel quarrels with Judah. (40-43) |
| 2 Samuel 20 | Sheba's rebellion. (1-3) · Amasa slain by Joab. (4-13) · Sheba takes refuge in Abel. (14-22) · David's officers. (23-26) |
| 2 Samuel 21 | The Gibeonites avenged. (1-9) · Rizpah's care for the bodies of Saul's descendants. (10-14) · Battles with the Philistines. (15-22) |
| 2 Samuel 22 | |
| 2 Samuel 23 | David's last words. (1-7) · David's mighty men. (8-39) |
| 2 Samuel 24 | David numbers the people. (1-9) · He chooses the pestilence. (10-15) · The staying the pestilence. (16-17) · David's sacrifice, The plague removed. (18-25) |
Chapter outlines from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary.
Key verses in 2 Samuel
- 2 Samuel 6:14
And David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.
- 2 Samuel 7:29
Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
- 2 Samuel 13:1
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
- 2 Samuel 14:26
And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year’s end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king’s weight.
- 2 Samuel 23:20
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
- 2 Samuel 1:1
Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;
- 2 Samuel 12:1
And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
- 2 Samuel 12:23
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
Introduction to 2 Samuel — Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Matthew Henry (1706) · public domain