2 Samuel - Chapters 2-4

In this transcription, Julie Callio discusses the chapters 2-4 of 2 Samuel, which is the 5th book of history in the Christian Bible. She talks about the division of the land of Israel among the 12 tribes and the cities of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone. She also mentions the anointing of Saul as the first king and how the kingdom was taken from him and given to David. David's marriage to Saul's daughter and his time living among the Philistines is mentioned as well. The transcription also covers the battle between the house of Saul and the house of David, the death of Abner, and the killing of Ish-bosheth. David mourns Abner's death and refuses to accept the heads of Ish-bosheth's killers. Additionally, the transcription briefly mentions Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who becomes important later in the story. Overall, the transcription provides an overview of the events and characters in these chapters of I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy, busy schedule to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at dab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are looking at chapters 2-4 of 2 Samuel, which is the 5th book of history in the Christian Bible. In the Hebrew Bible, 1st and 2nd Samuel are just one book called Samuel and it is with the prophets. After the Torah, or the 5 books of the law, also called the Pentateuch, or the books of Moses, Joshua brought the Israelites into the promised land. They conquered some, but not all of the land, and then it was divided up into 12 tribes. Since the Levites were given the responsibility of taking care of the tabernacle, they were given cities with surrounding pasture lands throughout Israel. Dr. Betz, my Old Testament professor, said that when the priests were not doing their duty at the tabernacle or the temple, then they served as local pastors for the nation of Israel. Six of their cities were called cities of refuge, three on each side of the Jordan River. A city of refuge was a place designated for people who had accidentally killed someone to find refuge from the avenger of blood. It is explained in more detail in Exodus Chapter 21, Numbers 35, Deuteronomy 4, Deuteronomy 19, and Joshua Chapter 20. One of these Levitical priestly cities of refuge is Hebron, which is in today's lesson. After Joshua died, then it was the time of the judges, but people did what was right in their own eyes until the Lord raised up the prophet Samuel. The sad part was his sons were wicked, and the people cried out, We want a king! The first king that Samuel anointed for the Lord was Saul from the tribe of Benjamin. Due to his sin, however, the kingdom was ripped from his hand and given to another, and it was made clear to Saul that it was going to be David. The Lord kept blessing David in war and in popularity. David even married King Saul's daughter, Michael, by killing 100 Philistine men. Technically he killed 200 Philistines, and this is found in 1 Samuel Chapter 18. We learned in verses 28 and 29 of that chapter, when Saul realized that the Lord was with David, and that his daughter Michael loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days. Saul tried to kill David numerous times. At one time, Michael helped David escape from a window in their home, and then she made it look like David was sleeping when her dad's soldiers came in to kill him. When Saul asked Michael why she deceived him, she lied and said in 1 Samuel Chapter 19 verse 17, He said to me, Let me get away. Why should I kill you? David ended up running for his life for years, and ended up living among the Philistines in a town called Ziklag, out of Saul's reach. 1 Samuel Chapter 25 verse 44 tells us, But Saul gave his daughter Michael, David's wife, to Ptl son of Laish, who was from Galem. Well 1 Samuel ended with King Saul, Jonathan, and two of Saul's other sons dead in battle against the Philistines. David was not involved in that battle because he was defeating the Amalekites in the opposite direction. 2 Samuel explains the process of how David became king. In chapter 1, David finds out the news of Saul and Jonathan's death, and they mourn for them and for all Israel. Verse 1 of chapter 2 reads, In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord, Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah? He asked. The Lord said, Go up. David asked, Where shall I go? To Hebron, the Lord answered. Just a side note, when David was given the Philistine town in Ziklag, in 1 Samuel 27 verse 6, there is a side note that said this city, quote, has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. With that, it seems that at least some people stayed in their town of Ziklag. But David and many of his men came to Hebron, which was not only a city of refuge, but it was the city and surrounding area that was given to Caleb, one of the two men who were allowed to enter the promised land because of their faithfulness to the Lord. We also learn in chapter 25 of verse Samuel that David married a woman, Abigail, after her wicked husband, Nabal, died. Nabal was a wealthy Calebite. So in that same region. Now this passage is not clear as to how David heard from the Lord. It is possible that it came through the priest or through a prophet, or it could be that David prayed and heard directly from the Lord. In the New Testament book of Acts, Peter, the apostle preached and said in chapter 2 verses 29 and 30, Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him an oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Here we see that David was a prophet of the Lord. And as such, he could hear from the Lord. David and his two wives, Abigail and Ahinoam of Jezreel, with all his men and their families settled in Hebron, which is in the tribe of Judah. And the men of Judah anointed David king over the house of Judah. The first act of king of Judah was to send a blessing to the brave men of Jabesh-Gilead, who had rescued King Saul and his son's bodies off the wall of the Philistines and brought them back to their town, burned their beheaded bodies and buried them under a tamarisk tree. Jabesh-Gilead is located in the northern part of Israel, on the east side of the Jordan River. Now starts the war between the house of Saul, located in the northern part of Israel, and the house of David, located in the southern part of Israel. After the fierce battle against the Philistines, many of the Israelites fled their towns and went across the Jordan River to live. Saul had one son left, and his name was Ish-bosheth, but he was a weak leader. It really was through the leadership of Abner, King Saul's commander of the army, that made him king over Israel. Verse 11 tells us, quote, The length of time David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. Chapter 2 continues with a battle where the two commanders of armies, Abner with Israel and Joab with Judah, decided on a hand-to-hand fight, 12 men on each side, and then all 24 of the men died. From that the fighting continued, and Abner's men were losing to David's, and Abner and his men retreated. One of Joab's younger brothers ensued Abner, who pleaded with him to stop because he could not face Joab if he would have to kill him. But the younger brother pursued. Verse 23 tells us that Abner thrust the butt of his spear into Asael's stomach, and the spear came out through his back. Joab's brother died in battle. As the sun was setting, Abner cried out to Joab and Abishai, the other brother, Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers? The men parted ways and went home. The end of chapter 2 tells us that David only lost 20 men, but Israel lost 360 men. Chapter 3 verse 1 says, The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker. Verses 2-5 tell us that David's house grew bigger too. He now had a total of six wives and six sons. Now on the side of Israel, verse 6 tells us that Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul. Now the passage does not state if he slept with Saul's concubine Rizpah, or if it was just an accusation from King Ish-bosheth, but Abner became offended and reached out to David through messengers to try and make peace. David was pleased to do so, but he demanded that Abner bring Michael, his first wife, to him. David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth demanding Michael, so it was commanded to send her to David. Her husband wept and followed quite a distance until Abner told him to go home. Abner met with the elders in the tribes of Israel and they were all in agreement. Abner met with David and he went back to Israel to set up the appointment to make David king over all Israel. They parted in peace, but peace did not last long. As soon as Joab, David's commander, got home and learned what had happened, he sent for Abner to come back unbeknownst to David. When he came back, Joab met him and killed him to avenge his brother's death. Now what is David to do? He made it clear he had nothing to do with Abner's death. He cursed Joab and his family. He made his people mourn and dress in mourning clothes and quote, The king, meaning David, sang a lament for Abner. Should Abner have died as the lawless die? Your hands were not bound, your feet were not feathered. You fell as one falls before wicked men. That makes Joab the wicked one. David fasted until sundown and all the people noticed and all Israel knew that quote, The king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner. Chapter 3 verse 37. In chapter 4, when Ish-bosheth found out that Abner was dead, he lost courage as if he had much. Anyway, two of Ish-bosheth's own men, raiders, went into the king's room when he was napping and killed him, cut off his head and brought it to David, thinking this would please the king. But instead, David ordered their deaths. He took Ish-bosheth's head and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron. Thrown in the middle of this story in verse 4, we find out that Jonathan, David's best friend and Saul's firstborn son who died in battle, had a child named Mephibosheth. On the day Jonathan and Saul died, since the Philistines were raiding the towns, his nurse picked up this five-year-old boy to escape. In the rush, he fell and became crippled. This gives us a tidbit of information that is useful in the future of this story. What struck me in this lesson this time is how David knew for years that God had called him to be king of all Israel, and yet how long it took to accomplish it, and the amount of heartache that was in those years as the Lord was making David to be the king he wanted him to be. Sanctification is a process. David was not perfect, but one thing that set him apart was he was truly a man after God's own heart. David continually asked the Lord for direction. He cried out to the Lord in sorrow, and he praised the Lord in victories. How about you? Do you know who to go to for direction in sorrow or in victories? God is there through the person of Jesus Christ, and God gave us the Bible so that we can know him and what his plans are for our lives. As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us so we can talk to God the Father. Ladies, if you have heard his voice today, please don't harden your heart. Instead, let's be women who hear the Lord and obey like David. Until next time, and thanks so very much for listening.