Week 17: 2 Samuel 19 – 24, 1 Kings 1 – 11

[Vinna TanModerator]

2 Samuel 19 to 24 and 1 Kings 1 to 11. Study Guide.

19:1-8a – Joab strongly rebukes David for David’s reaction to the death of Absalom and what it was doing to his soldiers who had saved his kingdom from his rebellious son.
19:8b-15 – The people of Judah (David’s people) are urged to bring David back to his throne. David promotes Amasa, commander of the army of Absalom/rebellion, and demotes Joab, who had led the loyal troops.
19:16-23 – David spares the life of Shimei (remember 2 Sam. 16:5-14). But note David’s later words to his son Solomon, who is the next king – 1 Kings 2:8,9.
19:24-30 – David, faced with conflicting information (see 16:1-4) acts regarding Mephibosheth.. Note Mephibosheth’s gracious response.
19:31-39 – David is met by Barzillai and blesses him (remember 17:27-29).
19:40-20:2 – David returns to a divided people. Sheba calls for rebellion.
20:3 – Regarding the concubines who were violated by Absalom (see 16:21,22).
20:4-10a – Joab murders Amasa (remember 19:13).
20:10b-22 – Sheba’s rebellion put down and Sheba killed.
20:23-26 – David’s staff.
21:1-9 – The Gibeonites avenged (remember Joshua 9:15).
21:10- The vigil of Rizpah – the love of a mother.
21:11-14 – David shows respect for Saul and his family; shows that he does not seek revenge.
21:15-22 – Victories over the Philistines.
22:1-51 – David’s Psalm (Song) of Praise. “The Warrior King Looks Back” (Kidner).
Found also as Psalm 18, with a few changes to make it suitable for general use.
23:1-7 – David’s last testament (in the manner of his psalms).
23:5 – God’s covenant with David (2 Sam. 7:9-16).
23:8-39 – The deeds of David’s mighty men. The men without whose loyalty and support
he could not have secured and maintained the kingdom. The list here ends with “Uriah
the Hittite”, husband of Bathsheba, whose name David must have remembered with
pain.
24:1-25 – David’s census and punishment.
24:1 – Here we are told that “the LORD” incited David, while in 1 Chronicles 21:1 it is Satan who does the inciting. Nothing is done without God allowing it. “In the present events, it would appear that the Lord was trying to show David the futility of trusting in large numbers and in military power, whereas Satan is attempting to persuade him that he is a great man with a mighty empire, and does not need the Lord’s help” (Willis).
24:3,4 – Joab and the commanders of the army opposed the census, but failed to convince David.
24:9 – While a census might have various purposes (taxes, for example), this one seems to have been for military purposes.
24:10-14 – David has an attack of conscience, and confesses it. He is given a choice of the punishment and chooses the third option, “pestilence” or “plague,” a short and intense period in the hands of the Lord.
24:17 – David recognizes the solidarity of a people and their ruler.
24:18-25 – David buys the threshing floor of Araunah (called Ornan in 1 Chronicles) and worships there. He could have appropriated the property but insisted on paying for it. What he bought must have been more than just a threshing floor, for the temple and other buildings would later be built on that site on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1).
1 Kings chapters 1 through 11. (1 and 2 Kings in the Hebrew bible were one book which included Israelite history from the death of David and the accession of Solomon in 971 B.C. to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in
587-6 B.C.)
1:1-4 – David’s declining strength. Abishag the Shunammite.
1:5-10 – Adonijah (David’s oldest son after the death of Absalom) organizes to be crowned king. Notice the people he included and the people he excluded.
1:11-31 – The prophet Nathan arranges for David to be brought into the picture and David affirms that Bathesheba’s son Solomon is to be king.
1:32-40 – Solomon is anointed king.
1:41-53 – Adonijah submits to Solomon and Solomon spares his life.
2:1-12 – David’s last words and death. A charge to Solomon. Some last orders regarding certain people. David’s reign: 40 years (from about 1010 to 970 B.C.)
2:13-48 – Solomon acts on David’s “suggestions”. Adonijah oversteps his bounds and is slain. Abiathar the priest is banished (end of Eli’s line of priests, see 1 Sam. 2:31-35). Joab is slain, Benaiah placed over the army, and Zadok made priest in Abiathar’s place. Shimei exceeds his bounds and is slain. “So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”
3:1,2 – Solomon’s marriage alliance with the Pharoah of Egypt.
3:3-15 – Solomon’s prayer for wisdom. Notice the conditional promise (v. 14).
3:16-28 – The two prostitutes and Solomon’s wise decision.
4:1-19 – Solomon’s court officials and arrangements for the royal household.
4:20-28 – The extent of Solomon’s reign. Provisions for the royal household.
4:29-34 – Solomon’s great wisdom. Of the Old Testament he is credited with writing Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Psalms 72 and 127.
5:1-18 – Preparations for the building of the temple.
6:1-37 – The building of the temple. A conditional promise (v. 11-13). Seven years under construction (v. 37,38).
7:1-12 – Palace buildings and temple furnishings.
8:1-13 – The ark of the covenant is brought to the temple. Note v. 10,11. Sadly, the time would come when the evil of Jerusalem would be so great that the glory of the Lord would depart, first from the temple, then from the city (Ezekiel 3; 10:4,18,19; 11:23).
8:14-21 – Solomon’s speech. “God – the promise keeper.”
8:22-53 – Solomon’s prayer. Including worship and petitions.
8:54-61 – Solomon’s benediction. Note the purpose of the election of Israel (v. 60).
8:62-66 – The offerings and the festival.
9:1-9 – God’s conditional covenant with Solomon. Notice the “if” and “then” (v. 4,5,6,7).
9:10-28 – Incidental details regarding Solomon’s reign.
10:1-13 – The visit of the queen of Sheba.
10:14-29 – The material splendor of Solomon’s kingdom. But compare Deut. 17:16.
11:1-8 – Solomon’s marriages to foreign women and enticement to idolatry. Cf. Deut.17:17.
11:14-40 – Adversaries rise against Solomon. Hadad the Edomite. Rezon. Jereboam of Ephraim in rebellion. The prophet Ahijah and the garment torn into twelve pieces.
11:41-42 – The death of Solomon after 40 years. Succeeded by his son Rehoboam.
Solomon – great potential but a sad result. “Enough” was never enough for Solomon.
“Spiritual success depends not only on insight but also on choices” (Constable).

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