2 Samuel Chapters 1-3

1:6-10 - We know from reading the story of Saul's death in I Samuel that this messenger is lying to David. He is increasing his importance in the story to get in good with the man he thinks is going to be the new king. He is assuming that since Saul was always try to kill David, that David will be pleased with the man who helped to kill him and came bearing Saul's crown. Oops...

1:12 - Though it would seem that this is a time to rejoice...the illegitimate king is dead...David's pursuer is dead...he can now assume the role of king for which God anointed him - but David and his men are all grief stricken. This shows David's great love for the nation of Israel and his faithfulness to God (And it shows all the people of God that David had nothing to do with Saul's death).

1:14-15 - Is this really fair - killing the messenger? Well, we already know he is a conniving liar who is trying to get in good with David. We also know that TWICE David could have easily killed Saul, but he refused to raise a hand against God's anointed out of his great love for God. Now this Amelekite (A enemy of Israel whose people David just killed to get his family back) is trying to curry favor and says he killed Saul...that's not gonna fly with a God-fearing man like David. His judgement is righteous and swift.

1:26 - Big question about this passage...does this prove that David and Jonathan were in a homosexual relationship? (There are a lot of people that have tried to read such an idea into this scripture and others that came before) No! 1.) First of all the word used for "love" in the Hebrew in this passage is referring to covenantal love - and we know that David and Jonathan had a covenant of trust between them. They did love each other. There is never in reference in the relationship between Jonathan and David to the Hebrew word for "know" which was used to denote sexual relationships - never. 2.) What about the "love you more than a woman" stuff? Well, for defeating Goliath David is promised Saul's daughter Michal. But long before he is ever able to marry Michal - Jonathan, (Saul's son) befriends and welcomes David as a brother. David is saying that ultimately, his relationship with Jonathan was more powerful and important than any of the one's he had with women who he married for political power and as prizes for winning battles. 3.) The entire story of David's ascent tot he throne in I and II Samuel is told to portray David as the king after God's heart...homosexuality was explicitly against Israelite law...there is no way the narrators would have painted David in that light.

2:1 - Yet again, David refuses to act until he is sure of the will of God.

2:4 - Men have finally recognized what God made a reality years before - David is crowned king of Israel (Well, Judah anyway...the rest will come later).

2:8 - The person with the real power here is Abner. The text says that he made Ish-Bosheth the king of Israel. Abner is Saul's cousin and the general of Saul's armies, and Ish is just a puppet king (No offense Ish!). This is the legacy that Saul left for his sons...a weak and powerless king whose only proclamation as king comes in chapter three when he gives in to King Davids demands for getting his wife Michal back. The tragedy of ignoring God's will lived out over generations.

2:16 - They try to keep the blood shed down and use champions to decide to battle...but all 24 men kill each other, so the slaughter of brother against brother - children of God...continues.

2:26ff - After seeing the body of Ashael (With the butt of a spear driven through his entire body...that must have left a mess) and the other dead Israelites, both sides lose heart...they just walk away. They know what they are doing is wrong. They know that they are killing their own brothers, but the war continues on over the next few years.

3:8 - Ish-Bosheth falsely accuses Abner of sleeping with one of King Saul's concubines (Which is basically like accusing Abner of trying to steal the throne from him, because it would have legitimized Abner's claim to be king)...and it is the last straw for Abner. He has fought a losing battle for Saul's lineage and finally decides that he is going to help bring about what God wanted anyway - he was going to help unify the kingdom under David. I wonder why he waited so long if he knew what God wanted all along? Maybe out of respect for Saul? Why do you and I keep wallowing in the crap that we get ourselves into when we know what God wants all along?

3:27ff - Joab lies to Abner, deceives everyone, breaks the covenant that David made with Abner and kills him in revenge for his brother Ashael. Violence begets violence. Again David's road to the throne is paved in murder and death...and again he weeps and mourns the loss of Abner and proves to the people of Israel that he is innocent.

3:32ff - Over and over int he first three chapters we see the author defend David's innocence of blood guilt. Though David was anointed by God as the king of Israel...and he probably had a right to bring justice against these men that opposed him - he is absolutely honorable in the way he attains rule of the kingdom.