2 Samuel 1:1

David Learns of the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan

1:1 After the death of Saul, ¹  when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, ²  he stayed at Ziklag ³  for two days.

2 Samuel 2:19

2:19 Asahel chased Abner, without turning to the right or to the left as he followed Abner.

2 Samuel 2:25

2:25 The Benjaminites formed their ranks ⁴  behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.

2 Samuel 2:28

2:28 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks. ⁵  They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting. ⁶ 

2 Samuel 3:26

3:26 Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.)

2 Samuel 5:13

5:13 David married more concubines and wives from Jerusalem after he arrived from Hebron. Even more sons and daughters were born to David.

2 Samuel 8:1

David Subjugates Nearby Nations

8:1 Later David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. David took Metheg Ammah ⁷  from the Philistines. ⁸ 

2 Samuel 13:1

The Rape of Tamar

13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her. ⁹ 

2 Samuel 17:1

The Death of Ahithophel

17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick out twelve thousand men. Then I will go and pursue David this very night.

2 Samuel 18:16

18:16 Then Joab blew the trumpet ¹⁰  and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt.

2 Samuel 19:30

19:30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have ¹¹  the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely ¹²  to his house!”

2 Samuel 20:2

20:2 So all the men of Israel deserted ¹³  David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River ¹⁴  to Jerusalem. ¹⁵ 

2 Samuel 20:7

20:7 So Joab’s men, accompanied by the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.

2 Samuel 20:11

20:11 One of Joab’s soldiers who stood over Amasa said, “Whoever is for ¹⁶  Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!”

2 Samuel 21:18

21:18 Later there was another battle with the Philistines, this time in Gob. On that occasion Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of Rapha.

[1:1]  ¹ sn This chapter is closely linked to 1 Sam 31. It should be kept in mind that 1 and 2 Samuel were originally a single book, not separate volumes. Whereas in English Bible tradition the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Ezra-Nehemiah are each regarded as two separate books, this was not the practice in ancient Hebrew tradition. Early canonical records, for example, counted them as single books respectively. The division into two books goes back to the Greek translation of the OT and was probably initiated because of the cumbersome length of copies due to the Greek practice (unlike that of Hebrew) of writing vowels. The present division into two books can be a little misleading in terms of perceiving the progression of the argument of the book; in some ways it is preferable to treat the books of 1-2 Samuel in a unified fashion.

[1:1]  ² sn The Amalekites were a nomadic people who inhabited Judah and the Transjordan. They are mentioned in Gen 36:15-16 as descendants of Amalek who in turn descended from Esau. In Exod 17:8-16 they are described as having acted in a hostile fashion toward Israel as the Israelites traveled to Canaan from Egypt. In David’s time the Amalekites were viewed as dangerous enemies who raided, looted, and burned Israelite cities (see 1 Sam 30).

[1:1]  ³ sn Ziklag was a city in the Negev which had been given to David by Achish king of Gath. For more than a year David used it as a base from which he conducted military expeditions (see 1 Sam 27:5-12). According to 1 Sam 30:1-19, Ziklag was destroyed by the Amalekites while Saul fought the Philistines.

[2:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “were gathered together.”

[2:28]  ⁷ tn Heb “stood.”

[2:28]  ⁸ tn Heb “they no longer chased after Israel and they no longer fought.”

[8:1]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “the bridle of one cubit.” Many English versions treat this as a place name because the parallel text in 1 Chr 18:1 reads “Gath” (which is used by NLT here). It is possible that “the bridle of one cubit” is to be understood as “the token of surrender,” referring to the Philistine’s defeat rather than a specific place (cf. TEV, CEV).

[8:1]  ¹¹ tn Heb “from the hand [i.e., control] of the Philistines.”

[13:1]  ¹³ tn Heb “Amnon the son of David loved her.” The following verse indicates the extreme nature of his infatuation, so the translation uses “madly in love” here.

[18:16]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “the shophar” (the ram’s horn trumpet).

[19:30]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “take.”

[19:30]  ²⁰ tn Heb “in peace.”

[20:2]  ²² tn Heb “went up from after.”

[20:2]  ²³ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[20:2]  ²⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[20:11]  ²⁵ tn Heb “takes delight in.”