Please read my II Samuel study questions and then all of II Samuel. Choose one of the study guide questions and suggest an answer to that question below. Please try to choose a study question not already addressed by another student.
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What is David's relationship with Michal? Does he treat her fairly?
I'm not sure that what David and Michal have can be considered a relationship. While David was off hiding from Saul she was given to another man. Then when Abner becomes upset with the house of Saul he goes to make a deal with David but David will not even meet with Abner unless he brings Michal with him. This may appear to be a loving act on behalf of David but it is far from. David is simply building his ego and exercising his power to get whatever he wants. It is made more apparent that he really has no strong feelings for Michal when he takes even more wives and concubines after they are reunited. The last straw however is when the ark of the Lord is brought to David. David goes about dancing and exposing himself to anything female and Michal confronts him about it when he returns home comparing his actions to any vulgar being rather than the actions of a king. With his ever inflated ego David retorts that since the Lord annointed him king he will do whatever vulgar acts he wants. Obviously women have become mere possesions to David which is rather unfair to Michal since she really did love him at one time.
Question #14
In response to the question what does chapter 22 show about Samuel.
Chapter 22 shows a couple things about Samuel. First of all it shows that he is putting all his faith in God. He consistantly gives praise to God for the battles he has won and the things he has accomplished. Verse 33 says, "God is my strength and power, And he makes my way perfect."
David's rise to personal greatness was all because of God. He was a leader and God sought that quality out in David. David realized this and instead of becoming prideful and arrogant he used it to glorify God and the people of Isreal. David and unified the Isrealites which no leader was able to do before hand. David was not a flawless man and he definatly had some faults, but when he did he recognized them and put his faith in God. I feel many could learn a valueable lesson from David inorder to have God be central in their own lives.
12. Why does Absalom's rebellion succeed initially? Why does it eventually fail?
Absalom’s rebellion succeeded at first because of talk. He would talk to the townspeople about what he could do differently. He puts down his father’s work as a king and claims that only if he were king he would do great things. Absalom’s plan was working and soon he was getting support from the people.
However, this doesn’t mean he succeeds at taking over David’s place. When the time comes for Absalom’s army to meet David’s, it was unmatched. David’s army truly knew what they were doing and it became a slaughter. Absalom died and even though he had tried to take over his father’s kingdom, David was very upset when finding out about it. He loved his son so much and even though he didn’t show it wand his son sinned, he had wished they could have traded places.
9. How does David's affair with Bathsheba compare to Saul's disobedience? Which man is the worse sinner? How does each man react when confronted with their own wrongdoing?
David’s affair with Bathsheba is an act of jealousy just as Saul’s disobedience was an act of jealousy. David coveted Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, had an affair with her and thus impregnated her. After he found out that she was carrying his child, he tried to get Uriah to go home and sleep with her to make it look like it was Uriah’s child, not his. When Uriah wouldn’t go home because they were in the midst of a war, David had him killed. David’s jealousy and lustful behavior made him lash out and do the unimaginable. In much the same way, Saul’s jealousy caused him to lash out toward David in unthinkable ways.
I don’t believe we have the power to say who the worst sinner was – that is God’s line of ‘work’. I will say that they both committed horrible sins. David’s breaking of four commandments at once stands out as horrible, but then again so do Saul’s acts of complete disobedience.
Saul ‘feels bad’ for what he had done and felt remorse for the way he treated David or at least that is what he told David. However, when David wasn’t looking, Saul again tries to kill him…he wasn’t too sorry for what he had done if you ask me. On the other hand, when Nathan confronts David about his sin, he seems to be truly sorry for what he had done (after his eyes were opened to the sins he had committed).
I don’t remember for sure…but it seems to me that Saul did not repent to the LORD, he only thanked Him for sparing his life when David had the opportunity to kill him. It is shown very clearly in chapter 12 that David repents to the LORD and seeks his forgiveness (if your interested, by study Bible led me to Psalm 51 for a ‘poetic recording of David’s confession').
11. Why does David have problems with his own family? Why in particular the problems with Amnon and Absalom?
- It seems that many of the problems in David’s live stems from women. In this case it is no different. Amnon develops an interest in his sister Tamar, and wants to act on it. Tamar sees the evil in this and denies him. Unfortunately, Amnon is too strong and rapes Tamar. Absalom after hearing about this becomes enraged with Amnon and kills him. Absalom runs away because he thinks his father will be mad. What is a father to do? This problem just stems from one incident with his children not to mention the multiple wives and concubines.
6. What is the relationship between Joab and David? Which has the clearer understanding of political realities?
- It seems like Joab does everything for David. I would definitely say that Joab has a clearer understanding of political realities. One does not ask the President about the military, they asked the generals. This seems to be the case here. Did I miss something about Joab? Happy Blogging!!!
The consequences for David's sin at first glance would seem to be severe. The sword would never leave his house, his neighbors would lie with his wives, adversity against him from his own house, the death of his child he had with Bathsheba. However the Lord put away David's sin and did not kill him. Where is the justice for Uriah? When David heard about the death of Uriah his response was, no big deal, the sword devours one as well as the other. If you close your eyes picture him wagging his finger at the messenger while he is saying this in a Clintonesqe manner. David didn't even think of this as a sin until the Lord sent Nathan to him with the story of the sheep. 2 Samuel 23:3 says 'He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. Seems to me David was not just with Uriah. God should have dropped the hammer on David but did not. Kings and presidents should always be held to a higher standard then others. If your name is Kennedy or Clinton those standards don't apply to you. The only reasons I can see for God not killing David are that Solomon had not been born yet and to keep Israel together as a nation for Solomon's eventual rule. Of course, I could be wrong.
8. Note particularly God's covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7. How does David contrast with Saul in regard to religious affairs?
This contrasts with Saul's religious affairs greatly. In 1st Samuel, Saul disobeys God greatly, doing what he finds right. We see this constantly in the first book. There are examples in chapter 13, 14, and 15 that are rather prominent.
In contrast, David listens to God after initially attempting to do something not right in God's eyes (putting the ark of the covenant in a building rather than a tent). After hearing God's word from Nathan, David prays to God and promises to keep firm the nation of Israel.
This is something that we never see from Saul. This serves as a great example of 1st Samuel and why it was divided in the first place from the second book. It serves as a preliminary work that gives a reader context to compare David to Saul, and eventually Solomon to Elkanah.
With this covenant, David is able to better do what God wants for the Israelites, rather than doing things for himself (like Saul).
It is obvious that the writer of 2 Samuel was in favor of the king David. He shows us many of David's strong points of when he is just and a good warrior. Such as when he doesn't allow the punishment of Saul's relative who throws rocks at him. But there are many instances that we see David and his downfalls. Such as when she see the women bathing, has sex and impregnates her. Instead of living up to his sin he uses his power and has her husband killed in battle. Then he marries her.
I believe that the author shows us this so we don't believe that David is perfect. No man or women for that fact is perfect we are all flawed and will sin. Even those in power. But that does not mean that we are bad because we sin. So I just believe that it was put in there as a reminder that even the Lord's blessed are not sinless.
What are the consequences of David's sin? Does he get off too lightly?
David sends his army to besiege Rabbah. From his rooftop, he spots a pretty woman, and later finds out that she is Bathsheba the wife of Uriah. David has relations with her, and she becomes pregnant, so he orders Uriah to be placed in the fiercest of the fighting, and for the army to draw back from him. Uriah is killed, and David marries Bathsheba. Nathan tells David a story, asking him for an opinion. When Nathan reveals that the story describes his actions over Uriah, David realizes that by his analysis he has condemned himself. Nathan tells him that the house of David will be cursed with always falling victim to the sword. More directly, Bathsheba's child dies as punishment. David has relations with her again, and she has a son that she names Solomon, but Nathan names it Jedediah.
The consequences for David’s actions do not seem to be heavy enough. David’s offspring are cursed to die by the sword, which seems like an honorable way to die.
The writer of II Samuel clearly admires David, yet he includes many incidents that are not to the king's credit. Why?
It would seem that the writer here is making a statement about how men who follow a king become corrupt. It goes along the line of instead of keeping your eyes on God, the person is looking to find favor in the king(David).
The sin is always found out and dealt with by God.
7. What do you make of a man like Abner? Why does he fight for Ishbosheth? Why does he turn on Ishbosheth?
From what I remember from I Samuel, Abner seemed like a pretty loyal commander of Saul's army. He could have been a good commander too; perhaps Saul's army would have seen more victory under Abner's command had God not left Saul's side and led the Philistines and other groups to victory against him. As for protecting Saul, we see two times when David had the chance to kill Saul and didn't--the second time Abner was right there next to Saul, sleeping under a tree... But again, there's nothing Abner could do to change the course of things that were God's will, so I'll cut him some slack here.
It seems Abner fights for Ish-Bosheth out of loyalty to Saul. Abner believed Saul to have been the true and rightful king of Israel, so at Saul's death Abner annoints Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth, as king to create a kindgom under Saul's name. Abner no doubt respected Saul, otherwise he could have turned to follow David, for it seems that the people already knew David had been chosen by God as the next king. Out of respect, loyalty, and maybe even love, Abner tried to keep the kingship in Saul's line despite the will of God. And so he follows Ish-Bosheth and fights for him against David's men, just as he had fought for Saul.
Yet it doesn't take long for Abner to turn on Ish-Bosheth. 2 Samuel chapter 3 tells us that while Saul was king Abner had become more and more powerful and had much strengthened his position in the house of Saul. But, Ish-Bosheth accused Abner of sleeping with one of Saul's concubines after Saul had died (now a concubine of Ish-Bosheth perhaps?). Abner swears he did not touch her, and the accusation came as a slap in the face to someone of Abner's rank, a trusted servant of Ish-Bosheth's father. "This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends," says Abner in 3:8, "I haven't handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!"
This offense to Abner's character switched Abner's loyalties from the house of Saul (now run by Ish-Bosheth) to the house of David. Abner remembered what the Lord had promised to David (the kingship) and Abner quickly left and befriended the rightful king.
3. What seems to be David's primary weakness? Why is David weak in this particular area?
I think the best example of David weaknesses show up in Chapter 11. This is where David sees Bathsheba bathing and has a desire for her. David is told she is the wife of Uriah the Hittite but that does not stop him from sleeping with her, which results in Bathsheba becoming pregnant. David's reaction to this event is interesting as well, he has Uriah eat and drink with him, and then has Uriah take a message to Joab. In this message David requests for Uriah to be put in the forefront of the battle so he will be killed, Uriah is killed and David takes Bathsheba to be his wife. His primary weakness may be hard to pinpoint, but he does seem to have a weakness for women and pleasure. He desires to obtain things that are pleasing to his mind and in this case he desires Bathsheba. Because of this desire he ends up killing an innocent man Uriah. David shows a lack of respect for others in this case, Bathsheba was Uriah's wife and she should not have been pursued by David like she was. David also begins to show a tendency toward corruption. He is willing to kill another man to solve the problems he created with this affair. If a monarch, in this case David, would use his power to obtain anything he wanted the society would eventually be destined for disaster. It is easy to see why God becomes angry with David over this incident.
The writer of II Samuel clearly admires David, yet he includes many incidents that are not to the king's credit. Why?
David did have many admirable qualities and he did trust in the Lord and gave praise to God for his victories. II Samuel includes incidents that are not to the king's credit to show that just because King David had God's favor he was still a sinner. He had strengths and weaknesses like everyone else.
2 samual, 22
i think this is actualy very important. you see the entier thing as a song prasing god. not praising mans accomplishments, not praising ones own strength but instead prasing god. prasing God beocuse david knew, that without god, with out his faith he wouldent have accomplished what he had. he wouldent be who he was. it was god that helped him along the way. he says god is his; rock, refuge, sheild, savior. he says all these things prasing god, beocuse god helpedhim. the lord is something/someone that he can rely on and is deserving of prase.
so ultimatly it shows how big a person david can be becosue he could easily have a song all abotu how great and wounderful he himself is.but i dostn he prases god over himself.
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