Chapter 1

1:10 - In this verse an Amalekite says that he killed Saul. But 1 Sam.31:4 says that Saul committed suicide, and 2 Sam.21:12 says that the Philistines killed him. Which (if any) of these stories is true?

* Saul was hit by a Philistine arrow (1 Samuel 31:3).  Next, Saul laid on his armor bearer's sword (1 Samuel 31:4).  While he was dying, an Amalekite came by and killed him (2 Samuel 1:6-10).

1:15 - David tells one of his "young men" to kill the Amalekite messenger who claimed to have mercifully killed Saul at Saul's own request.

* David demanded the death of this Amalekite who aided in Saul's death.

1:18 - "Behold, it is written in the book of Jasher." Where? I can't seem to find a copy of this book.

* Since this verse was written over 2,000 years ago, it is safe to say that the author had access to some resources that we don't have, today.  This "Book of Jasher" is likely lost and will not be available to us.  Incidentally, there are some claims that this book has been found, but I have not investigated them thoroughly.

1:26 - David says to Jonathan: "very pleasant has thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of woman."

* David is simply indicating that he was thankful for Jonathan's pure love.  It was greater than the love that he had experienced from women.

* Deuteronomy 7:8 uses this same, Hebrew word for "love."  It begins, "Because the Lord loved you . . ."  It surely doesn't imply any kind of sexual or erotic love.

Chapter 2

2:8-9 - Some of Saul's family survived. Indeed, Ishbosheth (Saul's son) was made king and ruled for two years. Yet 1 Chr.10:6 states that all of Saul's family died with him.

* Ishbosheth was probably an illegitimate son of Saul's.  He may have been born from a concubine or another woman.  This is likely why he is not mentioned as being part of "Saul's house" or one of his three sons.  Incidentally, Ishbosheth was also called "Eshbaal" (see 1 Chronicles 8:33), which indicates his pagan heritage and the probability of being born illegitimately.

2:14-16 - Joab and Abner watch as the young men "play" a cruel game. "And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow side, so they fell down together."

* This was an unfortunate and diabolical game that resulted in many deaths.  Incidentally, the text never mentions that God sanctioned or approved of it.

2:23 - Abner smites Asahel "under the fifth rib." It seems that in 2 Samuel this is the preferred place to get smitten. (see also 3:27, 4:6, 20:10)

* The phrase "under the fifth rib" is probably referring to the stomach.

Chapter 3

3:2-5 - David, by this time, has at least seven wives (Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, and Ehlah), and he was just getting started.

* The text indicates that David had several wives.  However, these scriptures do not indicate that God approved of it.  In fact, in many instances (like Solomon's multiple wives), we see polygamy having a very negative effect and earning the judgment of God.  Since God wanted each man to have only one wife (this is clearly illustrated in Genesis and other passages), we know that even though the scriptures don't always, specifically mention God's judgment for polygamy, there were severe consequences.

3:14 - David says, "deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines." Well, he actually paid with two hundred foreskins (see 1 Sam.18:27).

* David is simply mentioning the requirement from Saul.  He demanded that 100 foreskins be given to him for Michal's hand in marriage.  David simply gave him an extra 100 and didn't mention it here.

3:27-29 - When Joab (David's captain) kills Abner (by smiting him under the fifth rib of course), David says that he and his kingdom are not responsible. The blame, he says, lays with Joab. So David curses Joab, his family, and their descendants forever. Let them all be plagued with venereal diseases and leprosy, starve to death, commit suicide, or lean on staves. (The Revised Standard Version translates "leaneth on a staff" as "holds a spindle," apparently meaning effeminate -- real men don't spin or weave.)

* Abner was killed because he had killed Ashael.  Incidentally, because of their wickedness, David cursed Abner's family.

Chapter 4

4:6-12 - Some of David's men kill Saul's son (by smiting him under the fifth rib, of course) and bring his head to David, thinking that he'll be pleased. But he wasn't. David has the assassins killed, their hands and feet chopped off, and their bodies hung up (for decorations?) over the pool in Hebron.

* Ishbosheth was Saul's son and he wasn't afflicting David.  Therefore, David was very angry at the people who killed him.

Chapter 5

5:4 - When did Absalom rebel against David? Much less than forty years since David only ruled for a total of forty years.

* This is correct and consistent with 2 Samuel 15:7, where many manuscripts and some translations say four years; not forty.  For instance, some Septuagint manuscripts, the Syriac, the NIV, and the Living Bible read four.  Therefore, the number is likely four, a mistranslation in some (not all) documents, and in agreement with 2 Samuel 15:7.

5:8 - Whoever kills the lame and the blind will be David's "chief and captain."

* Verse 6 records the Jebusites making a very arrogant statement.  They said that even the "blind and lame" could repel David and his army.  Therefore, in verse 8, David tells his army to kill the "blind and lame."  This phrase shouldn't be taken literally.

5:13 - "And David took him more concubines and wives." (How many? God knows I suppose, but he doesn't tell us in the Bible.)

* This is correct.  2 Samuel 5:13 records these historical events.  However, there is no indication that God approved of polygamy.

5:14-16 - The same list is given twice in 1 Chronicles (1 Chr.3:5-8, 14:4-7), but none of the lists have the same set of names.

* Some of these names are the same and some are different.  Therefore, these writers simply omitted some of David's sons.  Incidentally, some of the names in 2 Samuel 5 are the same in 1 Chronicles, but they have slightly different spellings.

5:19, 25 - David asks God if he should kill some more Philistines. God says yes, and he'll even help. So David and God "smote the Philistines" again.

* The Philistines were wicked and unrepentant pagans.  Therefore, God often judged them with death.

Chapter 6

6:2-3 - How long was the ark of the covenant at Abinadab's house?

* According to 1 Samuel 7:1 and 2, the Ark had been at Abinadab's house for 20 years.  In these verses (and in this chapter), there is no mention of the Ark being moved, who moved the Ark, where it was moved, etc.  We can safely conclude that it wasn't moved.  It remained there for at least 20 more years.

6:6-7 - Uzzah tries to keep the ark from falling off the cart, and God kills him for it. I guess it was God's way of saying Thanks. God is so taken with this story that he records it twice in the Bible: here and in 1 Chr.13:9-10. But in the 1 Samuel story, God kills Uzzah at "Nachon's threshingfloor", while in 1 Chronicles it happens near the "threshingfloor of Chidon."

* God gave specific instructions regarding carrying the Ark and touching the Ark.  Both of these instructions were ignored.  Therefore, God judged Uzzah by taking his life.

* This place was called both Nachon and Chidon.  This was likely a person's name and he was called by both names.  It is not unusual for a person to be called by two names.  See Jacob/Israel, Saul/Paul, Daniel/Belteshazzar, Azariah/Abednego, Sarai/Sarah, Abram/Abraham, etc.  Incidentally, over time, place names also change.

6:14 - Is dancing a sin?

* David praised the Lord with a dance and it pleased Him.

6:14, 20-22 - King David dances nearly naked in front of God and everybody. Michal criticizes him for it and God punishes her by having "no child unto the day of her death." Although 2 Sam.21:8 says that she had five sons.

* Michal made a hasty judgment.  Consequently, David either did not have sex with her any more or God closed her womb.

* According to 2 Samuel 21:8, Michal simply brought up these five sons.  They were adopted and belonged to Adriel.

Chapter 7

7:13, 16 - God says that Solomon's kingdom will last forever. It didn't of course. It was entirely destroyed about 400 years after Solomon's death, never to be rebuilt.

* This Hebrew word that was translated "forever," in the KJV, means "the vanishing point is concealed."  Therefore, God knew it would have an end, but the amount of time it would exist and its ending point were hidden.

Chapter 8

8:2-4 - David kills two thirds of the Moabites and makes the rest slaves. He also cripple the captured horses.

* Many of these wicked and unrepentant Moabites were judged with death.  However, some were allowed to be servants and others simply lived and paid "tribute" (taxes) to David.

* If David injured these horses, it was inhumane.  However, this Hebrew word for "horses" isn't present.  Therefore, it is quite likely that he only exterminated (or rendered inoperable) the majority of the chariots.

8:4 - David took 700 horsemen. Or was it 7000?

* 7000 horsemen were taken by David.  2 Samuel 8:4 indicates that 700 companies of horsemen were taken.  These horsemen were in companies of 10.  Therefore, there were a total of 7000 horsemen taken (as we see in 1 Chronicles 18:4).  The word "companies" is implied, yet omitted by the author of 2 Samuel 8:4.

8:6, 14 - David kills and tortures thousands of people, "and the Lord preserved David withersoever he went."

* Neither of these verses mention torture.  However, they do mention David overtaking these pagans and some of them paying "tribute" to him.

8:17 - Was Ahimelech the son of father of Abiathar?

* According to 1 Samuel 22:20-23 and 1 Samuel 23:6,  Ahimelech was the father of Abiathar. 

* According to 2 Samuel 8:17, 1 Chronicles 18:16, and 1 Chronicles 24:6, Abiathar (the son of Ahimelech) was the father of a child he named Ahimelech.

Chapter 10

10:18 - God has more troubles with numbers. Did David kill 700 or 7000 men in chariots? And was it 40,000 horsemen or 40,000 footmen?

* 2 Samuel 10:18 indicates David killed 700 men in chariots.  1 Chronicles 19:18 indicates he killed 7000 men in chariots.  This omission is very similar to the one in 2 Samuel 8:4.  The author of 2 Samuel simply indicated the number of companies (or leaders).  There were 700 companies with 10 in each.  Therefore, there were 7000 men in chariots.

* These horsemen were also trained as footmen.  Therefore, 2 Samuel 10:18 calls them horsemen and 1 Chronicles 19:18 calls them footmen.  These same men were both.

Chapter 11

11:2-5 - David sees a woman (Bathsheba) bathing and likes what he sees. so he sends for her and commits adultery with her "for she was purified from her uncleanness." She conceives and bears a son (of course).

* David sinned by committing adultery.  Bathsheba had just finished the purification rites that followed menstruation.

11:15, 17, 27 - David tells Joab (his captain) to send Bathseba's husband (Uriah) to "the forefront of the hottest battle ... that he may be smitten and die." In this way, David gets another wife.

* David sinned as he murdered Uriah by proxy.

Chapter 12

12:7-8 - "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel ... and I gave thee ... thy master's wives."

* These verses are indicating how God gave David Saul's riches, palace and even his wives into his keeping.

12:11-12 - God is angry at David for having Uriah killed. As a punishment, he will have David's wives raped by his neighbor while everyone else watches. It turns out that the "neighbor" that God sends to do his dirty work is David's own son, Absalom (16:22).

* God tells David how He will judge him for his sins.  Rape is never mentioned or implied, though.  God allowed David to face some hardships because of his sins.  He told David that He would remove His sovereign hand of protection and David would suffer.

12:14-18 - To punish David for having Uriah killed, God kills Bathsheba's baby boy.

* This boy was David and Bathsheba's son.  His life was taken because of his parents' sin.  God is speaking to David, but the scriptures do not indicate Bathsheba's hesitation or refusal to join David in his sinful desires.

12:24 - After Bathsheba's baby is killed by God, David comforts her by going "in unto her." She conceives and bears another son (Solomon).

* The Creator is the rightful giver and taker of life.

* Yes, David and Bathsheba have another son.

12:31 - David saws, hacks, and burns to death all the inhabitants of several cities. Maybe this is what is meant by "the tender mercies of David" (Acts 13:34).

* David's army conquered the wicked pagans of Rabbah (and others) and put the people to work.  There is no indication that he sawed these people.  The phrase "put them under saws" means that he put saws in their hands.

* The Hebrew word that was translated "pass," in the KJV's phrase "pass through the brickkiln," also means "transition."  This Hebrew word for "brickkiln" also means "brickwork."  Therefore, it is apparent that David made these people transition into brickwork (and not walk into a brick kiln).

Chapter 13

13:1-22 - Ammon (David's son) says to his half-sister Tamar, "Come lie with me, my sister." But she resists, so he rapes her and then sends her away. Tamar, knowing that she now belongs to him (since she was a virgin), expects him to marry her, but he refuses.

* Amnon did a very terrible thing.  He raped Tamar.

13:28-29 - Absalom has his servants kill his brother for raping his sister. (This chapter, which includes incest, rape, murder, should be rated NC-17.)

* Amnon is killed because of his atrocious sin.

Chapter 14

14:27 - This verse says that Absalom had three sons. Why then, a few chapters later (18:18), does Absalom say that he has no sons?

* Absalom had three sons, but they didn't survive him.  Therefore, in 2 Samuel 18:18, he indicates that he has no sons to carry on his name.

Chapter 15

* Many manuscripts and some translations say four years; not forty.  For instance, some Septuagint manuscripts, the Syriac, the NIV, and the Living Bible read four.  Therefore, the number is likely four, a mistranslation in some (not all) documents, and in agreement with 2 Samuel 5:4.

15:16 - David leaves ten of his concubines home to clean house.

* This is correct.  David left ten concubines home to clean.

Chapter 16

16:21-22 - Absalom "went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel." This was according the God's plan as announced in 2 Sam.12:11-12.

* This evil action was part of God's judgment on David.  God let it happen because of David's sins.

Chapter 17

17:25 - Who was Amasa's father?

* Ithra (Jithra) is the same person as Jether.  These are simply alternate spellings.  Incidentally, both names have the same meaning: abundance.  This is similar to a person being called both Mike and Michael.

Chapter 18

18:7 - In another biblical exaggeration, the servants of David kill 20,000 soldiers in one day.

* There is no indication that this is an exaggeration.

18:8 - "The wood [forest] devoured more people that day than the sword devoured." It must have been spooky forest to have devoured more than 20,000 soliers. There were probably lots of lions and tigers and bears. (Oh my!)

* These men were probably either eaten by wild beasts, fell into pits, swamps and other dire circumstances (or all of these, plus possibly more, tragic things).

18:14 - Poor Absalom gets his head caught in an oak tree, and before he can get free, Joab thrusts three darts through his heart.

* This is correct.

18:18 - This verse says that Absalom had no sons, but a few chapters before (14:27) he is said to have three sons.

* Absalom had three sons, but they didn't survive him.  Therefore, in 2 Samuel 18:18, he indicates that he has no sons to carry on his name.

Chapter 20

20:3 - David shows unusual restraint and "went not in unto his concubines." Instead, he imprisons them as a punishment for being raped by David's son, Absalom.

* Imprisonment is never mentioned here.  David preserved these, ten concubines and "supported them" (he met their needs, but wouldn't sleep with them).  However, the reason isn't mentioned.  He likely did this because of their consensual intercourse with Absalom, the fact they were now defiled by his son, the danger of divorcing these women, the potential problems involved with them leaving and marrying others, etc.

20:10, 12 - Amasa is viciously slaughtered by Joab, who "shed out his bowels to the ground ... And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway."

* Joab received a blow with a sword to his stomach.  Amasa killed him.

20:21-22 - "And they cut off the head of Sheba ... and cast it out to Joab."

* Sheba was a rebel and an evil oppressor to David and his people.  Therefore, Joab demanded that he be put to death and the people obliged.

Chapter 21

21:1 - A famine is sent on David's kingdom for three years. When David asks God why, God answers: "It is for Saul, and his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. "So God sent a famine to punish a kingdom for something that a former king had done.

* God punished David and his kingdom because Saul had unjustly killed the Gibeonites and nobody had compensated them for their loss.  God wanted to get David's attention and judge His people for what they had done.

21:1, 8-9, 14 - Does God approve of human sacrifice? According to these verses he does.

* There is no indication that God approves human sacrifice.  David heeded the Gibeonites' wishes.  Unfortunately, he did not try and bargain with them or offer them other things.  Furthermore, the scriptures never indicate that God wanted or appreciated David's decision.

21:6, 9 - To appease God and end the famine that was caused by his predecessor (Saul), David agrees to have seven of Saul's sons killed and hung up "unto the Lord." But in other places the bible say that children are not to be punished for their father's sins.

* God told the Israelites not to punish fathers for their son's sins or sons for their father's sins.  However, the Gibeonites made a diabolic request and David honored it.  This is recorded history and these people were far from perfect.

21:8 - How many children did Michal have?

* According to 2 Samuel 21:8, Michal simply brought up these five sons.  They were adopted and belonged to Adriel.

21:12 - Who killed Saul?

* Saul was hit by a Philistine arrow (1 Samuel 31:3).  Next, Saul laid on his armor bearer's sword (1 Samuel 31:4).  While he was dying, an Amalekite came by and killed him (2 Samuel 1:6-10).

21:19 - "Elhanan ... slew Goliath." (The editors of the King James Version added the words "the brother of" to avoid the obvious contradiction. This is shown by the italics in the KJV.) But 1 Sam.17:23, 50 says that David killed Golliath.

* In the KJV and NJKV, 2 Samuel 21:19 corresponds with 1 Samuel 17:50.  There is consistency.  Some manuscripts or translations may not indicate "the brother of," but even in those, the meaning is surely implied and known.

Chapter 22

22:8-16 - The earth shakes, the foundations of heaven move, smoke comes out of God's nostrils, and fire out of his mouth.

* These verses describe the actions of God.  They are not literal.  They symbolize the awesome things that He had done.

22:35 - "He teacheth my hands to war." Might as well learn from an expert.

* God taught David and helped him win wars over the wicked pagans that were around him.

22:41 - "Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies."

* Many people hated David and wanted to kill him, so he was happy that God delivered him and kept him safe.  Therefore, 2 Samuel 22:41 reads, "You have also given me the necks of my enemies, so that I destroyed those who hated me."

Chapter 24

24:1 - God tempts David to take census, though 1 Chr.21:1 says that Satan tempted David, and Jas.1:13 says that God never tempts anyone. Why did God or Satan tempt David to take the census? And what the heck is wrong with a census anyway?

* The Hebrew word here is translated "moved" and not "tempted."  God let David be tempted to take this census.  Since God is sovereign and in control of all things, even when He allows something to happen, it may be said that He made it happen.  Consequently, He didn't literally tempt David, but He let him be tempted.

* 1 Chronicles 21:1 indicates that Satan tempted David to take the census.  This is exactly what happened.

* This census indicated David's vanity and pride.  He didn't ask God if it was ok to take the census.  He simply did it for his ego.

24:9 - How many soldiers did Israel have? This verse says that Judah and Israel had a total of 1,300,000 fighting men (1 Chr.21:5 says 1,570,000) in this battle. Of course, this is a ridiculously high number for a battle between two tribal armies in 1000 BCE. (The United States had about 1.37 million active duty soldiers in 2001.)

* 2 Samuel 24:9 indicates Israel had 800,000 "valiant" men.  These were trained men that had battle experience.  1 Chronicles 21:5 indicates Israel had 1,100,000 total soldiers.  Both figures are correct.  Israel had 800,000 "valiant" men and 300,000 "non-valiant" men.

* 2 Samuel 24:9 also indicates that Judah had 500,000 soldiers.  1 Chronicles 21:5 indicates that Judah had 470,000 soldiers.  1 Chronicles 21:6 tells us why there is a discrepancy.  ". . . he did not number Levi and Benjamin among them . . ."

24:10 - David sinned in numbering the people. But 1 Kg.15:5 says that David never sinned, except for in the matter of Uriah.

* 1 Kings 15:5 simply indicates that the situation with Uriah was the one act of flagrant disobedience where David did not do what God commanded him to do.  This verse never says that David was otherwise perfect.

24:13 - God offers David a choice of punishments for having conducted the census: 1) seven years of famine (1 Chr.21:1 says three years), 2) three months fleeing from enemies, or 3) three days of pestilence. David can't decide, so God chooses for him and sends a pestilence, killing 70,000 men (and probably around 200,000 women and children).

* God loved David, but knew that him and his people deserved punishment.  Therefore, God spoke to him through Gad and asked him which punishment he desired.

24:14 - After God threatens to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people for a census that he inspired, David says, "let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great?"

* David knew and trusted God.  He knew that they deserved punishment, but he also knew that God was loving and would eventually bless and restore them.

24:16 - Finally, when the angel is about to destroy Jerusalem, "the Lord repented." That's nice, but several Bible verses say that God cannot repent. And why would it be necessary for a good God to repent of the evil that he planned to do?

* God cannot repent from a sin because He cannot be tempted and cannot sin.

* This Hebrew word for "repent" is also translated "relent."  God simply chose not to judge the people in this way.

24:17 - Even David can see the injustice of God's punishment (killing hundreds of thousands of people because David took a census). He pleads with God saying, "I have sinned ... but these sheep, what have they done?"

* David pleaded with God because he didn't want Him to judge his people.  However, everyone has sinned.  All people are sinners and are unable to perfectly follow God.  Therefore, He has the right to judge them as He sees fit.  Nonetheless, He decides to have some mercy on them.

24:24 - David bought the threshing floor for 50 shekels of silver. But 1 Chr.21:25 says he bought it for 600 shekels of gold.

* 2 Samuel 24:24 indicates that David bought the threshing floor for 50 shekels of silver.  This was simply part of the transaction and possibly only the initial deal.

* 1 Chronicles 21:25 indicates he bought the entire place (Mount Moriah) for 600 shekels of gold (verse 22 also indicates that he was buying the entire "place" and not just the threshing floor for 600 shekels of gold).