Tenakh Study

2 Samuel, chapter by chapter

Each chapter has its own page with the Hebrew text (with vowels and cantillation marks), a transliteration and a modernized King James translation, side by side. Our Messianic Jewish notes on the passage are shown on every chapter page; tap Commentary to hide them.

1. 1
   2 Samuel 1 · 27 verses

   The death of Shaul and David’s lament

   David hears of the deaths of Shaul and Yehonatan on Mount Gilboa, judges the Amaleki who claims to have killed the king, and mourns them in a lament: “How are the mighty fallen!”

   Read chapter 1
2. 2
   2 Samuel 2 · 32 verses

   David king in Chevron; war with the house of Shaul

   The men of Yehudah anoint David king in Chevron, while Avner makes Ish-Boshet king over the rest of Israel. War breaks out at the pool of Givon, and Asah’el falls.

   Read chapter 2
3. 3
   2 Samuel 3 · 39 verses

   Avner comes over to David and is killed

   David grows stronger. Avner breaks with Ish-Boshet and brings Israel over to David, but Yo’av kills him in the gate of Chevron. David mourns Avner before all the people.

   Read chapter 3
4. 4
   2 Samuel 4 · 12 verses

   The murder of Ish-Boshet

   Ish-Boshet loses heart after Avner’s death and is murdered in his bed by two of his own captains. David executes the killers, as he executed the Amaleki, and buries Ish-Boshet’s head in Avner’s tomb.

   Read chapter 4
5. 5
   2 Samuel 5 · 25 verses

   David king over all Israel; Yerushalayim taken

   All the tribes come to Chevron and anoint David king over all Israel. He takes Yerushalayim and makes it the city of David, and Hashem gives him two victories over the Pelishtim.

   Read chapter 5
6. 6
   2 Samuel 6 · 23 verses

   The ark comes to the city of David

   David sets out to bring the ark of God up to Yerushalayim on a new cart, and Uzza dies when he takes hold of it. Three months later the ark is carried up with offerings, shouting and dancing, and Michal despises David for it.

   Read chapter 6
7. 7
   2 Samuel 7 · 29 verses

   Hashem’s covenant with David

   At rest in his cedar house, David wants to build a house for the ark. That night Hashem answers through Natan: David will not build Hashem a house; Hashem will build David a house, a son who builds the Temple and a throne established forever. David sits before Hashem and prays.

   Read chapter 7
8. 8
   2 Samuel 8 · 18 verses

   David’s wars and his officers

   A summary of David’s wars: the Pelishtim, Mo’av, Hadadezer of Tzovah, Aram of Damesek and Edom are subdued, To’i of Chamat sends tribute, and David dedicates the gold and silver to Hashem. He reigns over all Israel with judgment and justice, and his officers are named.

   Read chapter 8
9. 9
   2 Samuel 9 · 13 verses

   David’s kindness to Mefiboshet

   With the kingdom secure, David asks whether anyone is left of the house of Shaul, so that he can show him kindness for Yehonatan’s sake. Tziva tells him of Mefiboshet, Yehonatan’s lame son, hiding in Lo Devar. David restores Shaul’s land to him and seats him at the king’s table for life.

   Read chapter 9
10. 10
    2 Samuel 10 · 19 verses

    The war with Ammon

    David sends comforters to Chanun, the new king of Ammon, for his father’s sake. Chanun shames the envoys and hires Aram against Israel. Yo’av and Avishai defeat both on two fronts, and David himself breaks Aram at Chelam; Hadadezer’s vassals make peace with Israel.

    Read chapter 10
11. 11
    2 Samuel 11 · 27 verses

    David and Bat-Sheva

    While Yo’av besieges Rabbah, David stays in Yerushalayim, sees Bat-Sheva from his roof and takes her. When she conceives he recalls her husband Uriyah, who will not go home while the ark is in the field, and then has him killed in battle. David marries the widow, “but the thing that David had done displeased Hashem.”

    Read chapter 11
12. 12
    2 Samuel 12 · 31 verses

    “You are the man”: Natan’s rebuke and Shlomo’s birth

    Hashem sends Natan with a parable of a rich man who took a poor man’s one lamb. David condemns the man, and Natan answers, “You are the man.” David confesses, Hashem forgives him, but the child dies; Shlomo is born and named Yedidyah; and David takes Rabbah and the crown of Ammon.

    Read chapter 12
13. 13
    2 Samuel 13 · 39 verses

    Amnon and Tamar; Avshalom’s revenge

    Amnon, David’s firstborn, tricks his half-sister Tamar into his room and rapes her, then throws her out. David is angry and does nothing. Two years later Avshalom, her brother, has Amnon killed at a sheepshearing feast and flees to his grandfather in Geshur for three years.

    Read chapter 13
14. 14
    2 Samuel 14 · 33 verses

    The wise woman of Tekoa; Avshalom returns

    Yo’av sends a wise woman from Tekoa with a parable that traps David into recalling Avshalom. Avshalom returns to Yerushalayim but is kept from the king’s face for two years; he burns Yo’av’s field to force a meeting, and the king kisses him without a word of confession or correction.

    Read chapter 14
15. 15
    2 Samuel 15 · 37 verses

    Avshalom’s revolt; David flees Yerushalayim

    Avshalom courts the people at the city gate, then has himself proclaimed king in Chevron with Achitofel at his side. David flees Yerushalayim with his household and the loyal Ittai, sends the ark back with Tzadok, climbs the Mount of Olives weeping and barefoot, and sends Chushai back to defeat Achitofel’s counsel.

    Read chapter 15
16. 16
    2 Samuel 16 · 23 verses

    Tziva’s gift and Shimei’s curse; the roof

    On the far side of the Mount of Olives, Tziva brings David bread and a slander against Mefiboshet. At Bachurim, Shimei of the house of Shaul curses David and throws stones, and David will not let Avishai kill him: “let him curse; for Hashem has bidden him.” In Yerushalayim, Chushai joins Avshalom, and on Achitofel’s advice Avshalom takes his father’s concubines in a tent on the roof.

    Read chapter 16
17. 17
    2 Samuel 17 · 29 verses

    Achitofel’s counsel defeated; a table in the wilderness

    Achitofel urges Avshalom to strike David that night with twelve thousand men, but Chushai talks him into gathering all Israel instead, “for Hashem had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Achitofel.” The priests’ sons carry the warning to David, hiding in a well at Bachurim; David crosses the Yarden; Achitofel goes home and hangs himself. At Machanayim, Shovi, Machir and Barzillai bring food for the king and his people.

    Read chapter 17
18. 18
    2 Samuel 18 · 32 verses

    The death of Avshalom; two runners

    David divides his army under Yo’av, Avishai and Ittai, and the people keep him in the city. He charges the captains, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man.” In the forest of Efrayim, Avshalom’s head is caught in a terebinth; Yo’av thrusts three darts into his heart, and he is buried under a heap of stones. Two runners bring the news, and the king asks each one the same question: “Is it well with the young man, with Avshalom?”

    Read chapter 18
19. 19
    2 Samuel 19 · 44 verses

    David returns; Shimei, Mefiboshet and Barzillai

    David weeps for Avshalom until Yo’av rouses him to sit in the gate. The tribes argue over bringing the king back, and David wins Yehudah by making Amasa his general. At the Yarden he pardons Shimei, hears Mefiboshet, and parts from old Barzillai, who sends Kimham in his place; then Israel and Yehudah quarrel over who has more of the king.

    Read chapter 19
20. 20
    2 Samuel 20 · 26 verses

    Sheva’s revolt; the wise woman of Avel

    Sheva son of Bichri blows the shofar, “We have no portion in David,” and Israel follows him. David shuts up the ten concubines. Yo’av kills Amasa with a kiss at Giv’on and pursues Sheva to Avel Beit Ma’achah, where a wise woman makes peace and Sheva’s head is thrown over the wall. The chapter ends with David’s officers.

    Read chapter 20
21. 21
    2 Samuel 21 · 22 verses

    The Giv’onim, Ritzpah, and the sons of the giant

    A three-year famine is traced to Shaul’s blood-guilt toward the Giv’onim. David spares Mefiboshet for Yehonatan’s oath and hands over seven of Shaul’s sons; Ritzpah guards their bodies from harvest until the rains, and David buries Shaul and Yehonatan in the tomb of Kish. In the last Philistine wars four sons of the giant fall, and David’s men vow not to let him quench “the lamp of Israel.”

    Read chapter 21
22. 22
    2 Samuel 22 · 51 verses

    David’s song: “Hashem is my rock”

    David’s song of deliverance, sung “in the day that Hashem delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Shaul” — the same song as Psalm 18. Hashem is his rock and fortress; He comes down in storm and fire and draws David out of many waters, repays him measure for measure, girds him for battle, makes him head of the nations, and shows mercy to His anointed, to David and his seed forever.

    Read chapter 22
23. 23
    2 Samuel 23 · 39 verses

    David’s last words and his mighty men

    David’s last words: the Spirit of Hashem spoke by him of a just ruler who rules in the fear of God and rises like the morning sun, and of the everlasting covenant with his house. Then the roll of David’s mighty men — the first three, Avishai, Benayahu son of Yehoyada, and the thirty — including the three who brought David water from the well of Beit Lechem. The list ends with Uriyah the Chitti.

    Read chapter 23
24. 24
    2 Samuel 24 · 25 verses

    The census, the plague, and the threshing floor of Aravnah

    Hashem’s anger is kindled against Israel and David is moved to count the people; Yo’av objects but counts them from Dan to Be’er Sheva. David’s heart strikes him, and Gad offers three choices. David chooses to fall into Hashem’s hand, and a plague kills seventy thousand until Hashem stops the angel at the threshing floor of Aravnah the Yevusi. David buys the threshing floor, builds an altar, and the plague is stayed.

    Read chapter 24

More chapters are added as the study goes on.

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