 2 Samuel 1 - 12 = Questions and Answers |
| Q. Was David happy to learn of Saul's death? | A. 2 Samuel 1:14-16 = No. The Amalekite man who killed Saul brought David his crown, hoping for mercy. David had him killed for killing God's anointed king. |
| Q. But I thought Saul killed himself? |
A. 2 Samuel 1:6 = He tried, but was still alive when the man got there. Saul begged the man to kill him. Note: What does this say about mercy killing? Even in great pain, you don't take a life. |
| Q. Did David mourn Saul? | A. 2 Samuel 1:17 = Yes. David composed a funeral song for both Jonathan and Saul. It is beautiful! |
| Q. What did David do after mourning for Saul and Jonathan? | A. 2 Samuel 2:1 = David asked God if he should return to Judah. |
| Q. What did God say? | A. 2 Samuel 2:1 = Yes. David was to go to Hebron. |
| Q. 2 Samuel 1:2-3 = Who went with David to Hebron? | A. 2 Samuel 1:2-3 = David, his family and the 600 men who endured the trials with him beginning at the cave. |
| Q. Was he welcomed by Israel? | A. 2 Samuel 2:4 = Yes. The leaders went to David and crowned him king over the tribe of Judah. |
| Q. Did DAvid still need to gain the loyalty of the other tribes? | A. 2 Samuel 2:7 = Yes. |
| Q. Was that easy? | A. 2 Samuel 2:8 = No. Saul's general, Abner, proclaimed Saul's son, Ishbosheth, as king in Mahanaim. |
| Q. King of what part of Israel? | A. 2 SAmuel 2:9 = Gilead, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, the land of the Ashurites and all the rest of Israel. |
| Q. How old was Ishbosheth at the time? | A. 2 Samuel 2:10 = 40 years old. |
| Q. How long did Ishbosheth rule Israel? | A. 2 Samuel 2:10 = Two years. |
| Q. So there were 2 kings again? | A. 2 Samuel 2:10-11 = Yes. A king of Judah and the king of the remainder of Israel. |
| Q. Where did David rule from? | A. 2 Samuel 2:11 = Hebron. |
| Q. How long did David rule peacefully? | A. 2 Samuel 2:11 = 7 1/2 years. |
| Q. What conflict took Israel from this peaceful state? | A. 2 Samuel 2:14 = Abner, looking for trouble, got the Israelites to play a hand-to-hand exhibition of combat. David's side won. Many were killed. |
| Q. Civil war! This is not good. What kind of problems arise in this kind of war? | A. 2 Samuel 2 = You sometimes know your enemies as once being your friends. Abner killed the son of a friend on David's side and he was very reluctant to do it, trying to warn him away from him. |
| Q. So this war was about loyalty? | A. 2 Samuel 3:1 = Yes. David versus Saul. But Saul's dynasty weakened while David's grew. |
| Q. How so? | A. 2 Samuel 3:2 = David had 6 sons by 6 different wives (not including Michal, his first wife). |
| Q. What happened to Abner? | A. 2 Samuel 3:6 = War made him a powerful leader among those loyal to Saul's dynasty. |
| Q. Did David let Michal be? After all, she was married now to Palti for many years. | A. 2 SAmuel 3:15 = No. David wanted Michal back. |
| Q. What did Palti think of that? | A. 2 Samuel 3:16 = He wept. |
| Q. Was Saul's son, King Ishbosheth, afraid of Abner? | A. 2 Samuel 3:11 = Yes. Abner threatened to turn him over to David. |
| Q. Why? | A. 2 Samuel 3:7 = Ishbosheth accused Abner of sleeping with one of his father's concubines. Abner was furious. He was loyal until now. |
| Q. What did Abner do? | A. 2 Samuel 3:12 = He sent a message to David that he would use his influence to gain the loyalty of the rest of the tribes. |
| Q. Did he? | A. 2 Samuel 3:17-21 = Yes. Abner went to each tribe to convince them to follow David and they did. |
| Q. Where did Abner go last? | A. 2 Samuel 3:20 = Hebron, to tell David it was done. |
| Q. What happened to Abner? | A. 2 Samuel 3:22 = The boy's brothers Abner killed took revenge on Abner and he died. |
| Q. These avengers were David's men? | A. 2 Samuel 3:22 = Yes. |
| Q. What did David do in response? | A. 2 SAmuel 3:29 = David cursed Joab's family and gave Abner a nice funeral. |
| Q. Did all Israel understand that David was innocent of Abner's death? | A. 2 Samuel 3:37 = Yes. |
| Q. What happened to Ishbosheth? | A. 2 Samuel 4:2 = He was murdered in his bed by 2 of his brothers. David had them killed for the crime and gave Ishbosheth a nice funeral. |
| Q. What was David's initiation ceremony as king like? | A. 2 Samuel 5:1-3 = All the tribes of Israel went to see David in Hebron. They told him they knew he was Israel's real king for a long time, that they believed the prophesy. David made a covenant with Israel before the Lord and the people anointed him as their king. |
| Q. How old was David when he was officially made king? | A. 2 Samuel 5:4 = Thirty years old. |
| Q. How long did David reign? | A. 2 Samuel 5:4 = 40 years. 7 1/2 years over Judah only; 33 years over all the tribes of Israel. |
| Q. Was Israel still occupied by enemies? | A. 2 Samuel 5:6 = Yes. Jerusalem was occupied by the Jebusites (Ham's descendants). |
| Q. Did David win Jerusalem? | A. 2 Samuel 5:7 = Yes. David captured the fortress of Zion. It was renamed the City of David. |
| Q. Why did David grow so strong? | A. 2 Samuel 5:10 = Because the Lord God Almighty was with him. |
| Q. Did the world take notice? | A. 2 Samuel 5:11 = Yes. King Hiram of Tyre sent carpenters and stonemasters to build David a palace, along with a cedarwood supply. |
| Q. Did David acknowledge God in all this? | A. 2 Samuel 5:12 = Yes. |
| Q. Did David continue to make foolish life decisions? | A. 2 Samuel 5:13 = Yes. David's palace was in Jerusalem so he moved there to live in it. But he took more wives and concubines and they had many sons and daughters. |
| Q. How many sons did David father in Jerusalem? | A. 2 Samuel 5:16 = 11, including Solomon. |
| Q. What did the Philistines think of David's anointing as king of all Israel? | A. 2 Samuel 5:17 = They mobilized all their forces to capture him. |
| Q. Did they succeed? | A. 2 Samuel 5:20 = No. David was victorious. |
| Q. How did David describe the victory? | A. 2 Samuel 5:20 = He said, "He [God] burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" |
| Q. What was the sound all Israel heard that was like marching feet inthe tops of the balsam trees? | A. 2 Samuel 5:24 = The signal that the Lord was moving ahead of David and his army to strike down the Philistines. |
| Q. When did this event occur? |
A. 2 Samuel 5:22 = When the Philistines returned to fight David the second time. Note: God works out the details of the problems. He always knows the best strategies and can stir up even non-christians' hearts to do great things for His people. Do we sit up and take notice? |
| Q. So Israel finally had a royal palace! What was still missing? | A. 2 Samuel 6:2 = The Ark of the Covenant, which was brought home by Abinadab and his 2 sons. |
| Q. Was this done quietly? | A. 2 Samuel 6:5 = No way! David and all Israel were all celebrating before the Lord with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments. |
| Q. What happened along the way? | A. 2 Samuel 6:6 = The oxen stumbled and a priest put out his hand to steady the Ark and God struck him dead. |
| Q. How did David react to this? | A. 2 Samuel 6:8 = He was angry with God for killing the man. |
| Q. Did the procession continue on to the City of David? | A. 2 Samuel 6:9 = No. |
| Q. Why? | A. 2 Samuel 6:9 = David became afraid of God, so he put the Ark in a man's house instead of taking it all the way to Jerusalem. |
| Q. What happened to that man's family? | A. 2 Samuel 6:11 = They were blessed because the Ark was in their house! |
| Q. What did this prove to David? | A. 2 Samuel 6:12 = That it was a good thing to have brought back the Ark. He took it to the City of David. |
| Q. What is the City of David? | A. Another name for Jerusalem. |
| Q. Did they dance in those days? |
A. 2 Samuel 6:14 = Yes. David danced with all his might to the Lord. Note: Imagine if all dancing was for God, done with all our might! |
| Q. Michal, David's first wife, has re-entered the picture now. What was she like? | A. 2 Samuel 6:16 = Michal was concerned about outward appearances. Status and public embarassment was to be avoided at all cost. |
| Q. How did David embarrass Michal? |
A. 2 Samuel 6:22 = Dancing before the Lord and acting like servant girls were worthy of praising God with him. Note: Are you stuck in a mindset that brings shame to your eyes about your Christian brother? You could be wrong. Examine the facts and yourself carefully. These servant girls were indeed worthy to praise God. Michal did not get to know God as David had. Don't waste another minute in secular reading as you search for something to stimulate the brain cells. God can keep you busy for a lifetime in the pages of His Bible! |
| Q. How did David respond to Michal in this? | A. 2 Samuel 6:22 = He was proud of his Lord and proud to be held in honor by the servant girls. |
| Q. What happened to Michal as a result of her scoffing? |
A. 2 Samuel 6:23 = She was infertile all her life. Note: Proudly raise your hands up and worship God in every place! |
| Q. What brought on God's covenant with David's family? | A. 2 Samuel 7:2 = David's wanting to build God a temple for His Ark. |
| Q. What did God think of that idea? |
A. 2 Samuel 7:7 = God loved David for thinking of it. An original thought! Note: Do you want to do something new for God? Do it! God is tickled pink by your heart's desire. |
| Q. What was the main theme of this covenant? | A. 2 Samuel 7:16 = David's dynasty would last forever. |
| Q. Why? | A. 2 Samuel 6:22 = David loved God, rejoiced openly and defended God's honor. He wasn't perfect, but his heart was wholly God's. It is exactly what God wants from all of His children! |
| Q. David said a prayer of thanksgiving to God over Nathan, the prophet's words from God about him and his family's destiny. What truths were in that prayer? |
A. 2 Samuel 7:18 = 1). David knew God loved Him, but not because of great things David had done. 2). David knew it was God who had been his Redeemer through the years. 3). David was amazed at how God rewards His people (v.19) 4). David knew he was full of sin (he had many wives amongst his weaknesses)(v.20) 5). David knew that God did all of it for the sake of His will (v.21) 6). David knew God was just One 7). David remembered how Israel came to be (v.23-24). 8). David blessed God 9). David asked that every generation of his family would be established in God's presence. Note: What a great pattern for prayer! |
| Q. What does it mean to have one's dynasty established in God's presence? | A. 2 Samuel 8:1 = David beat the Philistines in their largest city, Gath. He conquered Moab, sparing some to be his slaves, who brought David tribute money. Wherever David waged war, he won, and the enemy brought him tribute money. Israel was established as a mighty power led by God. |
| Q. So David became famous and rich in the world's eyes? | A. Yes. |
| Q. Did David keep his head facing upward? | A. 2 Samuel 8:11 = Yes. When foreign nations brought him gold, silver and bronze, DAvid dedicated it to God. Those nations' gold, silver and bronze he got as spoils of war were also dedicated to God. |
| Q. What kind of king was David? | A. 2 Samuel 8:15 = Fair to everyone in Israel. He only ruled Israel and Israel shone! |
| Q. Who were David's leaders? |
A. 2 Samuel 8:16-18 = 1). Joab, sone of Zeruiah - Commander of the Israeli Army 2). Jehoshaphat - Royal Historian 3). Zadok and Ahimelech were priests - David's sons were priestly leaders. 4). Seraiah - Court Secretary 5). Benaiah - Captain of the king's bodyguard. |
| Q. What happened to Jonathan's family? | A. 2 Samuel 9:7 = Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, was the only survivor of Saul's family. He was crippled in both feet. |
| Q. What did David do for Mephibosheth? |
A. 2 Samuel 9:11 = 1). David gave him Saul's land in Israel 2). Servants of Saul's to work the land 3). Mephibosheth came to live at the palace with David 4). Mephibosheth was treated as if he were one of David's own sons. |
| Q. Why? |
A. David promised Jonathan he would always look after his household and he wanted to keep his promise to him. Note: Another lesson David took to heart was forgiveness. He forgave Saul each time he tried to kill him, and that over a 20 year time of chasing David down. David knew forgiveness. If you hold a grudge against anyone, even for the slightest thing, you show that you don't understand forgiveness. Jesus died for you, not because of your goodness. Your sins were wiped out at that cross because that's what it took to redeem you. Forgiveness is based on that sacrifice, not on some incident. You must always remember this. Whoever hurt you is already forgiven. And this is the testimony to the world. Only God's people can do it right! |
| Q. With David's greatness and fame established in the world, did people still misunderstand his motives? | A. 2 Samuel 10:3 = Yes. |
| Q. What is one way that war is established? | A. 2 Samuel 10:3 = A ruler dies and his son may appoint bad advisors, like king Nahah's son, Hanun's experience told. |
| Q. What is another way to start a war? | A. 2 Samuel 10:6 = Hire a lot of mercenaries to fight for you. |
| Q. How did David beat the mercenary armies hired by Ammon? | A. 2 Samuel 10:13 = The mercenaries ran away from Joab's army and from his brother, Abisha's army. They ran from David too. |
| Q. What did David have planned for the Ammonites who started this war? | A. 2 Samuel 11:1 = David sent Joab to destroy them the following spring, when kings go to war. |
| Q. David didn't go? | A. 2 Samuel 11:1 = No (He should have!) |
| Q. What trouble did David find himself in because he didn't go? | A. 2 Samuel 11:5 = He impregnated a soldier's wife, Bathsheba. |
| Q. How did David handle it? |
A. 2 Samuel 11:8 = He brought Uriah home to sleep with his wife so he could cover up his sin. Note: David panicked! Somehow, he slipped in his guard and forgot to look up. He forgot God was watching. |
| Q. Was Israel marching with the Ark during this war? | A. 2 Samuel 11:11 = Yes. |
| Q. What kind of man was Uriah? | A. 2 Samuel 11:11 = Honorable, even in drunkenness. |
| Q. Did David openly order Uriah's death? |
A. 2 Samuel 11:17 = Yes. Note: If you think you can't find trouble for yourself, think again. David wouldn't kill Saul or his grandson in self-defense or anything else. Up against the right circumstances, he could in fact do it. Women were David's weakness and he never repented of it. |
| Q. Who called David on the carpet? | A. 2 Samuel 11:27 = God did! |
| Q. How? | A. 2 Samuel 12:1 = God sent Nathan, the prophet, to let him know that he was in trouble. |
| Q. What kind of trouble? |
A. 2 Samuel 12:11 = Nathan spelled out the consequences of David's sin to him. 1). David's household would rebel 2). One of David's wives would go to another man and sleep with him openly in front of all Israel. |
| Q. Why openly? | A. 2 Samuel 12:12 = Because David did it in secret. |
| Q. How did David finally view what he had done? | A. 2 Samuel 12:13 = He had sinned against the Lord Himself. |
| Q. Did David make a sin offering? | A. 2 Samuel 12:13 = No. God forgave David. |
| Q. Were there consequences? |
A. 2 Samuel 12:11 = Yes. God was mocked so He took the child's life as a punishment to David. Note: Our testimony either blesses God or mocks Him. Either way, it's all about God. |
| Q. How soon after the baby died was Solomon born? | A. 2 Samuel 12:24 = Solomon was concieved almost immediately after Bathsheba's first son died. |
| Q. What was so special about Solomon from the beginning of his life? |
A. 2 Samuel 12:24-25 = The Lord loved him. Note: Awesome God! His punishment is severe and his love is just as severe. Punish and forgive the same one, David. |
| Q. Did Solomon have another name? | A. 2 Samuel 12:25 = God wanted him called Jedidah, which means "beloved of the Lord." |
| Q. Did David do right after conquering the Ammonites? | A. 2 Samuel 12:31 = No. He made slaves of all the Ammonites. |