2 Samuel 22
Summary for 2Sam 22:1-51: 22:1-51 a Although this prayer of thanksgiving (also recorded in Ps 18 b) is placed near the end of David’s story, David probably offered it to God much earlier in his life. This prayer and Hannah’s (1 Sam 2:1-10 c) together enclose the book of Samuel with an inclusio (literary bookends). Hannah was saved from barrenness; David was saved from his enemies. The placement of this hymn also provides a parallel to Moses. The stories of both Moses and David end with a song or hymn giving lavish praise to God (see also Deut 31:30–32:43 d). Both highlight God as a “Rock” (Deut 32:4 e, 15 f, 18 g, 30 h, 31 i; 2 Sam 22:2 j, 3 k, 32 l, 47 m). Both are followed by second and shorter poetic pieces—Moses’ final blessing to the Israelite tribes (Deut 33 n), and David’s last words (2 Sam 23:1-7 o).22:2 p Hannah had said, “there is no Rock like our God” (1 Sam 2:2 q), while David said, the Lord is my rock, which recalls God’s rescue of David from Saul at the Rock of Escape (1 Sam 23:28 r). The Hebrew word translated “rock” in 22:3 s (different from 22:2 t) refers in 1 Sam 24:2 u to “the rocks of the wild goats,” where Saul suspected that David was hiding.
• fortress: The same word referred to David’s physical “stronghold” (1 Sam 22:4 v), where David and his men sought refuge from Saul.
22:3 w The phrase the power that saves me (literally the horn that has saved me) is similar to Hannah’s “the Lord has made me strong!,” (literally the Lord has exalted my horn, 1 Sam 2:1 x).
22:7 y Although his sanctuary sometimes refers to the Tabernacle or Temple, here it refers to God’s heavenly dwelling; neither the Tabernacle nor the Temple were in existence at this time.
Summary for 2Sam 22:8-20: 22:8-20 z David vividly expands on how God heard him (22:7 aa). David describes God’s rescue as a theophany (manifestation of God’s presence; see study notes on Exod 19:16-25; Deut 1:33) that recalls God’s manifestation at Sinai (Exod 19:16-20 ab; cp. Judg 5:4-5 ac).
22:14 ad The Lord thundered from heaven: Cp. 1 Sam 2:10 ae.
Summary for 2Sam 22:21-30: 22:21-30 af David’s divine rescue and success were related to his own obedient walk with God. God honors those who order their lives in a way that pleases him (see also Lev 26:1-13 ag; Deut 28:1-14 ah; Ps 1 ai).
Summary for 2Sam 22:22-24: 22:22-24 aj David composed these words much earlier (22:1 ak), before his sin with Bathsheba. Still, his claim to being blameless should not be construed as a claim to perfection. David was simply noting that he had kept the covenant and followed its law.
Summary for 2Sam 22:31-51: 22:31-51 al David glorifies God for rescue in the past and for his promises to David’s house for coming generations (see 7:8-16 am).
22:32 an See Isa 43:11 ao; 44:6 ap, 8 aq; 45:5 ar, 21 as.
22:34 at David probably encountered deerduring his many days of hiding out in hilly terrain and caves (1 Sam 19:11–27:12 au).
Summary for 2Sam 22:38-40: 22:38-40 av David’s military accomplishments before he became king were impressive (see 1 Sam 17:12-58 aw; 18:17-30 ax; 23:1-5 ay; 30:1-31 az). Yet rather than exalting himself, David glorified God and gave him the credit.
22:51 ba Cp. 7:5-29 bb; 1 Sam 2:10 bc.
2 Samuel 23
Summary for 2Sam 23:1-7: 23:1-7 bd This passage comes from the end of David’s career and reflects on his experience as king, even as ch 22 be reflects on his experience before becoming king. 23:1 bf David’s last words were not necessarily the last words he actually spoke (see 1 Kgs 1:16 bg, 29-30 bh, 33-35 bi; 2:1-9 bj) but his final public expression of worship to God as king (cp. 1 Sam 12:1-25 bk).• David ... speaks: The language indicates that he was about to utter an oracle, a revelation from God (2 Sam 23:2 bl).
• the sweet psalmist of Israel: For other references to David as musician and poet, see 1 Chr 23:5 bm; 2 Chr 29:26 bn, 27 bo; Neh 12:36 bp; Amos 6:5 bq.
23:2 br The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me: David spoke of God, and in the process, God spoke through David.
23:5 bs my family ... everlasting covenant: David is referring to the prophecy Nathan made about David and his descendants (7:12-16 bt). Jesus is the everlasting king who is the “descendant of David” (Matt 1:1 bu).
23:6 bv Cp. Ps 1:4-5 bw.
Summary for 2Sam 23:8-39: 23:8-39 bx This section is a listing of David’s elite warriors by name, the most prominent of whom are listed with a notable accomplishment. These warriors were some of the “iron tools” that God used to “chop down” the godless (23:7 by).
• The list divides into the Three and the Thirty. Some Hebrew scholars have suggested that the Thirty be translated as “Officers.” If that is correct, then it is possible that the Three was originally a term for a specific military office.
23:10 bz to collect the plunder: Cp. 1 Sam 30:9-10 ca, 21-25 cb.
23:13 cc The cave of Adullam was a place of refuge for David from Saul (see 1 Sam 22:1 cd).
• The valley of Rephaim was located between Bethlehem and Jerusalem (see 2 Sam 5:17-25 ce).
Summary for 2Sam 23:15-16: 23:15-16 cf remarked longingly: This Hebrew verb elsewhere carries the idea of excessive desire (see Num 11:4 cg, “began to crave”; Ps 106:14 ch, “desires ran wild”). It is unclear whether David’s craving for water was excessive, but it certainly led to dangerous exploits.
• well by the gate: David had memories from his younger days of growing up in Bethlehem. The location of the well is unknown.
23:17 ci This water ... these men: When David poured the hard-won water on the ground, it did not signal ingratitude. Rather, he regarded the water as equivalent to the warriors’ blood; it represented life that only God was worthy to receive (Lev 17:10-13 cj; Deut 12:23-24 ck).
Summary for 2Sam 23:18-23: 23:18-23 cl Here are examples of the prowess of Abishai and Benaiah. Elsewhere, Abishai was intensely combative toward David’s enemies, especially Saul (1 Sam 26:6-9 cm) and Saul’s kinsman Shimei (2 Sam 16:9-11 cn). Abishai had saved David’s life during one of the Philistine wars (21:16-17 co).
• Benaiah appeared first as the commander of the mercenaries who served as David’s bodyguard, independent of the regular army (8:18 cp; 20:23 cq). He was also the leader of a 24,000-man division of the regular army that served the king in the third month of every year (1 Chr 27:5-6 cr). He played a major role in Solomon’s ascension to the throne (1 Kgs 1:32-49 cs) and became the commander of Solomon’s army, as Joab was for David.
23:24 ct Asahel, David’s nephew, was killed by Abner during the war between David and Ishbosheth (2:18-32 cu). Asahel’s inclusion here suggests that parts of these lists go back to the beginning of David’s career.
• Elhanan son of Dodo should not be confused with Elhanan son of Jair (21:19 cv; 1 Chr 20:5 cw).
23:39 cx The very last name mentioned is Uriah the Hittite. There is an earlier reference to his father-in-law, Eliam, father of Bathsheba (23:34 cy; see 11:3 cz). By contrast, the Chronicler, who never mentioned David’s sins against Bathsheba and Uriah, placed Uriah’s name inconspicuously in the middle of the list of David’s mighty men (1 Chr 11:10-47 da). This author not only described the sins (2 Sam 11:1-27 db) but puts emphasis on Uriah’s name by placing it at the end of this list. Uriah was no ordinary conscript but a loyal member of David’s elite guard, which makes David’s treachery against him all the worse.
• There were thirty-seven in all: Only thirty-six names are mentioned, assuming that “Shammah ... from Harar” (23:11 dc) is different from “Shammah from Harod” (23:25 dd), and that “Benaiah son of Jehoiada” (23:20 de) is different from “Benaiah from Pirathon” (23:30 df). Perhaps the thirty-seventh warrior was Joab, who is mentioned only peripherally (23:18 dg, 37 dh) and is absent from the list of names. Many commentators say that he is excluded because he was David’s chief military leader and did not need to be included. The omission could also represent David’s long and troubled association with Joab, who was eventually executed when Solomon carried out David’s deathbed command (1 Kgs 2:5-6 di, 28-34 dj).
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