Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

To read 2 Samuel 19, click the link HERE.

Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,
“We have no share in David,
    no part in Jesse’s son!
Every man to his tent, Israel!”
So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows.
Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.
David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bikri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.” So Joab’s men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath.
Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.
One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. After Amasa had been removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.
Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maakah and through the entire region of the Bikrites, who gathered together and followed him. All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?”
“I am,” he answered.
She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.”
“I’m listening,” he said.
She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”
“Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bikri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.”
The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you from the wall.”
Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.
Joab was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; Adoniram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

• 2 Samuel 20:1-26

During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”
The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”
“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.
They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen one.”
So the king said, “I will give them to you.”
The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.
Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night. When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.
They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.
Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished.”
In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.
In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah, David’s brother, killed him.
These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

• 2 Samuel 21:1-22

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

2 Samuel 19:3 ‘people stole back’: ”Because of David’s excessive grief, his soldiers returned from battle not as rejoicing victors, but as if they had been humiliated by defeat.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 19:5 ‘disgraced all your servants’: ”Joab sternly rebuked David for being so absorbed in his personal trauma and failing to appreciate the victory that his men had won for him.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 19:7 ‘not one will stay with you’: “Joab, who was the esteemed general of the army, was a dangerous person because of that power. He was also dangerous to David because he had disobeyed his command to spare Absalom, and killed him with no remorse. When he warned David that he would be in deep trouble if he did not immediately express appreciation to his men for their victory, David knew he could be in serious danger.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 19:10 ‘bring the king back to our hearts’: “Israel had revolted, and set up Absalom against his father; but when the rebel bands had been scattered and Absalom had been slain, the people thought of their old love-they remembered the days when David was the terror of the Philistines and the champion of Israel. Their hearts struck them for their ingratitude to their valiant deliverer. If our souls have been nipped with the frosts of a long and dreary winter, if the Son of Righteousness does but manifest his meridian splen· dor, our summer will return at once; let the King come, and all his court will follow-all the graces display themselves where the Lord of grace is revealed. We must not play with side issues and secondary remedies but go straight to the root of the matter. We must turn to our absent Master and make this our one business-to bring the King back to his palace and throne in our hearts.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

2 Samuel 19:13 ‘Amasa … commander of the army … in place of Joab’: “David appointed Amasa commander of his army, hoping to secure the allegiance of those who had followed Amasa when he led Absalom’s forces, especially those of Judah. This appointment did persuade the tribe of Judah to support David’s return to the kingship (v. 14) and secured the animosity of Joab against Amasa for taking his position (cf. 20:8–10).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 19:29 ‘divided the land’: “David had previously given the estate of Saul to Mephibosheth to be farmed under him by Ziba (9:9, 10). Then when David was deceived, he gave it all to Ziba (16:4). Now David decided to divide Saul’s estate between Ziba and Mephibosheth since he was either uncertain of the truth of Mephibosheth’s story or who was guilty of what, and was too distracted to inquire fully into the matter. It was, in any case, a poor decision to divide the estate between the noble-hearted son of Jonathan and a lying deceiver. Mephibosheth was unselfish and suggested that his disloyal servant take it all—it was enough for him that David was back.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 19:41 ‘stolen you away’: “Because only the troops of Judah had escorted David as he crossed over the Jordan River, the 10 northern tribes complained to David that the men of Judah had ‘kidnapped’ him from them.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 20:1 ‘rebel … Sheba’: “Though nothing is known of this man, he must have been a person of considerable power and influence to raise so sudden and extensive a sedition. He belonged to Saul’s tribe, where adherents of Saul’s dynasty were still many, and he could see the disgust of the 10 tribes for Judah’s presumption in the restoration. He sought to overturn David’s authority in Israel. no share … inheritance. Sheba’s declaration that the northern tribes had no part in David’s realm was similar to words later used in 1 Kin. 12:16 when Israel seceded from the united kingdom under Jeroboam.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 20:2 ‘Israel deserted David’: “Once the 10 tribes withdrew, Judah was left alone to escort the king to Jerusalem. It seems that the disloyalty of the N continued as long as Sheba lived.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 20:4 ‘Amasa’: “Amasa was Absalom’s general (see … 17:25), whom David promised would be commander of his army after Absalom’s death (see … 19:13). Amasa was installed publicly because David thought it would be seen favorably by the 10 tribes. He was told to assemble an army in 3 days to end the insurrection started by Sheba, but could not in such a brief time.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 20:6 ‘Abishai’: “When Amasa failed to follow David’s orders, David did not reinstate Joab, his former general who had Absalom killed against David’s orders (see 18:5–15), but appointed Joab’s brother Abishai as commander of his forces. your lord’s servants. Called ‘Joab’s men’ in v. 7. Abishai was to take the army of Joab to pursue the rebel leader. Joab went also, determined to take vengeance on his rival Amasa.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 20:9 ‘my brother … by the beard’: “Joab, present with his men, seized Amasa by his beard with his right hand apparently to give the kiss of greeting. Instead, with his left hand, he thrust his sword into Amasa’s stomach (cf. 3:27).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 20:11 ‘one of Joab’s men’: “Joab was reinstated as commander of David’s army by his troops. It is a striking illustration of Joab’s influence over the army that he could murder the commander whom David had chosen, a killing right before their eyes, and they would follow him unanimously as their leader in pursuit of Sheba.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 20 ‘the king’s sorrow’: ”In chapter 20, we find the ultimate result of David’s sin in the rebellion of Sheba, the son of Bieri, against King David. All the trouble in David’s life stems from his moral failure years earlier. There is no peace throughout the rest of his reign. He has God’s forgiveness, God’s grace, God’s restoration, and God’s blessing, but he continues to reap the result of his own folly. The king’s sorrow is a lesson to us all.“

• Ray C. Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible

2 Samuel 21:1-14 ‘setting things right’: ”In chapter 21 we read the story of the Gibeonites, who teach us that the past must be dealt with. If we have past sins that can still be corrected, we must go back and set them straight. Many a Christian discovers that a lie told or an item stolen in the old life now weighs heavily upon a Spirit-led conscience. So make amends, pay the debt, set the wrong thing right.“

• Ray C. Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible

2 Samuel 21:1-2 ‘Saul and his bloodthirsty house’: “By divine revelation David learned that the famine was a result of sin committed by Saul; namely that he had slain the Gibeonites. There is no further reference to this event. Saul was probably trying to do as God commanded and rid the land of the remnant of heathen in order that Israel might prosper (v. 2). But in his zeal he had committed a serious sin; he had broken a covenant that had been made 400 years before between Joshua and the Gibeonites, who were in the land when Israel took possession of it. They deceived Joshua into making the covenant, but it was, nevertheless, a covenant (see Josh. 9:3–27). Covenant keeping was no small matter to God (see Josh. 9:20).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 21:9 ‘before the Lord’: “These pagans were not bound by the law of Deut. 21:22, 23, which forbade leaving a dead body hanging over night. Their intention was to let the bodies hang until God signaled He was satisfied and sent rain to end the famine. Such a heathen practice, designed to propitiate their gods, was a superstition of these Gibeonites. God, in His providence, allowed this memorable retaliation as a lesson about keeping covenants and promises. the beginning of barley harvest. April (see Ruth 1:22).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 21:10 ‘sackcloth … spread’: “Rizpah erected a tent nearby to keep watch over the bodies, to scare away birds and beasts. It was considered a disgrace for the bodies of the slain to become food for the birds and beasts (cf. Deut. 28:26; 1 Sam. 17:44, 46; Rev. 19:17, 18). the late rains. An unseasonably late spring or early summer shower. Possibly, the rain that ended the drought.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 21:16 ‘the giant’: “The Heb. term used in vv. 16, 18, 20, 22 is rapha. This was not the name of an individual, but a term used collectively for the ‘Rephaim’ who inhabited the land of Canaan and were noted for their inordinate size (cf. Gen. 15:19–21; Num. 13:33; Deut. 2:11; 3:11, 13). The term ‘Rephaim’ was used of the people called the ‘Anakim’ (Deut. 2:10, 11, 20, 21), distinguished for their size and strength. According to Josh. 11:21, 22, the ‘Anakim’ were driven from the hill country of Israel and Judah, but remained in the Philistine cities of Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod. Though the Philistines had succumbed to the power of Israel’s army, the appearance of some great champion revived their courage and invited their hope for victory against the Israelite invaders. three hundred shekels. Approximately 7.5 lbs. a new sword. Lit. ‘a new thing.’ The weapon was not specified.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

2 Samuel 21:17 ‘lamp of Israel’: “David, who with God’s help brought the light of prosperity and well-being to the whole land of Israel, was the symbol of Israel’s hope and promise of security. Continued blessing resided in David and his house.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

My Thoughts

If you have ever had a son, he may have disappointed you at one point or another, even if he was really a good kid.  And in those situations, your emotions have your thoughts in a tailspin.  Did I do something wrong that led to this?  In David’s case, the prophet Nathan spelled out his sin and what would result.  David felt that he was to blame, but Absalom was a timebomb ready to go off.  He was vain about his good looks.  The routine of cutting his hair once each year and weighing it shows arrogance and vanity.  Amnon, who Absalom had murdered was no better.  We mustn’t lose sight that these men were princes.

But when you soldiers risked their lives and lost comrades in the process, having the king fall apart in grief for the son that was unrepentantly rebellious, they lost their identity after they had won the war.  They hid as they returned home, ashamed that the king grieved over his own victory.

Joab talked with him sharply.  Joab had openly violated David’s orders to not kill Absalom.  From a pragmatic point of view, it was the right thing to do.  Joab knew, from David’s command to be gentle with Absalom, that David was trying to find another means to forgive Absalom.

Meanwhile, all Israel was in turmoil.  They had sided with Absalom, and he was dead.  David had fled the nation.

David sent a message to the priests, Abiathar and Zadok.  He made Amasa the commander of the army instead of Joab.  This was not as much a punishment of Joab for killing Absalom, but it was an attempt to win back the trust of the northern tribes.  Amasa, as Absalom’s commander, had won over the hearts of the people.  This move to make Amasa the commander brought the trust of the people back to David.

Shimei, who had cursed David as he fled, fell prostrate and asked for mercy.  Abishai, Joab’s brother, wanted him killed, but David granted mercy.  Shimei would not die.

David inquired of Mephibosheth as to why he had not gone with David.  Mephibosheth was lame and needed a donkey, but Ziba had given all the donkeys to David’s family, betraying his master, Mephibosheth.  When Ziba had granted everything to David, David had thought Mephibosheth had deserted him and gave the properties to Ziba.  But now, knowing Ziba’s betrayal, he split the property between them.  Ziba had helped David, but he did so for the wrong reasons.

Barzillai had helped David escape Absalom.  David wanted him to be honored in Jerusalem, but Barzillai opted for Kimham to be so honored.

Then David came across the Jordan, guarded by the men of Judah and a few from the other ten tribes.  The other ten tribes took offense that it was so lopsided, but the men of Judah were David’s relatives more than the other tribes.

So, Amasa is made commander to appeal to the northern tribes, although Amasa was a nephew of David.  The difference was that he had commanded the army of the other ten tribes, essentially.  And now they bicker about who would help the king cross the river with his family.  And note: we will find that Jeroboam led two rebellions before the country was split.

But first, Sheba, son of Bicri, in the tribe of Benjamin said that the northern tribes have no share in David.  The northern tribes followed Sheba, deserting David.  He sent Amasa after Sheba, but Amasa had not done as he was told to quickly capture Sheba.

But it seemed David’s first order of business was to take the concubines that he had left to tend to the palace and place them in a house under guard.  He did not sleep with them, but due to their defilement, he honored and protected them.

David sent Abishai with the men of Judah to confront Amasa.  If Sheba reached fortified cities, he could strengthen his stand and be more trouble than Absalom had been.

When Abishai approached Amasa, Joab came forward and pretended to kiss Amasa with the usual greeting of the time, but he pulled out a dagger and killed him.

They went in pursuit of Sheba under Joab’s leadership.  Sheba had gotten to the fortified city of Abel Beth Maacah.  He had gathered more followers along the way.  When Joab reached the city, Sheba sent a wise woman to arrange a meeting between he and Joab.

The wise woman asked why Joab would destroy their city.  Joab said he only wanted Sheba, who had lifted his head in rebellion against king David.  The wise woman knew that the best way to save her city was to betray Sheba.  She promised Joab, and the people, with her advice, cut off Sheba’s head and threw it over the wall to show Joab that the rebellion was over.

Joab was back in charge of the army and David appointed other leaders.  Still the priesthood was shared by Abiathar and Zadok.  Abiathar was the last priest of Eli’s line.

The nation fell into a famine for three years.  David inquired of the Lord and learned that Saul had cowardly attacked the Gibeonites.  The Gibeonites had a treaty.  They suspected nothing.  It was cowardly.  It was a token ridding of Canaanites, but God would be more angry at the breaking of an oath (the treaty) than in following the command to rid the land of the Canaanites, especially with other enemies in the area.

David found sons of Saul through his concubine, Rizpah, the same concubine that Abner had slept with.

These men were killed by the Gibeonites to avenge Saul’s attack on them.  But unlike the Israelites that would honor the dead, the Gibeonites placed them on poles.  Rizpah did not want her son’s bodies to be defiled.  She went to them and chased the birds and wild animals away when they came to prey on the dead bodies.

When David heard of this, he took the bones of Saul and Jonathan from Jabesh Gilead and the bodies of Rizpah’s sons and arranged for a proper burial.  It was at this point that God answered David’s prayer and brought an end to the famine.

But one could question why it took David three years to ask God why the famine was continuing.  At first, it could be a bad spell of weather, but after two years in a row, did David think that God was angry at him for all the mistakes he was making?

And for one final blow to the Philistines, but this time, David became exhausted as he was fighting.  Ishbi-Benob said he would kill David.  Being a descendant of giants, he was probably a physically imposing figure, but Abishai rescued David, killing Ishbi-Benob.

His men swore that David should never go into battle again.  As he got older, he had lost a step.  A moment of hesitation in battle can be very deadly.  But David had been out of the battle before.  If he had gone to Rammah with his men, he would have never seen Bathsheba bathing on her roof.  And they were worried in the battle with Absalom that David might be killed, since David was Absalom’s only target.  But now, he would fight no more.

In the rest of the chapter, three more battles were fought against the Philistines.  They are recorded in order to record killing three more sons of Rapha, meaning four giants in all.  Abishai had killed Ishbi-Benob.  Sibbecai killed Saph at Gob.  In another battle at Gob, Elhanan killed Goliath, but in 1 Chronicles 20:5 it clarifies that Elhanan had killed a brother of Goliath.  And then at Gath, where the original Goliath was from, an unnamed giant with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot was killed by Jonathan, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother.

With Goliath, whom David had killed, the Israelites killed five giants, at least the ones that are recorded.  This does not mean that there were not more.  It does not mean that the Philistines were completely wiped out.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

2 Samuel 18:19-19:8a David Mourns 1. What would you have said to David, or to your army, if you were faced with the morale problem described by Joab?
“2. From what ‘enemies’ has God recently delivered you? If delivered from your familiar enemy, what would you do without any more excuses, whipping boy or scapegoat? If that enemy is no longer a threat, with what new set of problems must you now contend?
“3. With what have you been preoccupied lately? And if the worst-case scenario comes to pass, what will happen? Then what will you do? What role does your Christian faith and your small group play in this regard?”
2 Samuel 19:8b–43 David returns to Jerusalem 1. Is the Lord’s return of David to power based, at least in part, on David’s favoring and forgiving others? Or is David now able to grant general amnesty only because God has first forgiven him? Why do you think so?
“2. If King Jesus were to grant amnesty to you for something as particular as what King David offered Shimei, Mephiboseth, Barzillai or Kimham, what would that amnesty cover in your case? Would you accept the King’s generous offer? Or would you respectfully ‘pass’ or defer to an­ other? Why?
“3. This week, where will you be as forgiving as David? As penitent as Shimei? As generous as Barzillai? As sincere and grateful as Mephibosheth? How can you begin doing this within your small group?
2 Samuel 20 1. When have you been especially tempted to desert your King? For what reason? What kept you from going AWOL?
“2. When your status or authority is diminished by someone else, how does that make you feel? When resentment builds up, how do you keep that in check? Where might resentment be getting the better of you now?
“3. How can your Christian faith and your small group make a difference during such trying times?
2 Samuel 21:1-14 The Gibeonites Avenged 1. Is it appropriate to see God’s judgment in famines and other natural disasters today? Why or why not?
“2. How would this story apply today to situations where treaty rights are violated, e.g., the treaty rights of Native Americans?
“3. About what do you need to seek the face of the Lord, as did David?
“4. Which of your actions this week do you want to affirm as being ‘before the Lord’?
2 Samuel 21:15-22 Wars Against the Philistines 1. What battles have you recently fought for your King? What battles do you anticipate in the coming week?
“2. Who do you regard as your ‘spiritual heroes’, those who have kept their light burning for the Lord and have shared that light with you? How did they conquer sinful habits?”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

Second Samuel 16 and 2 Samuel 17 are split into three sets of questions as noted.  Second Samuel 18:19-19:8a has one set of questions as noted.  Second Samuel 20 has one set of questions.  Second Samuel 21 has two sets of questions as noted.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

If you like these Thursday morning Bible studies, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Thursday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.