The books of 1-2 Samuel were originally compiled as a single document, and deal with a transitional period in the history of ancient Israel—from the priest Eli to the judge Samuel, then from Samuel to the king Saul, and then from Saul to David, God’s chosen king. The prophet Samuel was the link between the judgeship and the kingship, which was established in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham to make him a father of a multitude of nations, saying “Kings will come from you” (Gen. 17:4-6). Eventually God would bring the Messiah through the line of David, finally fulfilling the purpose of the Abrahamic promise, that “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” (Gen. 22:18). Therefore, the establishment of the kingship was of utmost importance for God’s redemptive plan, and the king in Israel was to be subject to the word of God as spoken through his prophets.

 

The main purpose of 2 Samuel is to record the rise of King David, first as king over Judah and then all of Israel. David’s rise to power is soon followed by the major challenge to his rule that resulted from his own sins. David’s reign under God brought victory and prosperity, but he was also flawed, and his kingdom did not bring everlasting peace. His failures and his kingdom’s decline shows us that he was merely a shadow of the one to come—the True King, Jesus—who would ultimately fulfill God’s promise to bless all the nations. As large as David looms as a figure in Israel’s history, we would be wise to remember that God alone is the hero on every page of the Bible.

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2 Samuel is an important record of Israel’s history, but it is also much more. Through this record we can see that God’s sovereign plans will not be thwarted, and his promises will always be fulfilled, even as he uses flawed humans to do so.