Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New International Version (NIV).
2 Samuel 13 (Amnon Rapes Tamar)
Summary: What happens as a result of David’s sin? The kingdom begins to collapse. Amnon—David’s son—rapes his step-sister Tamar (v.14). After Amnon sexually assaults Tamar, he kicked her out of the house (v.15). Tamar was Absalom’s sister, and Absalom never talked about this with Amnon, but Absalom became bitter about it (v.22). Eventually, Absalom had Amnon murdered (v.29). Absalom fled the city until his father had cooled down (v.39).
(13:1) What kind of “love” is this?
Did Amnon lust after his biological sister? We learn later that this is his half-sister (v.4).
(13:2) Amnon became literally sick with lust over Tamar.
(13:3-5) Jonadab (Amnon’s cousin) decides to help Amnon get what he wants—no matter the cost. Why is Jonadab so eager to help? Youngblood writes, “Jonadab may be attempting to secure his own political future by casting his lot with the ambitions of the aggressive Absalom, whom he sees as eventually winning out.”[1]
Jonadab sets up a trap for Amnon to rape Tamar: Amnon will feign illness, so that Tamar can be alone with him.
(13:6-8) Amnon sat and watched Tamar make his food, growing in lust for her.
(13:9) After all of that cooking and baking, Amnon “refused to eat.” He didn’t want Tamar’s food at all. He ordered all of his servants to leave, so he could commit his heinous crime.
(13:10-11) After everyone was gone, Amnon demands that Tamar sleep with him. When it says that he “took hold of her,” this is particularly forceful in the Hebrew.[2]
Centuries earlier, Potiphar’s wife made this same demand on Joseph (Gen. 39:7), but Joseph was physically strong enough to flee.
(13:12-13) This might not have escalated to rape yet. Tamar could be referring to fornication. If they want to sleep together, they should get married. After all, Tamar was a virgin, and she was saving her virginity for marriage.
On the other hand, Tamar may have been trying to get out of this horrible situation, and this is why she appeals to Amnon to ask the king (v.13). Surely, the king wouldn’t allow incest like this.
Tamar tells her brother to “speak to the king.” She invokes David as an official leader—not as her father. She’s hoping David will judicially act to protect her.
(13:14-15) Amnon raped her. After the horrible deed was done, he threw her out of his room like a piece of trash.
(13:16) Why does Tamar respond this way? Wouldn’t she want to be as far away from Amnon as possible?
(13:17-18) Amnon has her escorted out by one of his servants. This is the same command given in verse 9, when he ordered all of his servants out of the room. Amnon doesn’t call her “my sister” or even “Tamar,” but simply “this woman.” He treats her like an object—not a person.
Absalom hears what happened
(13:19) Tamar leaves completely wrecked.
(13:20) How did Absalom know what had happened to Tamar? Did she tell him? Did one of Amnon’s servants tell him? Had gossip merely started to spread?
“Desolate” means “unmarried and childless” (Isa. 54:1).[3]
(13:21) David is angry, but he does nothing about it. There is a marked passivity in David after he was morally compromised. Youngblood writes, “David’s guilt in an analogous situation paralyzes him.”[4]
(13:22) Absalom grew deeply enraged with Amnon, patiently waiting for the right time to strike.
Two years pass… Absalom gets his revenge
(13:23-25) Absalom hosts a massive dinner party, and he invites everyone (including Amnon). This is similar to The Great Gatsby (how Gatsby would invite everyone to his parties, just so Daisy would come).
King David tells him that he cannot come, because it would overburden Absalom.
(13:26) Absalom shows his hand, asking specifically for Amnon. At the same time, he refers to Amnon as “my brother,” perhaps to remove suspicions from David.
King David seems to be a little suspicious, asking why Absalom was asking specifically for Amnon. But still, David does nothing, and he caves in. He might think that sending the rest of the brothers would serve to protect Amnon (v.27).
(13:28-29) Absalom doesn’t have Amnon killed secretly, but publically. Absalom has Amnon killed in full view of his brothers, who run for their lives (v.29).
David hears an exaggerated report
(13:30) The messengers must have had some faulty intel on this incident. Perhaps because all of the brothers went into hiding (v.29), the messengers may have thought that they had died. Remember, this was before the days of text messaging, so they didn’t know where the brothers went.
(13:31) David and his advisers all began to mourn.
(13:32-33) Jonadab was the one who set up this sexual assault in the first place! Now, he is making it look like Absalom is the bad guy, having committed a two-year premeditated murder against Amnon.
(13:34-35) Absalom goes into hiding, and the rest of David’s son arrive.
(13:36-37) David mourned with his sons over the death of Amnon. He mourned “every day” for him (v.37).
(13:37-39) Meanwhile, Absalom seeks asylum with his grandfather, Talmai. Absalom stayed in hiding for three years, until David forgave him and wanted to reconcile with him.
Concluding insights
This chapter shows how David’s sin has had an effect on his family. Because he was unfaithful, this had a corporate effect on his family, and eventually, his nation.
These two sins (rape and murder) parallel David’s sins: “David’s adultery with Bathsheba is mirrored in his son Amnon’s rape of Tamar, and David’s murder of Uriah is reprised in Absalom’s execution of Amnon.”[5]
2 Samuel 14 (An Actress Changes David’s Mind)
Summary: Joab knew that David cared for Absalom and wanted to see him (v.1). He sent a female actress to speak to David. She explains that one of her sons was killed in a blood-feud (vv.6-7), and it would lead to the only surviving son to be killed. David extends an order to stop this execution from happening (v.10). The woman explains that this pertains to the king’s own son, Absalom (v.13). David figures out that Joab is behind this (v.19), and this ploy causes David to change his mind (v.21). He issues a warrant to bring Absalom home (v.21). Absalom had three sons and a daughter (v.27). He came back home for two years without seeing David (v.28). Everyone ignored him until he lit Joab’s field on fire to get attention (vv.31-32). He finally reunited with his father (v.33).
(14:1) Joab set up this plot for David’s benefit. He wasn’t trying to deceive him in an unrighteous way—only to help him to see his son again.
(14:2-3) Joab finds a wise woman from Tekoa (the birthplace of Amos, the prophet. He sends her to David to pretend to be in mourning over her son—just as David had been mourning “every day” for Amnon (2 Sam. 13:37).
The wise woman approaches David with her story
(14:4-7) The woman tells David a (fabricated) story that one of her sons killed the other. Now that this happened, the rest of the family is trying to get her to have the surviving son killed. But if this happens, she will lose her family name and inheritance.
(14:8-11) David agrees to protect her. His mention of “not one hair of your son will fall to the ground” is “ironic and poignant: The hair of his own son Absalom was not only an index of his handsome appearance (cf. vv.25-26) but would also contribute to his undoing (cf. 18:9-15).”[6]
The twist
(14:12-17) The woman points out the inconsistency in David’s decree. If he was willing to protect her estranged and exiled son, then why wouldn’t he protect his own son, Abasalom?
(14:18-20) Even though the woman was “wise” (v.2), she calls David “wise” (v.20). David suspects that the woman was put up to this. Somehow, David knows that Joab was behind the rouse. How will David react to being tricked like this? Will he have this woman killed? Will this cause division between David and Joab?
David agrees with forgiving Absalom
(14:21) David forgives Absalom of capital punishment and exile, and he tells Joab to bring his son home.
(14:22-23) Joab is very happy about this, and he gets Absalom to move back to Jerusalem.
(14:24) David forgave him, but he didn’t want a relationship with him.
Absalom’s response
(14:25) Apparently, many of the people in David’s family were physically attractive: Absalom, Tamar (2 Sam. 13:1), David (1 Sam. 16:12; 17:42), Absalom’s daughter (2 Sam. 14:27), Abigail (1 Sam. 25:3), and Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:2).
(14:26) This must be describing how thick and fast his hair grew. But how long must his hair have been to weigh 200 shekels (or 3 pounds, see NET note). Youngblood attributes this weight to hyperbole.[7]
Absalom was vain from his long, beautiful hair. However, his vanity in his hair would be the snare that takes his life (2 Sam. 18:9-15).
(14:27) Absalom must have named his daughter after his victimized sister (Tamar).
His sons must have all died at a young age, because he lacks a male heir later in the narrative (2 Sam. 18:18).
(14:28) Absalom spent two years on his property in Jerusalem without seeing his father.
(14:29) He made two attempts to implore Joab to bring him to his father. He must sense that Joab is a key mediator between him and his father.
(14:30-31) Joab only came when Absalom burned his fields to get his attention.
(14:32) Absalom demands an audience with his father.
(14:33) David finally allows Absalom to come to him, and they reunite their love for each other.
Concluding insights
David is passively being led by Joab, the wise woman, and Absalom. His word doesn’t stand whatsoever. He keeps having to take back his word throughout these chapters. The reconciliation with Absalom seems genuine, but the outcome is so disastrous that it makes us wonder if David was really leading well through this situation.
2 Samuel 15 (Absalom’s Revolt)
Summary: Absalom wanted to be king (v.4), and he won over people’s loyalties during this time (v.6). He wanted to throw a coup over David’s kingship (vv.11-12). David hears of this (v.13), and he realizes that he needs to flee (v.14). David puts the Ark back in the city, because he trusts in the fact that God would adjudicate the situation (v.26).
Absalom’s coup
(15:1) Absalom gathers some men to himself. He must have bought a chariot in order to the “look the part” as the king. Earlier, Samuel used this same language to describe what a king would do: “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots” (1 Sam. 8:11; cf. 1 Kings 1:5).
(15:2-3) Absalom would intercept people before they could hear a ruling from David. Like an “ambulance chasing” lawyer, he would tell them that they have a good case, but David wouldn’t listen to them (v.3). Absalom is slandering the king behind his back.
(15:4) This is a subtle power-play on Absalom’s part. He isn’t saying that he should be the king of Israel—only that he would do a much better job. The pronoun “me” is emphatic in the Hebrew.[8]
(15:5) Instead of accepting honor from people, he would honor the people. This seems altruistic, but this is similar to a politician kissing babies in order to gain votes.
(15:6) Absalom’s plot worked: the people started to side with him.
(15:7a) This political campaign went on behind the scenes for four years. Was David ignorant to Absalom’s ploy this entire time?
(15:7b-10) Absalom feigns that he needs to fulfill a vow in Hebron. In reality, he needs to get some distance from David in order to launch his coup. He gathers all of the Israelites onto his side, so that they will overthrow David’s current administration.
(15:11) Absalom took 200 men with him. Once the coup occurred, he probably figured that they would side with him.
(15:12) Absalom’s act of offering sacrifices mirrors the egregious act of King Saul, which lost him his kingship (1 Sam. 16:2).
Ahithophel may have been the grandfather of Bathsheba (2 Sam. 11:3; 23:34).[9] This could be why he is so eager to join forces with Absalom.
Absalom’s insurgent group gained momentum.
The news of the coup comes to David
David writes Psalm 3 at this time.
(15:13) A faithful messenger tells David that Israel has sided with Absalom.
(15:14) We see more passivity from David. Not only is he unaware of this sinister plot happening right underneath his nose, but he has no will to fight to protect his kingship. He immediately caves in.
(15:15) David’s advisers agree with him, and they run for their lives.
(15:16) These concubines will come up again later in the account.
(15:17-18) David’s men from Gath remained loyal, and he still had a loyal bodyguard to protect him as he fled.
David meets Ittai the Gittite
(15:19-22) A “Gittite” was a man from Gath—a Philistine territory. He swears loyalty to David, rather than Absalom. He becomes a major commander in David’s army (2 Sam. 18:2-12), and he is one of David’s mighty men (2 Sam. 23:29).
In verse 19, the pronoun “you” is emphatic in the Hebrew.[10] In a sense, David is asking, “Why would you—of all people—follow me?”
The “wandering” of David’s people in the desert mirrors the “wandering” of the Jewish people in the desert (Num. 32:13).
David gives the man an opportunity to defect to Absalom’s side (vv.19-20), but Ittai gives his loyalty to David (vv.21-22).
(15:23) The people mourn as David and his people go into hiding in the wilderness. After all of the time David spent fleeing Saul in the wilderness, now David flees once again into the wilderness.
David sends the Ark back to Jerusalem
(15:24) Zadok turns out to be a very faithful priest. He will later take the sake of King Solomon, anointing him as the future king of Israel (1 Kings 1:39ff).
(15:25-28) David puts this coup in God’s hands. He must have doubted whether God was truly with him (v.26).
(15:29) Zadok and Abiathar take the Ark back to Jerusalem.
(15:30) This is more passivity from David. Instead of fighting or planning a counterattack, he wallows in sorrow as he flees his city.
(15:31) This is an interesting prayer. He wants God to work from the “inside out” in Absalom’s cabinet.
David meets Hushai the Arkite
(15:32-37) David sends Hushai back into Absalom’s court as a secret agent and a spy. Hushai works together with the priests (Zadok and Abiathar) to infiltrate Absalom’s new administration. Hushai becomes a key player in protecting David and thwarting Absalom’s revolt (2 Sam. 16:16-18; 17:5-23).
Concluding insights
David tells his followers that they have the option to leave him. He doesn’t force anyone to walk this long road with him.
David was such as strong leader until he fell into moral compromise with Uriah and Bathsheba. Sin leads to passivity in our leadership.
2 Samuel 16 (Absalom Installs Himself)
Summary: Ziba (the steward of Mephibosheth) brings provisions for David (v.1). David accepts the cursing of Shimei and stones being thrown at him. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Ahithophel told Absalom to sleep with David’s concubines in the sight of all the people (vv.21-22). Ahithophel’s advice is foolish (v.23).
Ziba: Mephibosheth’s servant
(16:1) Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s physically handicapped son, whom David had shown mercy to earlier.
Ziba (Mephibosheth’s servant) seems to be going rogue. Later Mephibosheth tells David that Ziba had “deceived” him in doing this (2 Sam. 19:26).
(16:2) David is suspicious of Ziba: “Why do you have these?” Ziba dodges the question.
(16:3) David seems to still be suspicious, asking where Mephibosheth is, so that he can speak for himself. Ziba states that Mephibosheth is trying to reclaim the throne. Again, Ziba is betraying Mephibosheth here, and later, Mephibosheth denies that this was true (2 Sam. 19:26-28).
(16:4) For the time being, David takes Ziba at his word, giving Mephibosheth’s property to Ziba.
Shimei—from the house of Saul—curses David
(16:5) Shimei “curses” David. Remember, the Abrahamic Covenant stated that whoever “curses you will be cursed” (Gen. 12:3). Moreover, the Mosaic law forbid “cursing” a ruler (Ex. 22:28). David doesn’t seek revenge on Shimei. In fact, Shimei repents of these curses later (2 Sam. 19:18-20). However, David still doesn’t trust Shimei, and he tells Solomon to kill Shimei on his deathbed (1 Kings 2:8-9).
(16:6) Shimei throws stones at David, but it seems like David is protected by his entourage of soldiers “at his right hand and at his left.”
(16:7-8) Shimei claims that David is losing his throne because of his bloodshed toward the house of Saul. This is blatantly false. David held his hand from killing Saul.
(16:9) Abishai was the man who wanted to kill Saul, while he was sleeping in his tent (1 Sam. 26:8). Later, Abishai will urge David to kill Shimei.
(16:10-12) This picture shows even more passivity from David. A man is cursing him and his family, and he just stands there and takes it. There is a mark of David’s faith beneath this—namely, he wants God to adjudicate the situation. However, David is a broken man here.
(16:13) Shimei continues to follow David and his men, cursing and throwing stones at them the entire way. (This guy has some serious courage to throw stones at a large group of David and his men!)
(16:14) David and his men finally arrive at Bahurim (v.5) or perhaps beyond it (2 Sam. 17:18).
In the meantime, what is Absalom doing in Jerusalem?
(16:15-16) Hushai was sent by David to be a secret agent in Absalom’s court (2 Sam. 15:32ff). Will Absalom fall for this? Or will he see through Hushai’s deception?
(16:17) This question can be translated as a cutting statement: “So this is the love you show your friend!”[11]
(16:18-19) Hushai tells Absalom what David had told him to say (2 Sam. 15:32). Commentators note that Hushai is being deliberately ambiguous throughout this section, playing on Absalom’s pride that Hushai is speaking about him, rather than David.[12]
(16:20-23) Absalom asks Ahithophel (his counselor) for advice. Instead of rendering a verdict regarding Hushai, Ahithophel tells Absalom to have an orgy with David’s ten concubines. He does this in “the sight of all Israel” (v.21). This parallels David’s sin of sleeping with Bathsheba: David saw Bathsheba from this same rooftop of the palace (2 Sam. 11:2). What David did in secret, Absalom did in public, fulfilling the prediction of Nathan the prophet (2 Sam. 12:10).
David keeps these women as widows when he returns (2 Sam. 20:3).
(16:23) Ahithophel’s advice was not God’s truth, but it was “as if one inquired of the word of God” (NASB) or “like that of one who inquires of God” (NLT).
2 Samuel 17 (The Death of Ahithophel)
Summary: Ahithophel offers to hunt David down and kill him with 12,000 men (vv.1-3), and Absalom (his son!) approves (v.4). Hushai tells him that this isn’t a good idea, because David is such a gifted and seasoned fighter (v.8). Instead, he calls for gathering the entire army of Israel to fight him (v.11). Absalom sides with Hushai (v.14). Ahithophel couldn’t handle the fact that his advice had not been followed, so he hanged himself (v.23). People brought copious supplies for David (vv.27-29).
Ahithophel wants to hunt down David
(17:1) Ahithophel knew that it would take this many men to successfully kill David.
(17:2-4) How much does David’s life foreshadow Jesus? Ahithophel wants to kill David (God’s anointed) in order to save the entire nation of Israel. Moreover, “all the elders of Israel” agreed with this. This is reminiscent of Caiaphas’ thinking regarding killing Jesus (Jn. 11:49-50).
Ahithophel wants to “hit David hard” while he’s weak.[13]
Absalom consults Hushai
(17:5-10) Remember, Hushai is working for David (2 Sam. 15:32ff), so he contradicts Ahithophel’s advice. Hushai points out that David is a mighty man of war, who is surrounded by mighty men of war (v.8). If David starts to lead guerrilla warfare, this could seriously panic Absalom’s men. Since David is prone to hiding in caves (v.9), it will take an enormous amount of man power to find him.
(17:11-13) Hushai suggests that Absalom lead the troops to Dan and Beersheba. When David surfaces, then the army will be able to capture him.
(17:14) David’s prayer was answered (2 Sam. 15:31).
(17:15-16) Meanwhile, Hushai sends word to David to get away from the mounting army.
Hushai, Zadok, and Abiathar send messengers to David (Jonathan and Ahimaaz)
(17:17-20) Jonathan and Ahimaaz were the sons of Zadok and Abiathar (2 Sam. 15:27, 36). They were spotted by a boy in En-Rogel, which is a mile south-south-east of Jerusalem.[14] The boy rats out the messengers to Absalom.
The messengers flee to Bahurim, which is about two miles northeast of Jerusalem.[15] An ally to David in Bahurim hid the two men in his well. The man’s wife covered the well, and she lied to Absalom’s men about it (v.20).
(17:21-22) David receives the message successfully, and he avoids capture and death.
Ahithophel hangs himself
(17:23) Why would Ahithophel take such drastic measures? Was his pride hurt this badly? Was he worried that David would regain the throne and have him killed? Could he see that the political maneuvering would come back against him?
It could be that Ahithophel couldn’t stand being rejected like this. After all, earlier, Ahithophel’s advice was considered “as if one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom” (2 Sam. 16:23). Now, however, Ahithophel has been rejected.
It could be that Ahitophel knew that David would not be captured and killed by Absalom. Therefore, he realizes that David will soon return to seek revenge on Ahithophel.[16]
Absalom continues to pursue David
(17:24-26) Mahanaim was the headquarters of Ish-Bosheth (2 Sam. 2:8). It must have felt strange for David to take up shelter here.
Absalom replaced Joab with his cousin Amasa. Joab probably fled with David (2 Sam. 18:5).[17]
(17:27-29) Shobi (son of Nahash)[18] provides David and his men with food and supplies.
Concluding insights
David is on the run for most of his adult life. If God had told him that he would be king, we doubt that he would have believed that this would involve such turmoil. As believers, we are sons of the King, but we are tormented too.
David didn’t have to face this torment alone. Notice how many people side with him, and how many people help him along the way (e.g. Hushai, Zadok, Abiathar, the messengers, Nahash, etc.).
2 Samuel 18 (The Death of Absalom)
Summary: David collects his men to fight (v.1). The men tell him to stay back because he is more valuable than the other men (v.3). He asks that the men would be gentle with Absalom (v.5). David’s men win the battle, killing 20,000 men (v.7).
Absalom’s hair was caught in a tree, as his mule ran through the branches (v.9). Joab killed Absalom because he was a sitting duck (v.14). The runners (news-carriers) run to David to tell him what happened. David is convinced that they were bringing good news (v.27). The Cushite news-carrier tells him that Absalom died (v.32). This shakes David deeply, and causes him to weep (vv.32-33).
David asks for Absalom to be dealt with “gently”
(18:1-2) David gathers the troops, places them under good leadership, and tells them that he will lead in the battle with them. The words “I myself” are emphatic in the Hebrew.[19]
(18:3-4) The men tell David not to fight with them. After all, David is the central leader of the nation. If he dies, then the army would collapse. This is a total reversal of Hushai’s advice to Absalom (2 Sam. 17:11).
(18:5) David may have wanted to go fight in person in order to protect his son. He tells the commanders (in earshot of the entire army) to be “gentle” with Absalom. Even after all of Absalom’s treachery, David was still Absalom’s father and this man was his son. He couldn’t bring himself to have the man killed. Youngblood comments, “David’s reference to his son as ‘the young man’ (cf. also vv.12, 29, 32) indicates, together with his words ‘for my sake,’ something of his paternal affection in spite of Absalom’s destructive ambition, arrogance, and treachery.”[20]
The battle begins
(18:6-7) David’s men are victorious. 20,000 men died.
(18:8) Why would the forest kill so many men? This could refer to the fact that the armies were spread out, far and wide, and David’s men were more skilled at using guerrilla warfare in the forests.[21]
The death of Absalom
(18:9) Absalom flees from the battle through the forest. As he rides his mule, his long, thick hair gets caught in a tree. “Hair” and “head” are used together in 2 Samuel 14:26. Remember, Absalom’s hair was a sign of his vanity (cf. 2 Sam. 14:26). This was his undoing in battle.
(18:10-13) One of Joab’s men reports what happened. Joab tells the man that he would’ve rewarded him for killing the man (ten pieces of silver = four ounces).[22] However, the messenger knows that David had told them not to harm Absalom.
(18:14) Joab stabbed Absalom with three “spears” (NASB) or “javelins” (NIV) or “daggers” (NLT), and Absalom still didn’t die (!!).
(18:15) Ten of Joab’s men surrounded and killed Absalom.
(18:16-17) Since Absalom was dead, the war was effectively over. Joab had Absalom buried in the forest.
(18:18) Why does the text interject with this statement about Absalom’s Monument? Since Absalom didn’t have a son to carry on his name (perhaps they all died? 2 Sam. 14:27), he settled for a monument.
Messengers come to David with the news
(18:19-21) Joab won’t let one of his men bring the (bad) news to David. Instead, he sends one of the foreigners—an Ethiopian man.
(18:22-23) Ahimaaz persists in wanting to bring the news to David, and Joab allows him to go.
(18:24-27) David expected the messengers to bring good news.
(18:28-30) Ahimaaz thinks that he is bringing good news (v.28), but Ahimaaz lies and doesn’t tell David that Absalom died (v.29).
(18:31-32) The Ethiopian tells David that Absalom is dead.
(18:33) This is the third son that David lost after his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba. There is hardly a more touching and emotional verse in the entire Bible. There is so much betrayal and treachery here, but so much love as well.
The “I” is emphatic in the Hebrew (“If only I had died instead of you!” NIV).[23] David cries, “My son…” five times in this one verse.
Concluding insights
The messengers brought news about the corporate battle, but David only wants to hear what happened to his son (v.29, 32). David’s son meant more to him than the entire battle.
David cared deeply for his son (vv.32-33), but he wasn’t willing to discipline or lead him. David was a brave soldier, but a weak father.
[1] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 959.
[2] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 960.
[3] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 965.
[4] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 965.
[5] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 969.
[6] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 978-979.
[7] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 985.
[8] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 989.
[9] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 991.
[10] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 994.
[11] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1006.
[12] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1007.
[13] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1008.
[14] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1013.
[15] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1013.
[16] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1013.
[17] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1014.
[18] This may or may not be the same Nahash mentioned in 2 Samuel 10:2.
[19] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1017.
[20] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1018.
[21] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1019.
[22] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1020.
[23] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 1027.