2 Samuel 8

1 And after this David struck the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took the Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines. 2 Also he struck Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; two measured lines he to put to death, and one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought gifts.

• If everyone in history had done as God wanted there would have been no wars.
• The procedure that God gave His people when conquering was to offer peace first (Deuteronomy 20:10).
• The Philistines chose war by refusing the standard offer of peace.
• In Moab, two thirds of the survivors were executed and one third saved.

• Judges 5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates.

• John 10:28 And I give to them eternal life; and they will never perish, neither will any man pluck them out of my hand.

3 David also struck Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates. 4 David took from him a thousand chariots, seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but reserved enough of them for a hundred chariots.

• Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

The Lord preserved David wherever he went

5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David killed of the Syrians twenty-two thousand men. 6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

• Psalm 91:7 A thousand will fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come near you.

• Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song I will praise him.

8 From Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David took exceeding much bronze. 9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had struck all the host of Hadadezer, 10 then Toi sent Joram, his son, to king David to ask peace of him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer, and struck him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver, articles of gold, and articles of bronze: 11 Which king David dedicated to the LORD, with the silver and gold that he had dedicated from all nations that he subdued;

• No fat bank accounts on earth for David. He put all the extra into eternal accounts in the banks of heaven by putting it into God’s service.

• Philippians 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit abounding to your account.

12 From Syria, from Moab, from the children of Ammon, from the Philistines, and from Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah. 13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from slaying the Syrians in the valley of salt, killing eighteen thousand men. 14 He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all those of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David wherever he went.

• David’s conquering was not wrong.
• He was a fair and just ruler.
• He brought the light of God into idolatrous lands that were leading people to eternal death by their worship of evil.
• Let’s stop apologizing for truth.
• God alone made heaven and earth.
• God alone sustains heaven, earth, and us.
• All the other gods that are worshipped in this world today are leading people straight into the Lake of Fire forever (Revelation 20:15).

• Psalm 96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

• John 14:6J esus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, except by me.

15 And David reigned over all Israel; David executed judgment and justice to all his people. 16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; Seraiah was the scribe; 18 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers.

• These were David’s cabinet or chief’s of staff. The future of earth will have a better ruler than these.

• Isaiah 32:1 a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in judgment.

• Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he will reign forever and ever.

• Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

                                          2 Samuel 9

God is abundantly kind

1 And David said, Is there anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may do kindness for Jonathan’s sake? 2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. They had called him to David, the king said to him, Are you Ziba? And he said, Yes, I am your servant. 3 And the king said, Is there anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may do to him the kindness of God? And Ziba said to the king, Jonathan still has a son who is crippled in both feet. 4 The king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar. 5 Then king David sent, and brought him from the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he fell on his face, and bowed himself. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold your servant! 7 And David said to him, Do not be afraid: for I will surely do you kindness because of your father, Jonathan, and will restore to you all the land of Saul, your father; and you will eat food at my table continually. 8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?

• Mephibosheth was born of royalty and crippled by a fall (2 Samuel 4:4).
• He was living in fear of a king he’d never seen—David.
• That king brought him into his home and gave him a place at his table because of the love that king had for his father, Jonathan.
• This is a picture of us.
• We were made in God’s image but crippled in sin by the fall.
• Because of God’s love for His Son we unworthy ones are brought to eat at the table of the eternal King of Kings.

• Psalm 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.

• Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

9 Then the king called to Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, I have given to your lord’s son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You are to till the land for him, you and your sons, and your servants, and bring in its fruits for the son of your lord’s food that he may eat: but Mephibosheth your lord’s son will eat food at my table continually. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, I will do all that my lord the king commands his servant. And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly with David, as though he were one of his own sons. 12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants to Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he ate continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.

• John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

• John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me will never hunger; and he that believes on me will never thirst.

• Jeremiah 15:16 your words were found, and I did eat them; and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart: for I am called by your name, O LORD God of hosts.

                                          2 Samuel 10

1 After this the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun, his son, reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. So David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants regarding his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

• God has shown great kindness to us.

• Psalm 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us:

3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Is David David honoring your father in your eyes because he has sent you comforters? Hasn’t David sent his servants to you, to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it? 4 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off the one half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 When they told David, he sent to meet them because the men were very humiliated: the king said, Stay at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return. 6 And the sons of Ammon saw that they stunk before David, then the sons of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand infantry, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ish-tob twelve thousand men.

• This ruler listened to unwise counsel.
• He didn’t ask God. Hanun led his nation into war by this act.
• David would not have attacked them for cutting off the beards and clothes of his ambassadors, he would have cut clothes and beards of their ambassadors.
• But he will defend his nation against this huge attack they were mounting.

• Jeremiah 17:5 Thus says the LORD; Cursed is the man that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart depart from the LORD.

• Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and do not lean unto your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.

7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the army of the mighty men. 8 The Ammonite troops drew up their battle lines at the entrance of the city gates, while the Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah positioned themselves to fight in the open fields. 9 Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him in front and behind, and he chose of all the best men of Israel, and deployed them against the Syrians: 10 And the rest of the people he gave into the hand of Abishai his brother, so that he might position them against the children of Ammon. 11 And he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you help me: but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come help you.

• This strategy is called fighting from interior lines and is still used today.

God does what seems good to him

12 Be strong, let us show ourselves courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do what seems good to him. 13 And Joab drew near, and the people that were with him to the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him. 14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians fled, then they also fled before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

• God’s people are valiant because the Lord helps them.

• Leviticus 26:8 And five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

• Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that is what he did in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

15 And when the Syrians saw that they were struck down before Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16 Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river (Euphrates): and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the army of Hadarezer went before them. 17 And when David was told it, he gathered all Israel together, crossed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians positioned themselves against David, and fought with him. 18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; David killed from Syria seven hundred men in chariots, and forty thousand cavalry, and struck Shobach the captain of their army, who died there.

• Hadarezer sent for reinforcements.
• David’s infantry defeated 700 chariots, tanks of the ancient world.

• Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the LORD who made heaven and earth.

19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were defeated before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the children of Ammon anymore.

• The Lord even brought the hired mercenary army under David’s authority.

• Romans 8:31 What shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

• Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

                                          2 Samuel 11

1 And it happened, after the turn of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab, his servants with him, and all Israel; they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 When evening came, David got up off his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. 3 And David sent and asked about the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she purified herself from her uncleanness: and she returned to her house.

• People often bathed on their rooftops.
• The palace rooftop was higher than those around it.
• David could have turned away and given her privacy. The king was the absolute authority in the land of Israel. Bathsheba was his subject. This command from the king was in essence rape. As becomes clear by God’s judgments of this incident.

• Job 31:1 I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

• 1John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

• James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

5 And the woman conceived, and sent telling David, I am pregnant. 6 And David sent to Joab saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 And when Uriah came to him, David asked about the welfare of Joab, and the welfare of the people, and the success of the war. 8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to your house, and wash your feet. And Uriah left the king’s house, and a gift (meal) from the king went after him. 9 But Uriah lay at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 And they had told David saying, Uriah did not go down to his house, David said to Uriah, have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?

God gave David an illustration of integrity

11 And Uriah said to David, The ark, Israel, and Judah are staying in tents; my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord are camping in the open fields; Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? By your life, and the life of our soul, I will not do this thing.

• Uriah’s concern was where David’s should have been.
• What an illustration from God for David who is wandering from the path of righteousness.

12 And David said to Uriah, Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will send you away. So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day, and the next. 13 And when David had called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk: and at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but did not go down to his house.

• Intoxication did not change Uriah’s integrity.

14 And in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 And he wrote in the letter saying, Set Uriah at the front of the strongest fighting, and withdraw from him so that he is struck down, and dies. 16 And it happened, when Joab observed the city, he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew that the stongest men were. 17 And the men of the city went out and fought with Joab: and some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

• Honorable Uriah carried his own death sentence in his hand as he returned to the war.
• Some speculate that Bathsheba was David’s right woman, God’s perfect design for him, and therefore he could not resist her.
• But God’s word plainly states that Bathsheba was Uriah’s woman. Eglah was David’s Ishah or bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh (2 Samuel 3:5, 1 Chronicles 3:3).

• Matthew 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

• 2Samuel 3:5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David’s wife (Ishah).

18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war; 19 And charged the messenger saying, When you have finished telling the events of the war to the king, 20 if the king’s fury rises, and he says to you, Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21 Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall? Then you say, Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 22 So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent him. 23 And the messenger said to David, Surely the men prevailed over us, and came out to us in the field, and we were upon them to the entrance of the gate. 24 And the archers shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also. 25 Then David said to the messenger, Say this to Joab, Do not let this thing be evil in your eyes, for the sword devours one as well as another: make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it: and strengthen him. 26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. 27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

• Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

SUMMARY: 2 Samuel 8-11

• The LORD preserved David wherever he went
• He is abundantly kind
• He does what seems good to Him
• He gave David a living illustration of integrity