Book Introduction

The books of 1st and 2nd Samuel record events from B.C. 1105 to 971, approximately 135 years of Israel's history.  First Samuel follows the transition from the time of the Judges, when everyone was doing what was right in their own eyes, to the time of kings.  First and Second Samuel were originally one book.  So, the break between them is man made.  First Samuel is primarily Saul’s reign and David’s rise to the throne.  Second Samuel is David’s reign and the throne passing to Solomon.

From the beginning, when Israel wanted a king, God ordained Saul and surrounded him with godly men.  The Lord’s anointing was on him.  But Saul wasn’t obedient.  He failed to submit to the Lord.  In time, Samuel told Saul that the Lord had torn away the kingdom.  But Saul still reigned for 41 years before his tragic death.  The Lord had cleared the way.  There were no natural successors to the throne since all of Saul’s sons were killed with him.  As First Samuel ended, we saw the ascent of David to the throne and the slow, torturous fall of Saul.

Second Samuel is the establishment of the throne of David by it won’t happen quickly and without some pain.   We’ll see the Davidic covenant, which has eternal implications. While it seemed like it took a long time for the Lord to move Saul out, it was God’s perfect timing. During this time, David had also been anointed and told he would rule. So David was learning patience and trust in the Lord. He was being prepared to serve God and the people as king.

Saul was disobedient and didn’t have a heart for the Lord.  We see that David has a heart for the Lord, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t fail or fall into sin.  When he fails, he repents, sees his error, returns to the Lord, and renews his trust.  Second Samuel is the story of the good and the bad of David’s reign.