2 Samuel Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory

The Ark's Arrival in Jerusalem

On Top of the World This is a big, crowning moment in David's career: it's his Pet Sounds, his Who's Next (if you know what's up with classic rock). The Ark—which is sort of God's home on ea...

Absalom and David's Concubines

Sigmund Freud would've had a field day with this episode… Absalom, rebelling against his father, tries to seize power from him by conquering Jerusalem and then sleeping with the ten concubin...

Absalom in the Oak Tree

Absalom's revolt against David ends pretty embarrassingly. Absalom doesn't like to cut his hair—he prefers more of a Fabio look, evidently. But this mild act of impracticality proves to be his un...

Ahitophel's Suicide

Ahithophel's counsel is considered to be equal to that of an "Oracle of God"—and even though he turns traitor to David, he evidently does give pretty good advice to Absalom. Maybe if Absalom had...

The Census

Why does God punish all of Israel for David taking a census—especially considering that 2 Samuel says God provoked him to take it (however, Chronicles says it was actually Satan who tempted David...

The Ewe Lamb

When the Prophet Nathan tries to get David to see the grave sin he committed by seducing Bathsheba and having her husband murdered, he decides to use an age-old tactic: a cute but sad story with an...

The Execution of Saul's Sons

Since Saul misguidedly persecuted and massacred a people called the Gibeonites in his zeal to promote Israel's God, God afflicts Israel with a three-year famine. In order to end it, David needs to...