Day 56 Reading Schedule: 1 Samuel 30-31, 2 Samuel 1-3

1 Samuel 30: David Destroys the Amalekites 

[Summary]

David's crisis, which he escaped with God's help after facing the crisis of fratricide on the battlefield, continues in this chapter. The Amalekites, who had previously been invaded by David, attacked Ziklag, David's residence, pillaged it, and took women and children captive (verses 1-6). When David returned to Ziklag and learned of this, he pursued the Amalekites with the guidance of an Egyptian boy who had been a servant of the Amalekites (verses 7-15). David attacked the Amalekites at dawn while they were celebrating their victory, and recovered all the livestock and women that had been taken (verses 16-20). After winning the war, David fairly distributed the spoils of war to all his soldiers and the cities related to him (verses 21-30).

[Explanation]

The text shows an episode that occurred in Ziklag during the Battle of Gilboa between the Philistines and Israel. David, who had been fortunately spared from the battle of Gilboa, returned to Ziklag and discovered that Ziklag had been plundered by the Amalek army. In the face of such a terrible sorrow and crisis, David had no strength to cry. In the midst of all this, the text shows us in detail how David acted with faith, courage, and steadfastness.

1 Samuel 31: The Fall of Saul's Dynasty 

[Summary]

This chapter shows that an era is ending and a new era is opening in Israel through the death of Saul, the first king of Israel. An all-out war broke out between the Philistines and Israel, and Israel was ultimately defeated. Since God had abandoned Saul, the leader of Israel, they could never win. In addition, Saul, who lost the war and fled, and whose three sons were killed, realized that the situation was hopeless and fell on his sword to commit suicide (verses 1-6). Saul, who sat on the glorious throne of the first king of Israel, became arrogant and disobeyed God, and eventually met a miserable end. The Philistines who defeated Israel beheaded Saul and placed his armor in the temple of Ashtoreth. When the people of Gilead heard this news, they buried the bodies of Saul's family and fasted and mourned for seven days (verses 7-13). Thus, Saul's era ended and a new era with David as the main character began.

[Kang Hae]

The text contains a very sad event. Namely, the death of Saul, the first king of Israel, and the downfall of Saul’s family are mentioned. Saul, who acted rashly and recklessly and committed a sin against God, suffered the misfortune of not only himself but also his family being killed in the Battle of Mogilboa. And as prophesied, the next kingship passed to David. In this way, the rise and fall of human history, and the boundaries and borders of nations and peoples, are determined by God. Through the text, we come to realize the hand of God working in human history.

2 Samuel 1: David Mourns 

[Summary]

This chapter introduces David's reaction to learning of the death of Saul's family. After destroying the Amalekites and returning to Ziklag, David heard of the death of Saul's family two days later from an Amalekite boy who claimed to have killed Saul (vv. 1-10). David tore his clothes, mourned deeply, and killed the Amalekite boy (vv. 11-16). Although Saul was an honest man, David's true sorrow over his death clearly reveals David's character. And although David was abandoned by God, he personally wrote a song praising Saul, a warrior, and his friend Jonathan in faith, and recorded it in a book to leave it for future generations (vv. 17-27).

[Explanation]

2 Samuel is centered around David, and this chapter introduces David's attitude toward the report of King Saul's death. Saul, who became the king of Israel by the grace of Jehovah, reigned for 40 years but met a miserable end. Saul's death brought great sorrow to David.

2 Samuel 2: David's Ascension to the Throne and Civil War 

[Summary]

Saul died, but David had to go through much hardship to establish his throne because of the remaining followers of Saul. This chapter records the civil war between Saul's remaining forces and David. After Saul's death, David went up to Hebron at God's command and was established there as the king of Judah (verses 1-7). However, Saul's followers opposed David and established a new nation centered on the Israelites. Israel, which fought against David, was eventually defeated (verses 8-17), and Abner, the commander of Israel's army who was fleeing, killed David's servant Asahel (verses 18-23). ​​Abner gathered the Benjaminites and fled to Mahanaim, and David's army, including Joab, returned to Hebron (verses 24-32).

[Explanation]

After King Saul died in battle with the Philistines, David did not act hastily, but asked the Lord about his future plans. The main chapter tells the story of David becoming king of the tribe of Judah and the national crisis that eventually leads to civil war when Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, is crowned king of Israel.

2 Samuel 3: David's Prosperity 

[Summary]

This chapter shows the long civil war, during which the Saul family finally declined and David established a strong ruling power throughout the country. During the long civil war, David produced many children in Hebron, and Abner, who took power in Israel, acted as he pleased and committed evil (verses 1-11). Then, when Ishbosheth rebuked him for his sins, Abner sent a secret messenger to David to hand over Israel to David (verses 12-16). After hearing David's positive response, Abner took his servants and went to Hebron to surrender to David (verses 17-21). However, Joab, who had previously lost his younger brother Asahel to Abner, plotted to kill Abner despite David's pardon (verses 22-30). This clearly shows the miserable end of a man who betrayed trust and fell into greed for power. On the other hand, David sincerely mourned the death of the ambitious Abner and showed his virtuous character as a ruler by holding a grand funeral for him (vv. 31-39).

[Explanation]

In the battlefield, we have seen the first confrontation between David and Saul. However, this chapter shows that the just king David gradually prospered and the unjust counselor Abner was eventually killed. In other words, the rise of the royal family of David and the decline of the royal family of Saul, who enthroned Ishbosheth as king, are introduced.