II Samuel 11:26-12:13a The denouement of King David begins.  Having successfully plotted the death of Uriah, David takes his widow, Bathsheba, as his wife, who gives birth to a son.  The prophet Nathan is sent by the Lord to tell … Continue reading →

II Samuel 11:1-15 Favored since his youth by the Lord and known for his bravery, David’s conniving starts his downfall.  He sends his army out to battle while he stays safely at home in Jerusalem.  His wandering eye lands on … Continue reading →

II Samuel 7:1-14a Having brought the “ark of God” to a tent-sanctuary in his new capital city of Jerusalem, King David tells the prophet Nathan, “I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in … Continue reading →

II Samuel 6:-15,12b-19 Having taken Jerusalem from the Canaanites and established it as the new capital of a united Israel, King David further enhances its status by bringing the “ark of God” to the new “city of David.”  Its arrival … Continue reading →

II Samuel 5:1-5,9-10 Following the formative, dramatic events of David’s youth and the tragic death of King Saul and his eldest son, Jonathan, David is made King of both North and South in a united Israel.  Rather than reign from … Continue reading →

II Samuel 1:1,17-27 David’s moving and eloquent lament over the death of the King, Saul, and his eldest son, Jonathan, expresses national and personal loss.  He is filled with shame and outrage over the defeat of Israel and the image … Continue reading →

I Samuel 17:(1a,4-11,19-23),32-49 Just with a slingshot, David slays the huge, well-armed Goliath, who is vividly described as falling “face down on the earth.”  In another memorable image, the slim, youthful David is swamped in King Saul’s armor,  which he … Continue reading →

I Samuel 15:34-16:13 David is introduced into Israel’s grand narrative of her relationship with the God of Abraham/Sarah and Moses.  The Lord’s strong emotional commitment to Israel is on full display.  The Lord regrets having made Saul the first King … Continue reading →

I Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11: 14-15) The elders approach Samuel with a request: because you are old and your sons are not trustworthy, “appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.”  Samuel prays to the … Continue reading →

I Samuel 3: 1-10, [11-20] In those days, “visions were not widespread.”   Samuel, the young follower of the old priest Eli is lying down next to the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple where “the lamp of the … Continue reading →