Good morning! Yesterday we read the drama of Absalom’s banishment from Jerusalem for the revenge killing of David’s firstborn Amnon, and his eventual return to the king’s good graces. Today in 2 Samuel 15-17 we see the situation reversed. Abaslom rises to power and leads a coup that expels his father from the throne to the wilderness, where David must once again fight for survival as he did against Saul.

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Good morning! We have two linked stories today in 2 Samuel 13-14 that introduce us to King David’s son Absalom and lead us to consider the dynamics of vengeance (God-commanded) and mercy (God-modeled). We see David indulging the wrongdoing of one son, yet later forgiving and reuniting with another son who enacts cold revenge. One note before we go further: this reading contains a detailed description of rape which might be especially troubling to those who have been sexually abused.

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Good morning! Today in 2 Samuel 10-12 we see the “Achilles heel” of King David. Though a faithful person, a loyal leader and a skilled military commander, his desire for all the access that a king can demand leads him into adulterous trouble with Bathsheba, made worse by his attempt to hide his action. However, unlike Saul, when confronted David does not make excuses or try to rationalize his behavior. He takes his lumps then goes back to acting as king, but the ramifications of his action will be with his lineage for decades to come.

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Good morning! In the four chapters for today (2 Samuel 6-9) we see the successive steps that David takes in securing and expanding the kingdom of Israel under his control. The order of action in these chapters—recovery of the ark, devotion to God, military victory, mercy to Mephibosheth—demonstrate David’s priorities. First he seeks to do well in things religious, then military, then personal.

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Good morning! Today’s readings have a lot of violence—men-to-men in raw contests of power, vengeance and betrayal. 2 Samuel 3-5 describes the end of Saul’s lineage, the means by which David ascends to the throne of all Israel, and his first actions as leader of the united kingdom.

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Good morning! Though it’s a different book, 2 Samuel 1-2 picks up today where we left off yesterday at the end of 1 Samuel. David is in Ziklag after defeating the marauding Amalekites, while Saul and his three sons have just been killed by the Philistines.

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Good morning! Today’s passage concludes the book of First Samuel with chapters 27-31. Here we see David finding shelter once more with the wary Philistines, then the battle with the Philistines that leads to the deaths of Saul and his sons. Saul’s erratic journey concludes, but not before the narrator humanizes him further and gives him an honorable end.

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Good morning! The stories in today’s Daily Bible passage (1 Samuel 24-26) emphasize David’s righteousness as he seeks to follow his calling to leadership in Israel, and yet not overthrow God’s previously anointed king, Saul. These stories about David’s sound, faithful heart both reflect and further establish his reputation as the greatest leader Israel ever had, even in light of his many later flaws.

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Good morning! Thank you for your reflections and feedback each day, particularly yesterday. It’s great to see how this group continues to inspire and encourage each other in our reading together. Today’s passage (1 Samuel 21-23) shows how the rivalry between Saul and David escalates into a near civil war, with deadly implications for other Israelites caught up in the conflict.

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