2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 The books attributed to the prophet Samuel tell the history of the Israelites and explain God’s law for Israel under the guidance of the prophets. In chapter 6 of 2 Samuel, King David, after uniting the tribes of Israel under his leadership, takes possession of the Ark of the Covenant, containing a jar of manna,…

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 The breadth of David’s story throughout scripture is here condensed and blessed in the tenth verse of 2 Samuel 5: “And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.” This emphatic illumination of God’s presence repeats a refrain that has been persistent throughout David’s…

2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 Characters in the biblical narrative of the Old Testament tend to be complex, a mixed bag of vice and virtue, and they are good as moral exemplars only in a selective way. In this portrait, two of David’s greatest – though perhaps least understood – virtues shine forth unmixed for our…

1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 Because this text includes one of the most famous stories of the Bible, it can be tricky to get to a deeper level when many of us are accustomed to encountering it in a simplified, Children’s Bible version. A couple pointers, however, might help us move beyond a…

1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 “Samuel grieved over Saul. And the Lord was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.” Grief is something that we all experience throughout the course of life, although it is most typically associated with death and other forms of loss. In this case, Samuel’s grief was twofold; he mourned the…