Famine, War, and Plague

The dates in this section are not easy to determine. David probably appeased the Gibeonites shortly after honoring Mephibosheth in about the 10th to 15th years of his reign. Most of the feats of the giant killers and special forces took place during the Philistine battles in the first half of his reign. David numbered his fighting men sometime during the last half of his reign. He also apparently made extensive plans for the temple during this part of his reign while Solomon was quite young.

David appeases the Gibeonites to stop a famine
2 Sam. 21:1-14

The giant killers
2 Sam. 21:15-22 [1 Chron. 20:4-8]

Praise for deliverance
2 Sam. 22:1-51
The last words of David
2 Sam. 23:1-7

Special forces

• Three mighty men
  2 Sam. 23:8-17 [1 Chron. 11:10-19]
• Abishai and Benaiah
  2 Sam. 23:18-23 [1 Chron. 11:20-25]
• Thirty mighty men
  2 Sam. 23:24-39 [1 Chron. 11:26-47]

David purchases the temple mount when God stops a plague

• David takes a census
  2 Sam. 24:1-10 [1 Chron. 21:1-8]
  [[1 Chron. 27:23-24]]
• God sends a plague
  2 Sam. 24:11-17 [1 Chron. 21:9-17]
• David builds an altar
  2 Sam. 24:18-25 [1 Chron. 21:18-27]
• David dedicates land for the house of the Lord
  1 Chron. 21:28 - 22:1
• David makes plans for building the temple
  1 Chron. 22:2-5

Favor and Forgiveness

992-990 B.C.; age 47-50; regnal years 17-20

Solomon must have been born about twenty years before the end of David's reign because his son Rehoboam was one year old when he became king (1 Kings 11:42 with 14:21).

God makes a covenant with David

• David desires to build a temple for God
  2 Sam. 7:1-17 [1 Chron. 17:1-15]
• David gives thanks to God
  2 Sam. 7:18-29 [1 Chron. 17:16-27]

Joab lays siege to Rabbah
2 Sam. 11:1 [1 Chron. 20:1a]

David sins

• David commits adultery
  2 Sam. 11:2-5
• David tries to hide his sin
  2 Sam. 11:6-13
• David has Uriah killed
  2 Sam. 11:14-27

David is forgiven

• Nathan rebukes David
  2 Sam. 12:1-12
• David repents and is restored
  2 Sam. 12:13-23
• Solomon is born
  2 Sam. 12:24-25

David takes Rabbah of the Ammonites
2 Sam. 12:26-31 [1 Chron. 20:1b-3]

Military Conquests

1002-994 B.C.; age 38-46; regnal years 8-16

The defeated nations in 2 Samuel 8 appear in the order in which they were defeated. However, the Arameans had been enlisted as allies of the Ammonites who were defeated last. For this reason, the Ammonite war described in 2 Samuel 10 describes how the Arameans became involved before they were defeated by David's army further north in 2 Samuel 8. This outline arranges all events in chronological order. The Ammonites are finally defeated in 2 Samuel 12. Note that the events in this section begin after the defeat of the Philistines described in the previous Jerusalem section and run parallel with the remaining part of that section.

David defeats the Philistines at Metheg Ammah
2 Sam. 8:1 [1 Chron. 18:1]

David conquers the Moabites
2 Sam. 8:2 [1 Chron. 18:2]

David defeats Ammon's allies

• The Ammonites insult David's messengers
  2 Sam. 10:1-5 [1 Chron. 19:1-5]
• David's army prevails over Ammon's allies
  2 Sam. 10:6-14 [1 Chron. 19:6-15]
• David's army is victorious over Ammon's allies again
  2 Sam. 10:15-19 [1 Chron. 19:16-19]
• David conquers Zobah and Damascus
  2 Sam. 8:3-8 [1 Chron. 18:3-8] cf. 1 Kings 11:23-24

David dedicates gifts and plunder to the Lord
2 Sam. 8:9-12 [1 Chron. 18:9-11]

David conquers the Edomites
2 Sam. 8:13-14 [1 Chron. 18:12-13]
cf. 1 Kings 11:15-18; title of Psalm 60

Jerusalem

1002 - 994 B.C.; age 38-46; regnal years 8-16

David conquers Jerusalem
2 Sam. 5:6-10 [1 Chron. 11:4-9]

David builds a palace
2 Sam. 5:11-12 [1 Chron. 14:1-2]

David fathers other sons in Jerusalem
2 Sam. 5:13-16 [1 Chron. 14:3-7] [[1 Chron. 3:5-9]]

David defeats the Philistines in Rephaim Valley
2 Sam. 5:17-25 [1 Chron. 14:8-17]

The Ark of God brought to Jerusalem

• David plans to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem
  1 Chron. 13:1-4
• David's procession is abruptly halted
  2 Sam. 6:1-11 [1 Chron. 13:5-14]
• David consecrates Levites to carry the ark
  1 Chron. 15:1-24
• David succeeds in bringing the ark to Jerusalem
  2 Sam. 6:12-19a [1 Chron. 15:25 - 16:3]
• David gives thanks to God
  1 Chron. 16:4-43; see also 2 Sam. 6:19b-20a
• David argues with Michal
  2 Sam. 6:20-23

David rules with justice and equity
2 Sam. 8:15-18 [1 Chron. 18:14-17]

David shows kindness to Mephibosheth
2 Sam. 9:1-13

Hebron

1009-1003 B.C.; age 31-37; regnal years 1-7

David is proclaimed king over Judah in Hebron
2 Sam. 2:1-7

David fathers sons in Hebron
2 Sam. 3:2-5 [1 Chron. 3:1-4]

David is opposed by Ish-bosheth
2 Sam. 2:8-11

David wins initial victory at Gibeon
2 Sam. 2:12 - 3:1

David accepts Abner's offer
2 Sam. 3:6-21

Joab kills Abner
2 Sam. 3:22-27

David curses Joab and honors Abner
2 Sam. 3:28-39

David punishes Ish-bosheth's murderers
2 Sam. 4:1-12

David is proclaimed king of all Israel
2 Sam. 5:1-5 [1 Chron. 11:1-3]

Armed men gather to David
1 Chron. 12:23-40

Exile

1011-1010 B.C.; age 29-30

David flees to Philistia
1 Sam. 27:1-12

Mighty men join David in Ziklag
1 Chron. 12:1-7

David drafted and expelled from the Philistine army

• Achish drafts David and his men
  1 Sam. 28:1-2
• Philistines exclude David from their army
  1 Sam. 29:1-11

David receives defectors from Saul's army
1 Chron. 12:19-22

Saul consults a witch at Endor
1 Sam. 28:3-25

David finds Ziklag plundered and burned
1 Sam. 30:1-6

David rescues his family from the Amalekites
1 Sam. 30:7-31

Saul dies in battle
1 Sam. 31:1-13 [1 Chron. 10:1-14]

David receives news of Saul's death
2 Sam. 1:1-27

Most Wanted

1016-1012 B.C.; age 24-28

David flees

• David obtains supplies from priests at Nob
  1 Sam. 21:1-9
• David temporarily flees to Gath
  1 Sam. 21:10-15

David becomes a leader

• David comforts the oppressed
  1 Sam. 22:1-5
• David gathers soldiers
  1 Chron. 12:8-18
• David gives refuge to Abiathar the priest
  1 Sam. 22:6-23
• David saves Keilah
  1 Sam. 23:1-13

David moves from place to place

• David avoids Saul
  1 Sam. 23:14-29
• David spares Saul's life near Engedi
  1 Sam. 24:1-22

Samuel dies
1 Sam. 25:1a

David gets a wife

• Nabal insults David
  1 Sam. 25:1b-13
• Abigail intercedes for Nabal
  1 Sam. 25:14-35
• David marries Abigail
  1 Sam. 25:36-44

David spares Saul's life in the Desert of Ziph
1 Sam. 26:1-25