Reading for June 7th

 Read 2 Samuel 23.1-7. In 23.1-7The last words of David. This is another poem attributed to David. Its date is uncertain. In verses 3-4: The image of the king as the sun was common in the ancient Near East, especially in Egypt, though it was less common in Israel. In verse 5: The house of the king is the dynasty. The everlasting covenant refers to the Lord's promise of an eternal dynasty for David in 2 Sam 7. In verses 6-7: These verses continue the image of vv. 3-4. The godless are like thorns consumed by the sun's heat. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 6th

 Read 2 Samuel 22.44-51. In 22.51: Steadfast love can also mean loyalty. Anointed was a title for the king: it is the word "messiah." The reference to David and his descendants, if original to the psalm, would indicate that it comes from royal circles in Judah. Comments or Questions.. 

Reading for June 5th

 Read 2 Samuel 22.17-43. In verse 32: This is a monotheistic claim; the Lord (Yahweh) alone is God. In verses 33-37 The Lord equips the psalmist for battle. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 4th

 Read 2 Samuel 22.8-16. In verse 8: The Lord's appearance is accompanied by an earthquake. In verse 9: The Lord is pictured here as a fire breathing dragon. In verses 11-16: The Lord is depicted here as the  storm God. A cherub (v. 11) was a mythical, griffin-like creature. God's voice (v. 14) is thunder,  and he throws lightening bolts at his enemies (v. 15). The psalmist envisions the world as flat and is trapped in the underworld beneath the foundation of the world which the Lord's roar uncovers (v. 16). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 3rd

 Read 2 Sam 22.1-7. In 22.1-51: A psalm of praise. This psalm, which is the same as Psalm 18, was written long after David's time but is inserted here as appropriate to David's sentiments. In verses 2-3: The image of the Lord as a protective rock is common in the Bible. In verses 5-6: Perdition is a reference to the underworld, the abode of the dead, known in the Bible as Shoel. In verse 7: The mention of the temple is an indication that this psalm was written after David, since the temple was built by Solomon. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 2nd

 Read 2 Samuel 21.15-22. In verse 16: Three hundred shekels was almost eight pounds. In verse 19: Some of the information in this verse has been secondarily added to the story in 1 Sam 17. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 1st

 Read 2 Samuel 21.1-14.In 21.1-14: The execution of Saul's heirs. In verses 1-2: The Gibeonites had a special treaty with Israel (Josh 9). This story assumes that the violation of that treaty brought divine wrath. The Bible nowhere recounts Saul's attempted extermination of the Gibeonites. In verse 3: The Lord's heritage is both the land and the people of Israel. In verse 4: This is a matter for blood vengeance but as resident aliens in Israel the Gibeonites do not have that right. In verses 5-9: It was typical for the founder of a new dynasty to annihilate the potential claimants from the previous dynasty. David does that here. Saul's alleged offense provides a religious legitimation for this political act. Only Merib-baal is spared (v. 7), probably because he was crippled and could not therefore be king though this may reflect David's affection for Jonathan. This story originally came before 9.1, in which David asks if anyone is left in Saul's house. The event took place early in David's reign over Israel. Sons (v. 6) may also include grandsons. Mephiboseth or Mephibaal in v. 8 is the proper reading. This was not Jonathan's son, Merib-baal, was spared. The barley harvest was in April-May. In verse 10: Rizpah was Saul's concubine. In verses 11-14: As a result of Rizpah's action, David tries to honor the memory of Saul and Jonathan. According to 1 Sam 31.12, the bones were burned. This is either a contradiction, or David gathered only their ashes. Comments or Questions.