J. W. McGarvey's Class Notes on Sacred History II [Second Samuel].

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J. W. McGarvey
Class Notes on Sacred History, Volume II (1894)

Part First. David Becomes King of Israel. II. Sam. 1:1-5:5.
Part Second. Prosperous Period of David's Reign. II. Sam. 5:6-12:31.
Part Third. Adverse Period of David's Reign. II. Sam. 13:1-24:25.
Review of First and Second Samuel.

SECOND SAMUEL.

PART FIRST.

DAVID BECOMES KING OF ISRAEL.

i. 1-v. 5.

§ I. DAVID MOURNS FOR SAUL AND JONATHAN. i. 1-27.

1. He Receives News from the Battle. i. 1-12.

How long after the battle? 1, 2.
How an Amalekite in Saul's army? 8. Did he tell the truth about the death of Saul? 8-10, cf. I. Sam. xxxi. 4, 5, 9.
How had he obtained the bracelet and the crown? 10.

2. The Bearer of News Slain. 13-16.

Why slain?
What had he expected?

3. A Hymn of Lamentation. 17-27.

Why called "the song of the bow"? 18, cf. 22.
What the book of Jasher? 18, cf. Josh. x. 13.
Why such praise of Saul?

§ II. DAVID MADE KING OF JUDAH, AND CIVIL WAR
BEGUN. ii. 1-32.

1. David Anointed at Hebron. ii. 1-4.

Why say "cities of Hebron"? 3.
Why Judah first to anoint him? 4, cf. I. Sam. xvii. 12; xxx. 26-31.
Why done at Hebron? [18]

2. He Compliments Jabesh-gilead. 4-7.

What requital meant? 6.
Why tell them that he was king? 7.

3. Abner Proclaims Ish-bosheth King. 8-11.

Abner's motive? See I. Sam. xiv. 50.
Why Ish-bosheth not mentioned before? Cf. I. Sam. xiv. 49; xxxi. 2.
Meaning of the name? Cf. I. Chron. viii. 33; ix. 39.
Why begin at Mahanaim? 8, cf. iv. 7.
When was he born? 10, cf. Acts, xiii. 21.
How are the two years of 10 counted? Cf. 11; iv. 5-v. 3.
How rid of the Philistines?

4. The Battle of Gibeon. 12-17.

Who brought on the fighting? 12.
Why not tell who Joab was? 13, cf. 18; I. Chron. ii. 16.
Purpose of the "play"? and why so called? 14.
Meaning of Helkath-hazzurim? 16.

5. The Death of Asahel. 18-23.

Asahel's purpose? 21.
Why Abner's forbearance? 22.
How did he succeed? 23.

6. The Pursuit Ended and Asahel Buried. 24-32.

Purpose of the gathering on the hill-top? 25.
Meaning of Abner's demand and of Joab's reply? 26, 27.
Do the twenty include the twelve? 30, cf. 15.
Why both armies hasten to headquarters? 29, 32.

§ III. THE DEFECTION AND DEATH OF ABNER. iii. 1-v. 5.

1. Continuance of the War, and Family of David. iii. 1-5.

Why say, "house of Saul"? 1.
How many wives and sons? [19] 2-5, cf. I. Chron. iii. 1-9.
When the last four wives taken? Cf. I. Sam. xxv. 43.
Which was of royal blood? 3.
Which son the natural heir to the throne? 2.

2. Abner Quarrels with Ish-bosheth. 6-11.

Why the offense so serious? 7.
Meaning of Abner's question?
Why dare to fight against God's purpose? 9, 10.

3. He Negotiates with David. 12-16.

Point in "whose is the land"? 12.
Why demand Michal as a condition? 13.
Why did Ish-bosheth consent? 15.

4. Abner Counsels with the Elders, and Visits David. 17-21.

What the former wish of the elders? 17.
When had the Lord said what Abner quotes? 18.

5. Abner Is Assassinated by Joab. 22-30.

Was Joab sincere in his charge against Abner? 25.

6. Mourning for Abner. 31-39.

Why such distress over the fall of an enemy?
Why the fasting? 35.
Why the sons of Zeruiah too hard for him? 39.

7. An Account of Baanah, Rechab and Mephibosheth. iv. 1-4.

Where was Beeroth? 2, cf. Josh. ix. 17.
What Beerothites fled? 3.
What the present age of Mephibosheth? 4.

8. Ish-bosheth Slain. 5-12.

Why "as though they would have fetched wheat"? 6.
What the Arabah? 7.
Why the hands and the feet? 12.
What "the pool in Hebron"? 12, cf. Lands of the Bible, 250.
Why put the [20] head in Abner's tomb? 12.

9. David Acknowledged by All the Tribes. v. 1-5.

By whom the tribes represented? 1, cf. 3.
Why a third anointing?
Length of his reign? and how divided? 5.
A fuller account. I. Chron. xii. 23-40.

PART SECOND.

PROSPEROUS PERIOD OF DAVID'S REIGN.

v. 6-xii. 31.

§ I. DAVID'S THRONE ESTABLISHED IN JERUSALEM. v. 6-vi. 23.

1. Jerusalem Taken. v. 6-10; I. Chron. xi. 4-9.

Why still in the hands of the Jebusites? 6, cf. Judg. i. 21; xix. 10, 11.
Meaning of the taunt? 6.
What was Zion and what, Milo? 7-9, cf. L. of B., pp. 150, 144.
A feat by Joab. I. Chron., xi. 6.

2. David's House and Family. 11-16; I. Chron. iii. 1-9; xiv. 1-7.

Why did Hiram send messengers, trees, and workmen? II. Sam. v. 11.
How many wives had David already? II. Sam. iii. 2-5.
Why take more?
Whole number?

3. The Battle of Baal-perazim. 17-21; I. Chron. xiv. 8-12.

Was this before, or after the taking of Jerusalem? 17.
Purpose of the invasion? 17.
Where is the valley of Rephaim? 18, cf. Lands of the Bible, 214.
How "like the breach of waters"? 20. [21]
What images? and what done with them? 21, cf. I. Chron. xiv. 12.

4. The Battle of the Mulberry Trees. 22-25; I. Chron. xiv. 13-17.

What "the sound of marching"? 24.
Where this battle fought? 25.
Why "from Gibeon"? I. Chron. xiv. 15-17.

5. The Ark Moved to the House of Obed-edom.
vi. 1-11; I. Chron. xiii. 1-14.

How reconcile the numbers? vi. 1, cf. I. Chron. xiii. 1.
What was Baale? 2, cf. Josh. xv. 9.
Why a new cart? 3, cf. I. Sam. vii. 7.
What the sin of Uzzah? 6, cf. Num. iv. 15.
Who was Obed-edom? 10; I. Chron. xv. 14-24.
Difference as to owner of the threshing-floor? 6, cf. I. Chron. xiii. 1-14. Chidon. Nachon.

6. The Ark Is Brought into the City of David.
12-19; I. Chron. xv. 1-xvi. 3.

Why the sacrifices at six paces? 13.
Why the leaping and dancing, etc. 14, 16.
Why the bread, flesh, and raisins? 19.
Who bore the ark this time? and why? I. Chron. xv. 2.
Who officiated in the sacrifices? ib. 11, 12.
Where the old tent of meeting? and why pitch a new one? 17, cf. I. Chron. xvi. 39-43.
What other celebration of the occasion? I. Chron. xvi. 4-36, cf. Ps. cv. 1-15.
General difference here between Second Samuel and First Chronicles?

7. Michal Reproves David. 20-23.

Ground of the reproof? 20, cf. 22.
Why her conception of the matter?
Was her barrenness a punishment? [22]

§ II. DAVID'S DESIRE TO BUILD A TEMPLE.
vii. 1-29; I. Chron. xvii. 1-27.

1. David's Proposal and the Lord's Answer. vii. 1-17.

When was this? 1, cf. 9.
Why say "walked in a tent"? 6.
What son was to build the house? 12, 13.
Distinction to be made between him and Saul? 14, 15.
In what way was his kingdom made sure for ever? 16, cf. Luke, i. 30-33.
Why was David not permitted to build? Cf. I. Chron. xxviii. 2, 3.

2. David Praises the Lord. 18-29.

Causes of his thanksgiving? 18, 19.
Where did he sit before the Lord? 18, cf. vi. 17; viii. 14.

§ III. DAVID'S CONQUESTS, AND THE ORGANIZATION OF HIS
KINGDOM. viii. 1-18; I. Chron. xviii. 1-17.

1. Final Subjugation of the Philistines. viii. 1.

Meaning of "bridle of the mother city"? 1, cf. I. Chron. xviii. 1.

2. The Conquest of Moab. 2.

Meaning of this?
His former relation to Moab? I. Sam. xxii. 3, 4.
Why his present severity?

3. The Conquest of Syria. 3-12.

What river? 3.
What right to this boundary? Gen. xv. 18.
Why hough the horses? 4.
Meaning of Syria of Damascus? 6.
What were shields of gold? 7.

4. The Conquest of Edom. 13, 14. [23]

Present extent of his kingdom?
For Syrians, 13, read, Edomites. Cf. 12: I. Ki. xi. 15, 16.
Why such severity toward Edom?
Why garrisons? 14.

5. Military, Religious and Civil Organization.
15-18; I. Chron. xviii. 14-17.

Meaning of recorder? 16.
Duty of scribe? 17.
Who the Cherethites and Pelethites? 18, cf. I. Sam. xxx. 14; II. Sam. xv. 18; I. Ki. i. 38, 44.
What had distinguished Benaiah? II. Sam. xxiii. 20-23.
Who was Zadok? 17, cf. I. Chron. vi. 4-8; xxiv. 3.
Why say "Ahimelech the son of Abiathar"? 17, cf. I. Sam. xxii. 9-23.
What kind of "priests"? 18.

§ IV. DAVID'S KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH. ix. 1-13.

Who was Machir? 4, cf. xvii. 27-29.
Why was he there?
What caused his lameness? 3, cf. iv. 4.
What land had Saul? 7.
Why call himself a dead dog? 8.
Was it common to thus treat the heir of a rival house?

§ V. WAR AGAINST THE AMMONITES AND DAVID'S GREAT
SIN. x. 1-xii. 31; I. Chron. xix. 1-xx. 3.

1. The War Brought on by Hanun. x. 1-6.

Was this the Nahash of I. Sam. xi. 1-3?
What kindness had he shown to David? 2.
Why misconstrue David's motive? 3.
Why this a cause of war? 6.

2. Joab Defeats the Combined Forces. 7-14.

Why divide their army? 8.
Merits of Joab's remark to [24] Abishai? 12.
Why not attack their city? 14.
What city? xi. 1.

3. The Syrians again Defeated. 15-19.

Who was Hadarezer? 16, cf. viii. 3.
Why David himself in command?

4. Joab Lays Siege to Rabbah. xi. 1.

What "the return of the year"?
Meaning of "his servants"?
In what sense destroyed?

5. David's Sin with Bath-sheba. 2-5.

What bathing? 2, cf. 4.
Who was Uriah? 3, cf. xxiii. 24, 39; I. Chron. xi. 11.

6. Attempt at Concealment. 6-13.

What was Uriah's character? 11.
Was the ark with the army? 11, cf. vi. 17.

7. David Procures the Death of Uriah. 14-17.

How would Uriah's death conceal the sin?
Why did Joab comply?

8. Joab Sends the News to David. 18-25.

Why expect him to speak of Abimelech? 21, cf. Judg. ix. 53.

9. The Widow Taken. 26, 27.

Apparent success of the device?

10. The Crime Exposed by Nathan. xii. 1-14.

What penalties pronounced? 10, 11, 14.
Why say "thou shalt not die"? 13, cf. Deut. xxii. 21-27.
How the sin "put away" and yet punished? 13.
Why would the enemies of the [25] Lord blaspheme? 14.
Why this narrative given?

11. The Death of the Child. 15-23.

Why pray against the Lord's decree? 16, cf. 14-22.
What "house of the Lord"? 20, cf. vi. 17.
Did David believe in a future state? 23.

12. The Birth of Solomon. 24, 25.

Why called Jedidiah? 25.
His birth a subject of promise. I. Chron. xxii. 8-10.

13. The Siege of Rabbah Ended. 26-31.

What "the city of waters"? 27, cf. Lands of the Bible, 367, 477.
Considerateness of Joab? 28.
How could so heavy a crown be worn? 30.
Meaning of "put them under saws," etc.? 31, cf. I. Chron. xx. 3.
Why this cruelty?
What part of this section omitted from the parallel in First Chronicles? [26]

PART THIRD.

ADVERSE PERIOD OF DAVID'S REIGN.

xiii. 1-xxiv. 25.

§ I. AMNON'S CRIME AND ABSALOM'S REVENGE. xiii. 1-xiv. 33.

1. Amnon Forces Tamar. xiii. 1-14.

What plausibility in the request? 6.
Why think the king would give her to him? 13.

2. The Effect on all Parties. 15-22.

Why the hatred? 15.
Why the soft words of Absalom? 20, cf. 22.
Why did David do nothing? 21.

3. Absalom's Revenge. 23-37.

The custom at sheep-shearing? 23, cf. I. Sam. xxv. 11, 36.
What the character of Absalom? 20, 22, 28.
How did Jonadab know so much? 32, 33.
David's punishment increasing. 36.
Why flee to Talmai? 37, cf. iii. 3.

4. Absalom Brought Home through a Device of Joab.
xiii. 38-xiv. 24.

Joab's motive? xiii. 38-xiv. 24.
Why suspect that Joab had prompted the woman? xiv. 19.
Why not permitted to see the king? xiv. 24.

5. Absalom's Person and His Children. xiv. 25-27.

Weight of his hair in pounds? 26.
How worn?
Why his [27] daughter named Tamar? 27, cf. xiii. 1; Gen. xxxviii. 6.

6. Absalom Gains Access to the King. 28-33.

How long since he had seen the king? 28, cf. xiii. 38.
Why did not Joab come? 29.
Why burn the barley? 30, cf. 32.

§ II. ABSALOM'S REBELLION AND DAVID'S FLIGHT.
xv. 1-xvi. 23.

1. Absalom Steals the Hearts of the People. xv. 1-6.

Why the fifty to run before him? 1.
Contrast with his father?
Ingenuity of his devices?

2. The Rebellion Inaugurated. 7-12.

How forty years? 7, cf. margin.
Why pretend to such a vow? 8.
How the signal to be given? 10.
Why did Ahithophel consent? 12, cf. xi. 3; xxiii. 34.
What brought the people? 12, cf. 10.
Why Hebron the place?

3. David Evacuates Jerusalem. 13-29.

Why the evacuation? 14.
When had the Gittites come to him? 18.
Why was Ittai so steadfast? 21.
Why did the priests wish to carry the ark? 24.
Why forbidden? 25.
What part were they to act in the city? 28.

4. Ascent of the Mount of Olives and Meeting with Hushai. 30-37.

Why his head covered and his feet bare? 30.
Why Ahithophel's counsel dreaded? 31, 34, cf. xvi. 23.
The part assigned to Hushai? 34-36.

5. Ziba Shows Friendship to David. xvi. 1-4. [28]

How could Mephibosheth so think? 3.

6. David Is Cursed by Shimei. 5-14.

Why his animosity? 5.
How so close and yet out of reach? Lands of the Bible, 233.
Why David so resigned? 11, 12.

7. Ahithophel's First Counsel. 15-23.

The cunning of Hushai's reply? 18, 19.
Policy of Ahithophel's counsel? 21.

§ III. THE SUPPRESSION OF THE REBELLION. xvii. 1-xviii. 33.

1. Ahithophel's Second Counsel, and Its Defeat by Hushai.
xvii. 1-14.

Wisdom of the first counsel? 1-3.
Plausibility of Hushai's advice?
Its fallacy? 11.

2. David Gets the News and Crosses the Jordan. 15-22.

Where was En-rogel? 17, cf. Josh. xv. 7, 8; Lands of the Bible, 192.
Why hurry across the river? 22.

3. Ahithophel Commits Suicide. 23.

Why do this?

4. Next Movements of David and Absalom. 24-29.

Why to Mahanaim? 24, cf. 27-29.
What kindred between Absalom and Amasa? 25.
As Zeruiah was David's sister (I. Chron. ii. 15, 16) how could her sister be daughter of Nahash? 17:25, 26.
How the two titles of Ithra? 25, cf. I. Chron. ii. 14-18.
Why Shobi friendly, when Hanun was not? 27, cf. x. 1-6.

5. A Battle Is Fought, and Absalom Is Slain. xviii. 1-17. [29]

Why have to set captains of thousands and hundred? 1.
Whence all the men?
Why insist that David should not go out? 3.
Why the command concerning Absalom? 5.
What "the forest of Ephraim"? 6.
How did the forest destroy so many? 8.
How was his head caught? 9.
Why the heap of stones? 17.

6. Absalom's Pillar. 18.

Why this mentioned? Cf. 17.
Where his three sons? Cf. xiv. 27.

7. The Bearers of Tidings to David. 19-23.

The motive of Ahimaaz? Cf. xviii. 28, 29.
Who was the Cushite?
Why did Joab prefer to send him? 21.
By the way of what plain? 23.

8. David's Reception of the News. 24-33.

What the roof of the gate? 24.
Why did being alone prove that he bore tidings? 25.
How could he recognize the running of Ahimaaz? 27.
Why not tell the whole truth? 29, cf. 20.
Why was David so distressed? 33.
What the chamber over the gate? 33.
Trace the causes of Absalom's bad career.

§ IV. DAVID IS RESTORED TO POWER. xix. 1-xx. 26.

1. He Is Rebuked for His Mourning. xix. 1-8.

Why the people so abashed? 2, 3.
Why would Joab's prediction be true? 7.
How dared Joab to speak so boldly?

2. A Reaction among Absalom's Followers. 8-10.

8, cf. xvii. 24; xviii. 16

3. The Allegiance of Judah Regained. 11-15. [30]

Why charge Judah with being "the last"? 11, cf. 9.
Why the pledge to Amasa? 13.
Why had Amasa such influence? 14.
Why meet the king at Gilgal? 15.

4. Shimei Makes Obeisance and Is Spared. 16-23.

Why did he go through the river? 17, 20.
How was he of the house of Joseph? 20, cf. 16.
What class of persons like him?
Significance in the coming of the Benjamites? 17.
What stage of water in the river? 17, 18.
Why call the sons of Zeruiah "adversaries"? 22.

5. The Case of Mephibosheth and Ziba. 24-30.

Why so negligent of his person? 24.
Why divide the land? 29, cf. xvi. 1-4.
Why say "let him take all"? 30.

6. David's Parting from Barzillai. 31-39.

In what sense "a very great man"? 32.
His motive in declining the king's invitation? 35-37.
Who was Chimham? 28, cf. I. Ki. ii. 7.

7. A Quarrel between Israel and Judah. 40-43.

Why only half of Israel? 40.
The ground of complaint? 43.

8. The Rebellion of Sheba. xx. 1, 2.

What moved Sheba? 1, cf. xix. 43.

9. Fate of David's Concubines. 3.

Why this?

10. The Pursuit of Sheba and the Death of Amasa. 4-22.

Why send Amasa? 4, cf. xix. 13.
Where was Gibeon? 8. [31]
Why meet there?
Purpose in slaying Amasa? 10.
How was the army turned over to Joab? 11-13.
Why did the woman of Abel take the venture? 21, 22.
Former reputation of Abel? 18.
Where was it? Lands of the Bible, 334.

11. Final Account of David's Chief Officers. 23-26, cf. viii. 15-18.

What changes since the beginning? See viii. 16-18.
Why Joab's office again mentioned? Cf. xix. 13.
Why this account given again?

§ V. THE GIBEONITES AVENGED. xxi. 1-14.

1. A Three Years Famine and the Cause. xxi. 1, 2.

When had Israel sworn to them? 2, cf. Josh. ix. 1-27.
How many had Saul slain? and why? 2, cf. 6.
Why punish the nation for Saul's sin?

2. Satisfaction Referred to the Injured Party. 3-6.

Why "in Gibeah of Saul"? 6.

3. Seven Sons of Saul Made the Victims. 7-9.

Why the name Michal here? 8, cf. I. Sam. xviii. 19; vi. 23.
What kind of hanging? 9.

4. Rizpah's Mourning and Its Effect. 10-14.

How long the watching? 10.
How gather Saul's bones, when the body had been burned? 12, cf. I. Sam. xxxi. 11-13.
What moved David to do this? [32]

§ VI. PERSONAL EXPLOITS, A PSALM OF THANKSGIVING, AND
A LIST OF HEROES. xxi. 15-xxiii. 39.

1. David's Life Saved by Abishai. xxi. 15-17.

Is this in its chronological place? See viii. 1.

2. Four Giants Killed in Battle. 18-22.

When was this? 18, cf. I. Chron. xx. 1-8.
Where was Gob? 18, cf. I. Chron. xx. 4.
What Goliath? 19, cf. 22.

3. The Psalm. xxii. 1-51, cf. Ps. xviii. 1-50.

When composed; before, or after his great sin? 1, cf. 22-25.

4. David's Latest Poem. xxiii. 1-7.

Whence the title "sweet psalmist of Israel"? 1.
Extent of claim of inspiration? 2.
His conception of what a ruler should be? 3-7.

5. List of David's Heroes. 8-39.

§ VII. THE NUMBERING OF ISRAEL, AND THE PLAGUE THAT FOLLOWED.
xxiv. 1-25; I. Chron. xxi. 1-30, cf. I. Chron. xxvii. 23, 24.

1. Order for the Numbering. xxiv. 1-4.

How did God move David to this? 1, cf. I. Chron. xxi. 1.
Why did Joab oppose the measure? 3.
What was wrong in it?

2. The Order Executed in Part. 5-9.

What the route of the enumerators? 5-7.
The total? 9.
What omission? and why? 6.
What discrepancy? and how accounted for? 9, cf. I. Chron. xxi. 5. [33]

3. David Repents and God Gives Him Choice of Penalties. 10-17.

Why think he had sinned? 10.
What before known of Gad?
How would he be more in God's hands with a pestilence? 13, 14.
Where was Araunah's threshing-floor? 16, cf. II. Chron. iii. 1.
Did he see the angel? 16.

4. The Plague Is Stayed by a Sacrifice. 18-25.

Why did Araunah offer to give the victims? 22, 23.
Why did David insist on paying? 24.
Discrepancy as to the price paid? 24, cf. I. Chron. xxi. 25.
Which figures are correct?
Where the tabernacle, and why not offer as it? ib. 29, 30. [34]

[CNSH2 18-34]

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J. W. McGarvey
Class Notes on Sacred History, Volume II (1894)

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