2 Samuel (KJV)
24 chapters · 695 verses. Choose a chapter to read it in the King James Version.
About the Book of 2 Samuel
Second Samuel chronicles David's reign, including God's covenant promise of an enduring dynasty and David's grievous sin and its consequences. It presents both the ideal of godly kingship and the costliness of failure.
- Genre
- Historical narrative
- Author
- Anonymous; traditionally associated with prophetic sources
- First audience
- Israel reflecting on David's reign
How to read it: Read narrative descriptively, noting how God's covenant faithfulness persists even through human sin and its painful aftermath.
It opens: “Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag;” (2 Samuel 1:1)
Chapters
Key verses in 2 Samuel
The verses of 2 Samuel that the rest of Scripture cross-references most often.
And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.
It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
Read 2 Samuel with a guide
- David: A Heart After God7 days with the shepherd king3 of 7 days in 2 Samuel
- Advent: Waiting with Hope24 days from promise to the manger1 of 24 days in 2 Samuel
- Leading Like Jesus7 days on servant leadership for leaders & pastors1 of 7 days in 2 Samuel
- The Big Story: Genesis to Revelation30 days on the one story the whole Bible tells1 of 30 days in 2 Samuel