We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info! In 1 Kings 5–6, Solomon began his building plan for the temple. He contracted with Hiram king of Tyre for all the building supplies. Then he organized over 187,000 laborers. In the 480th year, after the Israelite’s release from Egypt, they began building. It took 7 and ½ years to complete. The temple was twice the size of the Tabernacle, 30 feet wide and 90 feet long. But the scale wa...

We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!In 1 Kings 5, we reference back to 2 Samuel 7:12 when God promised:12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.The time has come for Solomon to build. This was a...

We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!Starting with 1 Kings 3, the focus of the next 9 chapters will be Solomon’s reign. David reigned through war. Solomon reigned in peace. David was called to battle for the land. Solomon was called to build on the land. David had a heart for the Lord. Solomon had wisdom from the Lord. Both are examples to us of how God transforms our desires into a story for His glory.The focus of this episod...

We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!In 1 Kings 2, David encourages Solomon to do 3 things as a leader:Be strongKeep God's lawsWalk faithfully with all your heart and soul.David is reiterating all he had been taught as an Israelite.Thank you for being a part of the club for Season 11.Show NotesBlogThe Path to Good or EvilDavid's CensusThe Tribal Allotments of IsraelJerusalem in the Time of David and SolomonDavid's Wars of Conq...

We love feedback, but can't reply without your email address. Message us your thoughts and contact info!Recap of Where We Are + How Kings Fits into the Bible:The Bible is a collection of small stories that together tell a much larger story.The larger story is the entire history of our redemption, with Jesus as the ultimate hero.Kings is in the middle of that history. We are on a journey through God’s plan to save us. How does 1 and 2 Kings fit into the Bible?1 Kings is the 11th book in t...

Send us a text message! Include your email address so we can respond!If only the books of Samuel ended there, after David’s final words. It’s a great place to end, but he didn’t. There is more in 2 Samuel 23 and 24, and it is anti-climatic for the books of Samuel. However, it is an intriguing link to the future of Christ and our redemption. Recall that the author is writing the final chapters in a chiasm which is a literary structure where themes mirror each other in an inverted pattern. The ...

Send us a text message! Include your email address so we can respond!In 2 Samuel 22, we are going to read David’s song and final words. Recall that 1 and 2 Samuel were really one long book. 1 Samuel begins with Hannah’s song, and 2 Samuel ends with David’s song. The two songs are bookends to the story of Samuel, Saul, and David. Hannah’s song celebrates what God has done, how he reverses situations, and looks forward to what He will do in the future. David’s song celebrates what God has done ...

Send us a text message! Include your email address so we can respond!In 2 Samuel 20, we pick up in the middle of the new rebellion led by Sheba, the Benjaminite. David has a new commander, Amasa, who is the former commander of Absalom and tried to kill David. When David appointed Amasa as his commander, back in Chapter 19, we were never given any insight into how Joab felt about being replaced. Was Joab totally fired or just demoted and ordered to report to Amasa? How did Joab react, did he w...

Send us a Text Message.In 2 Samuel 18, David, the king with such a big heart, is bereft. With this deathof his son, Absalom, our story comes full circle. David began in 2 Samuel mourning the death of Saul. A man he loved. A man who was trying to kill him. The man he had to take the kingdom from. David is back where he started, mourning the death of Absalom. A man he loved. A man who was trying to kill him. The man he had to take the kingdom from.Being king is painful, and David would rather d...

Send us a Text Message.Note the author's focus on relationships in these last few chapters. David’s sin is in his relationships with Bathsheba and with his children And therefore, his consequences are relational.In the 2 Samuel 15: Joab interfered in David’s relationships by bringing back AbsalomAbsalom rebelled first against Joab and then against DavidThe Kerethites, Pelethites and Gittites all foreigners are loyal to DavidZadok the priest is loyalAhithophel is not ...

Send us a Text Message. In 2 Samuel 13, we learned that David has sons who are following in his ways. Like father, like son, Amnon is distracted by women. And in particular, women whom he cannot and should not desire. In this case, it is his half-sister Tamar that he wants. Amnon uses David to get what he wants. He rapes Tamar and throws her out in humiliation. David is furious but does nothing, while Absalom, Tamar’s brother, plots revenge. Two years later, Absalom murders Amnon.Like fa...

Send us a Text Message.There are a lot of scenes in 2 Samuel 13. Each scene has a different combination of 5 characters. They include David and 3 of his children, Amnon, Absalom, and Tamar and Jonadab, a no-good advisor.Amnon is David’s firstborn, the son of his second wife, Ahinoam. David never had a child with his first wife, Saul’s daughter, Michal. Absalom is David’s 3rd son, he was born to Maakah, his 4th. Tamar was also born to Maakah, so Absalom and Tamar are close because they have th...

Send us a Text Message.We ended the last episode with the information from 2 Samuel chapter 11, “that the thing David had done displeased the Lord.” Nothing is hidden from God’s sight. And he loves David too much to let him go any further in his sin.In 2 Samuel 12, it is God’s turn to send. God sends Nathan. God sends a message. And God sends a consequence.Thank you for being a part of the club.Show NotesBlogSavagemarriageministryThe Path to Good or EvilThe Tribal Allotments of IsraelJe...

Send us a Text Message.When we left our hero in the last episode, he was all Israel had hoped for. He was the king whom Israel needed to make God’s name known to the world. God was with David and because of that, his power grew. Our author made clear to us who holds the power by his repetitious use of the word send. In the preceding chapter, Chapter 10, the one that began with the phrase “in the course of time” and therefore, goes with these next 2 chapters. King David sends ...

Send us a Text Message.David is a man of action. So much so, that one gets the impression that he thrives in motion and cannot be still. From herding sheep and delivering food to his brothers on the front lines as a boy to hiding in caves to escape Saul and protecting the Philistines for pay while secretly sabotaging Israel’s enemies. The man is clever and makes good use of his time. But all of that is over. David is king. He doesn’t have to do it all. He has people, who have peopl...

Send us a Text Message.There are 55 chapters in 1 and 2 Samuel and, without a doubt, 2 Samuel chapter 7 is the most important. In fact, this chapter ranks as one of the most important chapters in the entire Bible because, in this chapter, God will make a covenant with David.It will be the 4th and last Covenant made in the Old Testament. There is just one covenant in the New Testament making 5 total. A covenant is a binding agreement between God and His people.Thank you for being a part of the...

Send us a Text Message.So much happened in our last episode: Joab killed Abner, David cursed Joab, Baanah and Rekab killed Ish-Bosheth, and David killed Baanah and Rekab.Despite all of the killing, David managed to unite the two kingdoms. And Israel finally became one nation under David, a king after God’s heart. This event fulfilled prophecy from the past and pointed Israel toward the future prophecy of Jesus. In 2 Samuel 5, the united nation gets a new capital.Thank you for being a part of ...

Send us a Text Message.In 2 Samuel 2-3, David listens to God's plan for his nation but not everyone is on board. Joab and Abner start a civil war over their disagreement. After some bloodshed, Abner wants to switch teams and asks to join team David. David makes peace with him, hoping to reunite Israel as one nation. But, Joab is not on board with David’s plan. And so, 2 Samuel 3 brings us justice, conspiracy, and a lot of hopeful PR solutions.Thank you for being a part of the club.Show N...

Send us a Text Message. 2 Samuel 2 begins well on David’s part, but for Israel, it’s what we have come to expect—messy. For the next 5 chapters, Israel will fight through the transition from Saul to David. Welcome to Season 10! Thank you for being a part of the club.Show NotesBlogThe Tribal Allotments of Israel MapThe Old Testament BooksThe New Testament BooksBible TimelineContact Bible Book ClubLike, comment, or message us through Bible Book Club's InstagramLike or comment on Susan...

Send us a Text Message.The books of 1 and 2 Samuel are the story of Israel’s leadership transition from judges to the first 2 kings: Saul, who failed due to pride and disobedience, and David, a man after God’s heart. The 2 books were originally one book and are named after Samuel, the prophet God used to establish Israel’s monarchy.Most of 1 Samuel was a contrast between Saul and David. Saul was the king the people wanted. He was a bad example of a king because while he looked good on th...

Send us a Text Message.David is playing a dangerous game with a lot of moving parts. He is a mercenary soldier deceiving his employer, Achish who just happens to be in league with 4 other powerful Philistine leaders. At this time, Achish and their friends are attacking David’s people the Israelites. Achish believes David has been raiding the Israelites, when in fact, he was raiding the Geshurites, Girzites and Amalekites. Achish may be fooled about David, but the Amaleki...

Send us a Text Message.For over a year, David bides his time with the Philistines. Living in Ziklag and raiding Canaanites instead of Israelites. Until a huge contingency of Philistines begins to form for a battle against the Israelites, Achish calls up David and his men to take part. Thank you for being a part of the club.Show NotesBlogDavid's Flight from SaulThe Path to Good or EvilThe Old Testament BooksThe New Testament BooksBible TimelineContact Bible Book ClubLike, comment, or mess...

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, David will face his 3rd and final test in the wilderness. This last test is a temptation, like the first, to avoid suffering. Specifically another temptation to kill Saul and end his torturous time in the wilderness. Thank you for being a part of the club. Show Notes BlogDavid's Flight from SaulThe Path to Good or EvilThe Old Testament BooksThe New Testament BooksBible TimelineContact Bible Book Club Like, comment, or message us through Bible Book...

In this episode, two stories are going to take place: Samuel is going to die and David will have his second test in the wilderness. (The second test is the temptation to avenge himself.) David was anointed but not appointed king.  As a threat to the current king, David was treated as a defector, an outlaw, resulting in disrespect and ill-treatment by many. It was a difficult position to be in and the contempt is going to get to him. In this test, David will be tempted to kill those who...