Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel

THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

SEVERAL of the observations which were proposed in the opening of the first book of Samuel, will meet the Reader at the commencement of this second. As was remarked concerning the supposed author of it, whose name it bears, Samuel, though he might be the writer of the first book in part, that is, as far as took place in point of history prior to his death; yet common sense must know that the events recorded after that period could never have been handed to the church by him. And therefore it will necessarily follow that the whole of this second book must have owed its existence to some other penman. And perhaps it was on this account that the seventy who formed the scriptures into the present order in which they are placed in our Bibles, judged it more proper to distinguish both this and the former under the title of the first and second books of Samuel; otherwise called the first and second books of the Kings.

I think it hardly necessary to detain the Reader from immediately entering on the perusal of this second book of Samuel, with desiring him to look out very diligently for the signatures of divine inspiration through all the parts of it. If the writer of this Commentary and the Reader of it, are both brought under the teachings of the Spirit, and by his unerring hand are led to trace, through the whole of its departments, his well known characters; these will refresh the mind and carry the truest and indeed the only infallible testimonies to the understanding, of authenticity. And the importance of such a discovery is I hope by this time so thoroughly understood by the Reader, who hath kindly accompanied me through the several preceding books of this Commentary, that I presume it can no longer be needful to insist upon it.

With respect to the annals of mankind, in which, as an history, the second book of Samuel is placed, we find the period to be somewhat about 1060 years before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The book itself includes the whole reign of David, which continued nearly forty years.

There are a great many sweet and spiritual subjects opened to our contemplation in the several parts of this book; and especially considered as leading the mind to the Person, and Offices, and Characters of the Lord Jesus.

David, whose history it contains, was in many instances so eminent a type of the ever blessed Jesus, that it may well be supposed the Holy Ghost, (whose office and whose pleasure it is, to be taking of the things of Jesus to show unto the people), would not suffer the life of this man to be marked out for the instruction and comfort of the church, without very frequently causing the mind of the Reader to be directed from David's history, to David's Lord. On this feature of the book itself, I would, above all things, earnestly request the Reader to let his eye be fixed. And I pray the Holy Spirit to bless, in a very eminent degree to his view, this most precious part of it. I only take occasion, before I enter upon the commentary of this book (as in former instances) to make a request of the Reader (and in which his own happiness is too highly interested to refuse me); that he will pray over it, and pause over it, in the poor human observations presented to his view, for divine teachings. Beg of God, my brother, to give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; that, in the seeing eye, and the hearing ear, and the understanding heart, (all which are of the Lord) these sacred books of God may come home to the mind, not only in word, but in power, and in much assurance of faith, and of the Holy Ghost.