2 Samuel

• DatesDavid reigns about 1010–970 BC; written after 931 BC (debated)
• GenreHistory
• AuthorshipAnonymous; see 1 Samuel
• TimelineUnited Kingdom
• Key texts2 Samuel 5; 2 Samuel 7; 2 Samuel 11–12; 2 Samuel 24
• Read the text2 Samuel in the World English Bible
• Covered in classSession 2, Session 10

What the sources say, and how sure we are

• The text says

  God promises David a house, a throne, and a kingdom that will last forever.2 Sam 7:12–16

• Outside evidence

  The Tel Dan inscription, an Aramaic stele from the 9th century BC, uses a phrase most scholars read as “house of David.” It is the earliest known reference to David outside the Bible.Tel Dan Stele

• Debated

  Scholars disagree about how large and powerful David’s kingdom was. Some see a local chiefdom, others a regional state. Archaeological finds such as the fortified site of Khirbet Qeiyafa in Judah are used on both sides.

• Christian conclusion

  The New Testament presents Jesus as the descendant of David who receives the throne forever.Luke 1:32–33; Matt 1:1