David's Fall and Its Consequences: 2 Samuel 11-20

2 Samuel 11‑20  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 11
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2 Sam. 11-20
From chapter 11 to chapter 20 we have the history of David as the responsible king. These chapters record the king's terrible fall, the discipline carried out on him, the consequences of his sin, and lastly, his recovery. 2 Sam. 20 ends, as we have previously said (cf. 2 Sam. 8:15-1815And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people. 16And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 17And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe; 18And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers. (2 Samuel 8:15‑18)), with the declaration of the order of his kingdom, but an order less complete than the first as David is no longer being presented as a type of the Messiah.
It is a remarkable fact that the First Book of Chronicles does not mention a single word of the episodes about Bathsheba, Amnon and Tamar, Absalom, David's flight, or the king's restoration. The first three verses of 1 Chron. 20 contain the first verse of 2 Sam. 11 and verses 29-31 of chapter 12. There is complete silence about all the rest. The explanation is simple. This omission is one of countless proofs of a divine plan in the various books of the Bible. Chronicles does not tell us of the responsible king who, as such, is put to the test, but rather it tells us of the king as established in grace and blessing according to the counsels of God.
In 2 Sam. 21 we find a new appendix setting forth the judgment of the house of Saul.
2 Sam. 22 and 23 relate the words of David as a type of Christ to the words of David as the responsible king.
Lastly, after enumerating David's mighty men the book ends in a wonderful way in 2 Sam. 24 with the sacrifice of Morijah which, as one has said, "ends the wrath of God through grace and establishes the foundation of the place of worship where He can meet with Israel."