Archive for month: December, 2024

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 4:1-12.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 4:1-12 (NIV)
1  When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.
2  Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Recab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin–Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin,
3  because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have lived there as aliens to this day.

On verses 1-12:  In the book of 2 Samuel, David must contend with men who think they are helping David establish his kingdom by doing some very evil things.  For example, in 2 Samuel 3, Joab tells David that he does not trust Abner and then murders Abner.  Here in 2 Samuel 4 we see two brothers called Baanah and Recab who do something horrendous in the name of “building David’s kingdom”.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 3:17-39.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 3:17-39 (NIV)
17  Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king.
18  Now do it! For the LORD promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.'”
19  Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin wanted to do.
20  When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men.

On verses 17-39:  Here Abner uses his substantial political connections to campaign for David to become king over all of Israel.  Abner speaks with key influencers in the country like the elders of Israel (v17-18) and the Benjamites (Saul and Ish-Bosheth’s own tribe) (v19), all in an effort to rally support for David.  David thanks Abner with a feast (v20).  Abner responds by saying that next he will assemble all of Israel before David and have them publicly declare David as their king (v21).