2Samuel 21:1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year and David enquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, It is because of Saul and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

2Samuel 21:2 And the king called the Gibeonites and said unto them, Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the Lord? Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites and the children of Israel had sworn unto them and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.

2Samuel 21:15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel and David went down and his servants with him and fought against the Philistines and David waxed faint.

2Samuel 21:16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels.(a little over 9 pounds).of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword.(word 'sword' not in original, simply means a new set of armor), thought to have slain David.

2Samuel 21:17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him and smote the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you quench not the light of Israel.

David, the king at this time was feeling his years of battle wearing on him. His men, knowing that he was such an important inspirational figure for the nation, lovingly told him that they could handle the battles and that he should not be away from his people anymore, instead staying in the eyes of the nation because they so respected him.

2Samuel 21:18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob; then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant.

2Samuel 21:19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

2Samuel 21:20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number and he also was born to the giant.

He was of the race of giants.

2Samuel 21:21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.

2Samuel 21:22 These four were born giants in Gath and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

2Samuel 22:1 And David spake unto the Lord the words of this song.(what is a Psalm?).in the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies and out of the hand of Saul.

This Psalm is virtually identical to Psalms 18.

2Samuel 22:2,3 And he said, The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; The God of my rock. In him will I trust. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my high tower and my refuge, my savior. You save me from violence.(from having violent happenings occur). 

2Samuel 22:4 I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

2Samuel 22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of unGodly men made me afraid;

2Samuel 22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about. The snares of death prevented me.

David's concerns at the time made it near impossible to be in the stillness with God.

2Samuel 22:7-20 In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried to my God and he did hear my voice out of his temple and my cry did enter into his ears. Then the Earth shook and trembled, the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils and fire out of his mouth devoured them. Coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub and did fly and he was seen upon the wings of the wind. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled. The Lord thundered from heaven and the most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning and discomfited them. And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. He sent from above, he took me. He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy and from them that hated me, for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me.

2Samuel 22:21 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness.(what is this righteousness?). According to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.

2Samuel 22:22,23 For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.

2Samuel 22:24 I was also upright before him.(how?).and have kept myself from mine iniquity.(and that with the help of the Creator?).

2Samuel 22:25 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his eye sight.

2Samuel 22:26-28 With the merciful you show yourself merciful.(very similar to David's Psalm in Psalms 18:24-36).and with the upright man you show yourself upright. With the pure you show yourself pure and with the froward you show yourself unsavoury.(how it is that you are is how you see God to be). And the afflicted people you save, but your eyes are upon the haughty, that you may bring them down.

The high consciousness of the God realm is incompatible with the lowest consciousness of the ego level.

2Samuel 22:29 For you are my lamp, O Lord and the Lord will lighten my darkness..(*)

2Samuel 22:30 For by you I have run through a troop. By my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. 

2Samuel 22:31 He is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

2Samuel 22:32 For who is God, save.(except).the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God? 

2Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power.(*). He makes my way perfect.(original 'without blemish', 'whole', 'complete':.Hebrews 12:2). 

2Samuel 22:34-37 He makes my feet like hinds' feet and sets me upon my high places. He teaches my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms. You have also given me the shield of your salvation and your gentleness has made me great. You have enlarged my steps under me so that my feet did not slip.

2Samuel 22:38-47 I have pursued mine enemies and destroyed them and turned not again until I had consumed them. And I have consumed them and wounded them, that they could not arise. Yea, they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength to battle. Them that rose up against me hast thou subdued under me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the Earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street and did spread them abroad. Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people. Thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen. A people which I knew not shall serve me. Strangers shall submit themselves unto me. As soon as they hear, they shall be obedient unto me. Strangers shall fade away and they shall be afraid out of their close places. The Lord liveth and blessed be my rock and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

2Samuel 22:48-51 It is God that avenges me and that brings down the people under me, And that brings me forth from mine enemies. You also have lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me. You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks unto you, O Lord, among the heathen and I will sing praises unto your name. He is the tower of salvation for his king and shows mercy to his anointed, unto David and to his seed for evermore.

2Samuel 23:2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me and his word was in my tongue.

Words welled up in David's mind, just as they can in our minds today.

2Samuel 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

2Samuel 23:3 The God.(word for 'God' is a plural word in the original, means Gods in the family of God).of Israel.(here David.refers to where the words that welled up in his mind came from and from where was this?).said, the Rock of Israel.(which one of the family was the Rock? it was the Word and the word became the Christ {John 1:14} after being on Earth in the physical person of Emmanuel:.1Corinthians 10:4).spake to me, He that rules over.(word 'over' not in original, but implied).men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

And what if they are not just?

2Samuel 23:8-13 These be the names of the mighty men.(here's some of them and what they did:.2Samuel 21:15-22).whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite. He lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle and the men of Israel were gone away. He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary and his hand clave unto the sword and the Lord wrought a great victory that day and the people returned after him only to spoil.(finish things off and take the goods left of the battle). And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it and slew the Philistines and the Lord wrought a great victory. And three of the thirty chiefs.(of theee valiant men).went down and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

2Samuel 23:14 And David was then in an hold.(a hold was a fortress, a stronghold:.1Samuel 24:22; 1Samuel 22:4,5).and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

2Samuel 23:15-39 And David longed and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it.(changed his mind the more he thought about it). These things did these three mighty men. And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them and had the top name among three. Was he not most honorable of three? therefore he was their captain, howbeit he attained not unto the first three.(1Chronicles 11:21). And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab. He went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly.(good looking).man and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and had the name among three mighty men. He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.(David had some soldiers of great ability with him). Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite. Thirty and seven in all.

2Samuel 24:1-3 And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he moved David against them.(here God allows the dark side to get to David:.1Chronicles 21:1-3; it was a trial on David to show him just how strong his character spiritually was and obviously it was not that strong at this time, so he needed to see that so he could improve; God was angry at how ancient Israel was, David was king of Israel and therefor responsible).to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba and number you the people, that I may know the number of the people. And Joab said unto the king, Now the Lord your God add unto the people.(it's the true God that puts people on Earth, so God would know how many there are, what need is it that we should know?), how many soever they be, an hundredfold and that the eyes of my lord the king may see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?

2Samuel 24:4 Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number.(a census started but never finished, because David the king later didn't feel right about it and came to see that it was foolish {verse 10 below}; it was all a trial upon David:.1Chronicles 21:1-3; 1Chronicles 27:23,24).the people of Israel.

2Samuel 24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people.(wanted to see how strong the country was that he was king over, rather than simply trusting the all powerful Creator; knowing the strength of the nation would have emboldened.egocentricity and knowing the strength of the Creator would have made the census unnecessary; it comes from the attitudethat the king owns all the people {such as Benhadad showed} and similar to the stance the people of Israel back then had taken of wanting not God, but rather wanting to do as the nations around them who knew not the real God and followed their oh so stupid.pagan ways). And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done. And now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant, for I have done very foolishly.

2Samuel 24:11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the Lord came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

1Chronicles 29:29. Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer. Where are these books?

2Samuel 24:12 Go and say unto David, Thus saith the Lord, I offer thee three things; choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

2Samuel 24:13 So Gad came to David and told him and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? Or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? Or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? Now advise and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me. 

2Samuel 24:14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait; let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great. And let me not fall into the hand of man. 

2Samuel 24:15 So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed. And there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men.

2Samuel 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough; stay now thine hand.(Creator-God controls all). And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite. 

2Samuel 24:17 And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people and said, Lo, I have sinned and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me and against my father's house.

2Samuel 24:18-20 And Gad came that day to David and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the Lord in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.(also known as Ornan:.1Chronicles 21:15). And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. And Araunah looked and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him and Araunah went out and bowed himself before the king on his face upon the ground.

2Samuel 24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshing floor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

2Samuel 24:22,23 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good unto him. Behold, here is oxen for burnt sacrifice and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood. All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king.(David). And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord your God accepts you.

2Samuel 24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay, but I will surely buy it from you at a price. Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which does cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

....next Old Testament book is 1Kings