II Kings 4:8-44 Today’s reading presents a few miracles at the hands of Elisha. Together with II Kings 4:1-7 and subsequent chapters, these stories all serve to establish Elisha as a man of God (II Kings 4:9,16,21,22,25,27,40,42), a genuine prophet of the LORD. So it behooves us to pay attention to what Elisha says and …
Author Archives: John S.
August 3 / II Samuel 5:17-6:23
II Samuel 5:17-6:23 For David’s bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and why the first attempt was fatally flawed but not the second, I refer you to the parallel passage in I Chronicles 13,15 and my corresponding commentary from April 5, 2023. Today I’d like to briefly consider Michal and her relationship …
August 2 / II Samuel 4:1-5:16
II Samuel 4:1-5:16 Remember the Amalekite that delivered the news of Saul’s death to David in II Samuel 1, which we looked at two days ago? It should not take much insight to see the parallels between that Amalekite and the two sons of Rimmon who assassinate Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son. Like the Amalekite, these two …
August 1 / II Samuel 2-3
II Samuel 2-3 I don’t know about you, but I tend to think of Israel’s “United Monarchy” as passing from Saul to David and on to Solomon fairly smoothly, and that it is only with Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, that the kingdom divides. I tend to forget this relatively brief period after Saul’s death when David …
July 31 / II Samuel 1
II Samuel 1 Today we return to our march through Old Testament history, picking up where we left off before we diverted into Job. Recall the history up to this point: That is where we left off on June 25. So Saul is dead, along with his son, Jonathan, and David receives the news from …
July 30 / Psalm 51
Psalm 51 As the superscription for today’s psalm indicates, the backdrop for Psalm 51 is David’s adultery with Bathsheba, the murder of her husband, Uriah the Hittite, and the subsequent confrontation of David by Nathan the prophet. You can find that story in II Samuel 11-12. You might also want to see our commentary on …
April 19 / Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12
Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12 Today Search the Scriptures gives us this little note: “Chapter 33, like Gn. 49, requires for its full understanding much research.” Indeed. I rather doubt that many of us have undertaken such research. I know I haven’t. What might we be missing out on as a result? After all, Deuteronomy 33 is here …
April 18 / Deuteronomy 32:1-47
Deuteronomy 32:1-47 Today we have the Song of Moses. As with the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28, here we can anticipate the entire history of Israel — and the world. I’m guessing we should pay attention.
April 17 / Deuteronomy 31
Deuteronomy 31 It is the LORD Who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 That is as true for us today as for Joshua and the people of Israel when embarking upon the conquest of the Promised Land. …
April 16 / Deuteronomy 29-30
Deuteronomy 29-30 We should all read Deuteronomy 30 again and again. Come and see God’s heart here. Despite the caricature of God as somehow delighting in punishing the smallest infractions, we see here a God Who longs to bless His people, if only they (we) would turn to Him with their (our) whole hearts. Even …