The Tanakh Podcast

The final chapter of Samuel gives us yet another sin of David, and another admission of guilt! And a story resonant of the Akeida. What does it all mean?

This chapter gives us David's final song - "The spirit of God spoke through me" - and David's dauntless thirty-seven warriors. Who is David - the man of war or the man of God?

David's Song "on the day God saved David from all his enemies and the hands of Saul."
This would appear to be a song from an earlier period in David's life. Why is it here?
How does this song relate to the other two songs in the book of Samuel: Channah's song (or prayer) and David's eulogy for saul?
How does the theology of this song relate to the trials and tribulations of David's life?

Music. Yonatan Razel: "David"

An ancient unrequited sin leads to a 3 year drought.
David Seeks God; God points to the Gibeonites who were slaughtered by King Saul.
Now they demand that David hand over 7 of Saul's descendents.
They want Revenge. May David comply? Will David comply? Can a child be killed for his father's sin?

David finds himself with another revolt on his hands. 
He tries to avoid having Yoav - the man who killed his son Avshalom - lead the army.
First, he appoints Amassa, but Amassa disappoints.
Second he appoints Avishai. But Avishai defers to his older brother Yoav.
In the end it is Yoav who puts down the revolt.
Yoav is depicted here as a complex character. He is open to the moral call of the "wise woman" who stops his plans of collective punishment, but he murders Amassa - an act which David resents.