David fights on every front: Philistines, Moav, Aram, Edom, Amalek, Amon, and succeeds in growing the kingdom to a veritable empire.

The chapter ends with David's growing national administration.

Our discussion will focus upon the military force that David is using and its justification. 

David requests to build the Temple. God says no. Why? Is it because he has blood on his hands? Our chapter offers a different reason.

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David has captured Jerusalem. But how does he bring God to the city? By making a home for the Aron - the Ark of God - in Jerusalem.

But a terrible accident happens as the procession makes its way - the Ark slips and Uzzah tries to save it but is killed.

What is David going to do to repair the situation?

And how does this relate to the argument between David and his wife, Michal bat Shaul?

In this chapter David becomes King over the entire nation and immediately sets to create a new capital city - Jerusalem. The entire chapter depicts the way that David solidifies and stabilizes his position as monarch.

Why Jerusalem? How was it captured? 

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Two officers of Ish-Boshet's army come into his house and murder him in broad daylight.

What do they wish to achieve?

What is their motivation?

In this, the third of the assassination stories, we hear yet again how David does not want to rise to the throne over the death of his political rivals.

we also address two other topics:

1. Ish-Boshet's strange name. And

2. The story of the tribes of Be'erot.

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Avner argues with the King, Ish-Boshet, and as he realizes that the northern faction led by Sauls' son, is weakening, he decides to capitalize on the moment and create a coalition with King David.

However Yoav, David's general, has a vendetta with Avner (Avner had killed Yoav's brother) and he murders Avner.

Now the peace deal is severely jeopardized. Will David manage to salvage the peace and reunite the kingdom under his rule?

David is crowned in Yehuda. But Avner crowns Saul's son, Ish-Boshet, over the Northern Tribes. 

For seven years the generals - Yoav and Avner - are engaged in conflict. We witness one particularly bloody day of fighting. 

Today we address two questions: 

1. Why do we receive two accounts of Saul's death?

2. Was Saul a success? Was he set up for failure?

Saul and his three sons die in battle on Mount Gilboa.

But whereas Saul's son's are killed by the enemy, Saul takes his own life. Was Shaul permitted to end his own life? What were the alternatives?

David and his men return to Ziklag. Amalek have attacked. The town has been burnt and the women and children taken captive.

David goes on the chase.

In this chapter we can understand more deeply what is problematic about Amalek, and we learn some important war ethics.