ARGUMENT.

IN this book is contained the history of the reign of David. It gives an account of his triumphs and of his troubles. I. His triumphs over the house of Saul, chap. 1.-4.; over the Jebusites and Philistines, chap. 5.; in the bringing up of the ark, chap. 6., 7.; over the neighbouring nations, chap. 8.-10. II. His troubles; the cause of them, his sin in the matter of Uriah, chap. 11., 12.; the troubles themselves, from the sin of Amnon, chap. 13. The rebellion of Absalom, chap. 14.-19.; and of Sheba, chap. 20.; from the famine, chap. 21. And the pestilence, for his numbering the people, chap. 24. His song we have, chap. 22.; and his words and worthies, chap. 23. In many instances throughout this book he appears as a great and a good man; yet it must be confessed he had great vices: so that his honour shines brighter in his Psalms than in his annals. The whole period comprehended in this book is about forty years, from the beginning of David’s reign, in the year of the world 2949, to the end of it, in 2989. The conspiracy, however, of his son Adonijah, and his own death, are not here inserted, but are set down at the beginning of the following book. Although the former part of the first book of Samuel, as likewise the books of Ruth and Judges, were, in all probability, compiled by Samuel himself; yet the latter part of that, and this called the Second Book of Samuel, were, doubtless, written by other holy persons, inspired of GOD, such as Nathan, Gad, and others. Abarbinel says, according to Mr. Locke, that the books of Samuel were most probably written by Jeremiah, from memoirs left by Samuel, Nathan, and Gad.