2 Samuel 2:6 Study Bible: Now may the LORD show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.

◄ 2 Samuel 2:6 ►

Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.

Study Bible

And now
This phrase marks a transition, indicating a response to previous actions or events. In the context of 2 Samuel, David is speaking to the men of Jabesh-gilead, acknowledging their loyalty to Saul. The Hebrew word for "now" (וְעַתָּה, ve'atah) often signifies a pivotal moment, urging the listener to pay attention to what follows as it carries significant weight.

may the LORD
Here, David invokes the divine name, Yahweh, emphasizing the covenant relationship between God and His people. The use of "LORD" (יהוה, YHWH) is a reminder of God's eternal presence and His role as the ultimate source of blessing and justice. It reflects David's reliance on God's sovereignty and his desire for divine intervention in the lives of the Jabesh-gileadites.

show you loving devotion
The Hebrew word for "loving devotion" is "חֶסֶד" (chesed), a rich term that encompasses love, kindness, mercy, and loyalty. It is a central theme in the Old Testament, often describing God's steadfast love and covenantal faithfulness. David's prayer is that God would extend His chesed to these men, rewarding their loyalty with His unfailing love.

and faithfulness
The word "faithfulness" (אֱמֶת, emet) in Hebrew conveys truth, reliability, and stability. It complements "chesed," highlighting the trustworthiness of God's character. David desires that the men of Jabesh-gilead experience God's unwavering truth and dependability, reinforcing the idea that God's promises are sure and His character unchanging.

and I will also show you the same favor
David pledges to mirror the divine attributes of loving devotion and faithfulness in his own actions. The phrase "the same favor" indicates reciprocity, suggesting that human actions should reflect divine qualities. David's commitment to show favor underscores the importance of embodying God's character in our relationships with others.

because you have done this
This phrase acknowledges the actions of the men of Jabesh-gilead, who bravely retrieved and buried Saul's body. Their loyalty and respect for Saul, despite his flaws, demonstrate a deep sense of honor and duty. David's recognition of their deed serves as a reminder that God values and rewards acts of righteousness and loyalty.

Persons / Places / Events

1. David
The anointed king of Israel, who is expressing gratitude and blessing towards the men of Jabesh-gilead for their loyalty to Saul.

2. Men of Jabesh-gilead
Residents of a city in Gilead who showed loyalty and respect by burying Saul, the former king of Israel.

3. Saul
The first king of Israel, whose death prompted the men of Jabesh-gilead to act in honor of him.

4. Hebron
The place where David was anointed king over the house of Judah, marking the beginning of his reign.

5. LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, whom David invokes to bless the men of Jabesh-gilead.

Teaching Points

The Importance of Loyalty and Honor
The men of Jabesh-gilead demonstrated loyalty to Saul even after his death. This act of honor is recognized and blessed by David, showing the value of loyalty in relationships and community.

Reciprocal Blessings
David's promise to show favor in return for the men's actions illustrates the biblical principle of reciprocity in kindness and blessing. As believers, we are encouraged to respond to good deeds with gratitude and further acts of kindness.

Invoking God's Attributes
David's prayer for the LORD to show "loving devotion and faithfulness" highlights the importance of seeking God's character in our interactions. As Christians, we should strive to reflect God's love and faithfulness in our lives.

Leadership and Encouragement
David, as a leader, acknowledges and encourages the good deeds of others. This teaches us the importance of recognizing and affirming positive actions within our communities.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does the loyalty of the men of Jabesh-gilead to Saul inspire us to show loyalty in our own relationships?

2. In what ways can we practice reciprocal kindness in our daily interactions, as David did with the men of Jabesh-gilead?

3. How can we incorporate prayers for God's loving devotion and faithfulness into our lives, especially when dealing with others?

4. What are some practical ways we can encourage and affirm the good deeds of those around us, following David's example?

5. How do the actions of the men of Jabesh-gilead and David's response connect with Jesus' teachings on mercy and kindness in the New Testament?

Connections to Other Scriptures

1 Samuel 31
Describes the death of Saul and the actions of the men of Jabesh-gilead in retrieving and burying his body, setting the context for David's blessing.

Ruth 2:12
Boaz's blessing to Ruth, invoking the LORD's reward for her loyalty, parallels David's blessing for the men of Jabesh-gilead.

Psalm 36:5
Highlights God's loving devotion and faithfulness, attributes David desires for the men of Jabesh-gilead.

Matthew 5:7
Jesus' teaching on mercy, reflecting the reciprocal nature of kindness and blessing seen in David's words.

Sermons

Strength and Weakness	H. E. Stone.	2 Samuel 2:1-32
Commendation	B. Dale	2 Samuel 2:4-7
Gratitude and Policy	G. Wood	2 Samuel 2:5-7
Attempts At Conciliation Defeated	W. G. Blaikie, M. A.	2 Samuel 2:5-32

People

Abigail, Abishai, Abner, Ahinoam, Asahel, Asherites, Ashurites, Asshurites, Benjamin, Benjaminites, Benjamites, David, Gibeon, Ishbosheth, Jabesh, Jezreel, Jezreelitess, Jizreelitess, Joab, Nabal, Ner, Saul, Zeruiah

Places

Ammah, Arabah, Bethlehem, Carmel, Giah, Gibeon, Gilead, Hebron, Helkath-hazzurim, Jabesh-gilead, Jezreel, Jordan River, Mahanaim

Topics

TRUE, Faithfulness, Favor, Goodness, Kind, Kindness, Love, Loving, Lovingkindness, Myself, Requite, Reward, Rewarded, Shew, Steadfast, Truth

Dictionary of Bible Themes

2 Samuel 2:5

8291 kindness

Library

The Bright Dawn of a Reign
'And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the Lord said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And He said, Unto Hebron. 2. So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail, Nabal's wife, the Carmelite. 3. And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. 4. And the men of Judah came, and there …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The King.
We have now to turn and see the sudden change of fortune which lifted the exile to a throne. The heavy cloud which had brooded so long over the doomed king broke in lightning crash on the disastrous field of Gilboa. Where is there a sadder and more solemn story of the fate of a soul which makes shipwreck "of faith and of a good conscience," than that awful page which tells how, godless, wretched, mad with despair and measureless pride, he flung himself on his bloody sword, and died a suicide's death, …
Alexander Maclaren—The Life of David

This Affection the Martyrs of Christ Contending for the Truth did Overcome...
10. This affection the Martyrs of Christ contending for the truth did overcome: and it is no marvel that they despised that whereof they should, when death was overpast, have no feeling, when they could not by those tortures, which while alive they did feel, be overcome. God was able, no doubt, (even as He permitted not the lion when it had slain the Prophet, to touch his body further, and of a slayer made it to be a keeper): He was able, I say, to have kept the slain bodies of His own from the dogs …
St. Augustine—On Care to Be Had for the Dead.

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
Syria: the part played by it in the ancient world--Babylon and the first Chaldaean empire--The dominion of the Hyksos: Ahmosis. Some countries seem destined from their origin to become the battle-fields of the contending nations which environ them. Into such regions, and to their cost, neighbouring peoples come from century to century to settle their quarrels and bring to an issue the questions of supremacy which disturb their little corner of the world. The nations around are eager for the possession …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4

How the Meek and the Passionate are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 17.) Differently to be admonished are the meek and the passionate. For sometimes the meek, when they are in authority, suffer from the torpor of sloth, which is a kindred disposition, and as it were placed hard by. And for the most part from the laxity of too great gentleness they soften the force of strictness beyond need. But on the other hand the passionate, in that they are swept on into frenzy of mind by the impulse of anger, break up the calm of quietness, and so throw into …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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