2 Samuel Bible Reading Challenge

Read - 400 Points

Read through all of 2 Samuel for 400 points! Below you can find a printable tracker for each chapter so you can check them off as you go!

Bible Journal - 500 Points

Use a notebook or a Bible Reading Journal to take notes while you read. You can order a prepared reading journal on Amazon (link below) or use just a regular notebook. A page of suggested questions to ask is also available below. Share your thoughts or favourite verses with your friends and family or on Social Media.

Bible Art - 500 Points

Choose a verse that exhorts or encourages you during your Bible readings and illustrate it. Share your creations here: Facebook Bible Journaling Group

Bible Marking - 100 Points

In connection with the word-study for this book of the Bible, highlight all the times that the word “house” is used and whose house it is. Maybe you could then make a list of all the different “houses” mentioned. Then do the word-study below.

Literature - 200 Points

Read through any of the following books and share a quote or two with family and friends or on Social Media. Links to Booksellers below.

Hez Chronicles of a Mighty Man by Jonathan Cope
The Man David by Harry Tennant

Geography - 250 Points

Draw a map of Jerusalem at time of David:

Interactive Jerusalem Tour

Jerusalem in the time of David

Dig Deeper - 400 Points

Read about the Tel Dan Inscription: The Tel Dan Inscription: The First Historical Evidence of King David from the Bible, Tel Dan Stele

Food - 250 Points

In 2 Samuel 6, David celebrates the return of the ark by giving to everyone “a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.” (KJV). The “flagon of wine” in the Hebrew is Ashishot (a sweet bread). Try this recipe for Ashishot (Ashishot is the last recipe at the bottom of the post): Cooking like a Maccabee

Quiz - 150 Points

Sometimes a question to find the answer to can be helpful to keep little ones engaged. Aquila N. Priscilla has done an excellent job preparing lots of questions to ask before or after reading – you can find their book for purchase here: Know Questions: Genesis to Job. Alternatively, you can do find the answers to the “Who Did This?” quiz below.

Media - 300 Points

Search for this talk on Christadelphian Bible Talks and Exhortations:

David’s Mighty Men by Jay Mayock

Write a short review to share what you learn.

Memory Verse - 250 Points

Learn at least one of these selections by heart:

2 Samuel 7:12-13
2 Samuel 15:25
2 Samuel 22:32-33

Print out and colour the bookmarks (below) if you wish.

Language - 150 Points

The word “house” is used over one hundred times in 2 Samuel. What does this word mean? You can find a worksheet below that explains how to do a word study. Share what you learn with your friends and family or on Social Media.

Our World - 100 Points

In 2 Samuel 23, David longs for a drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, and three of his mighty men jeopardize their lives to get it for him. We are so used to just turning on the tap to get our water, but where does the water come from? In rural areas, people still get their water from wells, but city water often comes from a river or lake. Having a source of good clean water is important for survival. There are places in the world that do not have access to clean water, such as in Africa. Find out where your water comes from. Find out how wells are made and how they work. Article on wells in the Bible: Multiple Functions of Wells in the Tanakh; Digging Water Wells in Africa – How it Works

Hymn Study - 100 Points

Hymn 116: Praise my soul the King of heaven

Sing this hymn. You can find a link below for the music. Write out the hymn (worksheet below), and see if you can find Bible passages that relate to this particular hymn.

Prayer - 100 Points

Work through the STEP Meditations on David’s Psalms: S-T-E-P Meditations on the Psalms of David

Art Project - 150 Points

David was a very musical man. We know he played the harp and wrote psalms which he probably sang. We are also told in 2 Samuel 6 that he had all manner of instruments of fir wood: harps, psalteries, timbrels, coronets, and cymbals. Try your hand at making a musical instrument. Here are some ideas:

A timbrel: https://www.eduplace.com/science/dw/5/unit/f/pm5.f7.html

A harp: https://www.instructables.com/id/Greek-Lyre/

A drum: https://funfamilycrafts.com/coffee-can-drum/

The Heart - 300 Points

T H I N K ON T H I S :

Check on your motives?

“…We remarked that David’s desire to build a house for God was inspired by a pure zeal for divine things and not with any idea of self-aggrandizement. There are two proofs of this assertion. The first lies in the fact that God approved him and commended his intention. The second arises out of the plain facts of history. It is obvious that the construction of a magnificent temple for the worship of God would seem one of the grandest of all possible achievements for a king of Israel. It would be a lasting memorial of his greatness, a centre of pilgrimage from all parts of the kingdom, and with each successive generation, men would point out to their children the beautiful house of prayer and speak of the great king who conceived the idea and carried it into effect.

We can easily imagine what a day of pure delight it would have been to David could he have carried out all his intention, and having completed the work, assembled all Israel to the dedication. His intention was frustrated. His ambition had been a worthy one, but it was not to be gratified, because he had been a man of war. What was David’s attitude in the face of this disappointment? He humbly thanked God for the mercies promised and started with zeal on such work as was permitted. He was not to have the honour of building the house, but he could perform the humble work of preparing material. He seems to have devoted himself to this idea, and ‘in his trouble’ made great preparation for the work he was not permitted to consummate…

There are many matters in connection with which our only course is to accept the decision of the majority, and we all recognize that this is the only possible workable rule. But when the decision of the majority runs contrary to our ideas of what should prevail, there are various ways in which we can accept it. We can make the best of it or the worst of it, while between these two extremes are many grades. We may think an unwise course has been taken, but when the decision has been made we should try to make it a success. We may think the wrong brother has been chosen for a special work; but since he has been chosen, let us do all in our power to strengthen his hands.”

Islip Collyer, Conviction and Conduct