Chapters 12–19 are a series of prophecies about the fate of Jerusalem, which include the flight of the prince from Jerusalem and the continued misery of those in the city. First, there is another prophetic action. God ordered Ezekiel to prepare an ...

Ezekiel’s next vision describes the many false prophets who prophesied out of their own imaginations, and not from a true vision sent by God. So in place of telling the truth, they have told lies, using phrases such as 'thus says the Lord'...

God rebukes those who believe that they can use him as a fortune-teller, especially those who call themselves elders, without even respecting him enough to worship and praise him as their God.

In Ezekiel’s next vision, he is shown a useless vine. The wood of this vine is good for nothing if it does not bear fruit, unlike other woods from which many things are made for our use and benefit. This image is comparable to the image of Israel a...

In extensive detail, Israel is compared with the bride of God. Yet she has been repeatedly unfaithful, and played the prostitute to many other nations. This chapter is written in a language very similar to the bride/harlot comparison in the book of H...

This vision is a message concerning Jewish royalty and the world powers of Ezekiel's time. It is first presented as a riddle or parable of two great eagles, a cedar tree and a vine. The exiles with Ezekiel are given some time to make sense of it...

David was an Israelite hero. Here, though, we see how someone who had risen very high could fall into terrible sin. The 'man after God's own heart' was guilty of adultery, deceit and murder. Given that Bathsheba probably had very littl...

David had committed the perfect crime. As we know from any number of Hollywood movies, though, there's always a catch. In this case, the catch was the prophet Nathan. He tells David a parable. The poor man is Uriah; the pet lamb is Bathsheba; Da...

This story is one of the Bible's 'texts of terror' that portray acts of extreme violence against women. Tamar is raped and then rejected by her half-brother Amnon, who is then murdered by his brother Absalom in revenge.

Absalom is in exile after killing Amnon; David won't bring him back, but was 'filled with longing' for him. The woman who tells David the sad story of her two sons is aiming for the same result as the prophet Nathan (chapter 12), hopin...

Was Absalom always going to 'break bad', or was the tension with his father the thing that tipped him over the edge? Either way, he planned a classic coup, getting the people on his side by promising them whatever they wanted. Unlike most r...

David and his regime have been plunged into chaos by Absalom's rebellion. Amid the scramble for safety, loyalties disintegrate and many are simply out for what they can get. Among these is Ziba, a former servant of Saul and now of his grandson M...

David is still a fearsome opponent. Absalom has the services of his turncoat counsellor, Ahithophel, but David has a mole in the enemy camp – Hushai. In scenes of low cunning and high drama, Hushai succeeds in overturning Ahithophel's advice a...

Absalom's rebellion comes to its dramatic conclusion. He is out-fought by David's army and defeated. Joab, David's commander, perhaps fearful that the king's affection for his son would compromise his effectiveness, persuades him ...

David is not yet secure on his throne, and risks alienating his supporters by his grief over Absalom. Joab, his key ally, is forced to rebuke him (verses 5–8). The loyalty of the northern tribes, who would rebel against David's grandson and be...

David's troubles are not over yet; he has to deal with another rebellion. Again, it is the northern tribes who prove disloyal. Amasa, to whom David has given the command of the army, is evidently not up to the job (verse 5); David falls back on ...

Some Bible stories are extremely difficult for us today, reflecting as they do an understanding of God that we cannot share. In this story, God sends a famine on Israel because of the guilt of the house of Saul for his treatment of the Gibeonites.

This chapter is a psalm of praise to God for keeping David safe in his troubles. It's also in the book of Psalms (Psalm 18). It uses vivid imagery drawn from storms and floods to depict the trials of David's life – and our own – and por...

At this stage of 2 Samuel David's life is drawing towards its close, though there's still more drama to come. This chapter pays tribute to his mighty warriors; it reads like our own stories of chivalry from the Middle Ages, where brave knig...

On the face of it, there's nothing wrong with a king taking a census. A prudent monarch needs to know how many soldiers and taxpayers he has. In this story, the element of sinfulness isn't explained. The writer ascribes what happens to God&...