Preaching the David Story

  
Concerning preaching the David Story in the Old Testament, David Firth argues that,

“The best option for an expository series is one where the preacher works more or less systematically through the whole of I Samuel 16–1 Kings 2, though an 'edited highhghts' package might work for some. Many congregations could struggle to have a sustained treatment of such a lengthy text, and it might be appropriate to consider presenting David's story within four separate ‘chunks.’ These would more or less follow the source analysis many scholars offer for David's story, though many regard them simply as appropriate division points within the narrative rather than as discrete sources. In addition, the exact boundaries of these sections are open to some dispute, but the divisions offered here offer a coherent structure for a sermon series even if other divisions might also work” (p. 6).

Firth’s four suggested “chunks” include (pp. 6–8):

1. 1 Samuel 16:1–2—Samuel 2:4
2. 2 Samuel 2:5—8:17
3. 2 Samuel 9—20
4. 2 Samuel 21—24 and 1 Kings 1:1—2:11.

For details read David Firth’s article “Preaching the David Story,” Southeastern Theological Review 2 (2011): 1–10.