AUTHOR: The Book of 2 Samuel does not identify its author, however it cannot be the prophet Samuel since he died in 1 Samuel. Jewish tradition attributes the writings to Nathan and Gad [1Ch 29:29].

ORIGIN OF THE NAME: The book is named after the prophet Samuel, which comes from the Hebrew "Shemu'el", which literally means "his name is God".

THEME: The theme of the Second Book of Samuel is the man after the heart of God, focusing on the person of David. It deals with David's ascendancy to the throne of Israel until the 40 years of his reign, his great military success, his fall, his punishment and his death. Through David's reign, God consolidated the kingdom, unifying both the religious and political life of the nation. The book spans from the death of Saul to the purchase of the temple site on the edge of Araunah, spanning a period of 37 years.

COMPILATION: Originally, the books of 1 and 2 Samuel were one book. The Septuagint translators separated them, and this separation is maintained to the present day. The date it was written, then, would be sometime after 960 BC. Some historians believe it was compiled in the 8th century BC, based on the writings of Samuel, Nathan, and Gad. 2 Samuel consists of 24 chapters and 695 verses.