Cyril Barber is convinced that the books of Samuel were written not to display the horror of David’s sins of murder and adultery, but rather to demonstrate God’s faithfulness in raising up prophets, priests, and kings to move history toward the coming of Christ. The central focus of this commentary is to show that the sovereign God weaves His own historical patterns alongside human failure and sin. Some people will read this volume for the exegetical light it sheds on 2 Samuel. Others will seek personal applications and find help in the great lessons that can be learned from the mistakes and successes of the past. All who read it will derive a new appreciation for the work of God in human history. I should warn you that this commentary challenges familiar interpretations and looks at the events of 2 Samuel through a different set of glasses. But precisely for this reason I wish it a wide distribution. From the Foreword, by Erwin W. Lutzer