INTRODUCTION
TO 1 SAMUEL
Why
Read 1 Samuel:
There is a sense, we believe, that
when you move into 1 Samuel, you move into a completely different
genre or style of history that more resembles the later two thirds
of Genesis with its changing events based on specific people.
In Genesis it was the Patriarchs, here is Samuel, Saul and David
with a background throughout that, although similar to Judges
with discipline coming from the Lord in respect of hostile neighbours,
here in this book it is just one hostile neighbour, the Philistines
in the south.
It
is a significant book of the Old Testament on four accounts:
1.
It provides the continuation directly on from Judges,
2.
It shows a transition from judges to prophet to king,
3.
It reveals in great clarity, the nature of the king God wants,
as distinct from the king the people want,
4.
It shows the development of David, paving the way for him to become
the most famous king of Israel, and the ongoing rule of kings
until the Exile when priests take over again.
The
three divisions, we note, make clear the general structure:
A.
Samuel's Story: Ch.1-15
B.
Saul's Story: Ch.9-15
C.
David's Story: Ch.16-31
The
first division, and
Part 1, [see the Contents below] opens with a poor quality
priesthood leadership that leads a spiritually weak nation which
comes under the judgment of God. Into this context Samuel is born,
with divine help, and gradually becomes a somewhat low-key although
at times clearly spoken prophet.
In
Part 2 below we see the spiritually low state
of the nation and an almost entertaining and amusing episode with
the Philistines when they capture the ark of God and suffer the
consequences of that, followed by a restoration of Israel under
Samuel.
Part
3 sees the people asking
for a king because Samuel's sons who follow him into leadership
are not up to the job. Even the first prophet-leader had his failings.
Part 3 is the transition to having a king.
We
have suggested the second
division starts
in what we have called Part 3 because it is there we are introduced
to Saul although he doesn't take up his reign properly until the
end of chapter 11.
Part
4 reveals just how far short
the people's choice of a king falls, with Saul being a mix of
a modest, low self-esteem individual with a brash and hasty-acting
insecure leadership style with low spiritual awareness, and thus
probable low knowledge of Israel's history, which results in him
crossing the boundaries between spiritual and administrative leadership,
which in turn results in him being rejected by God by the end
of chapter 15.
In
the third division,
we have made David the focus, because although Saul is still a
key player, the significance is all in respect of David. This
is especially so in Part 5 where David is serving
under Saul until Saul's jealousy, which amounts to a paranoia
that seeks David's death again and again, means David flees from
Saul.
Thus
Part 6 is all about the trials and tribulations
of David being on the run from Saul until eventually Saul dies
in battle with the Philistines. You could split what we have called
Part 6, into 6.1 where David is simply on the run from Saul and
then 6.2 from chapter 27 when David, bizarrely as the future king
of Israel, makes himself part of the Philistines and becomes an
under-cover guerilla leader until Saul's death at the very end
of the book. It is both an entertaining and challenging book with
lots of significant lessons.
To
go from here directly to any chapter, simply click on the chapter
number below.
CONTENTS:
Part
1: Ch.1-3: Establishing Samuel as a Prophet
Ch.1
- The Birth of Samuel
Ch.2
- Against the House of Eli
Ch.3
- The Lord Calls Samuel
Part
2: Ch.4-7: The Ark taken and returned & Israel Restored
Ch.4
- The
Philistines Capture the Ark & Eli Dies
Ch.5
- Fun & Games with the Philistines
Ch.6
- The Ark Returned to Israel
Ch.7
- Restoration
of Israel & Removal of Philistines
Part
3: Ch.8-11: The Establishing of a King (Saul)
Ch.8
- Israel
Asks for a King
Ch.9
- Samuel
meets Saul
Ch.10
- Saul
is Chosen as King
Ch.11
- Saul
Rescues Jabesh & is confirmed as King
Part
4: Ch.12-15: The Fall of a King (Saul)
Ch.12
- Samuel's
Farewell Speech
Ch.13
- Saul
provoked to disobedience
Ch.14 - Battles, Disagreements & Triumphs
Ch.15 - The Lord Rejects Saul as King
Part
5: Ch.16-20: David's Life Under Threat serving Saul
Ch.16 - David
Anointed but Joins Saul
Ch.17 - David and Goliath
Ch.18 - Saul's Growing Fear of David
Ch.19
- More
Attempts on David's Life by Saul
Ch.20
- David & Jonathan
– David leaves
Part
6: Ch.21-31: David on the Run
Ch.21
- David goes on the
run to Nob & Gath
Ch.22
- David escapes &
Saul kills the priests
Ch.23
- David moves on and
is pursued by Saul
Ch.24
- David
Spares Saul's Life
Ch.25 - David, Nabal and Abigail
Ch.26
- David Again Spares Saul's Life
Ch.27 - Ch.1 -David Among the Philistines
Ch.28 - Saul & the Witch of Endor
Ch.29 - David
excused from fighting his own people
Ch.30 - David Destroys the Amalekites
Ch.31 - Israel's
defeat & Saul's death