1. 1 Samuel: Samuel, Saul, David

2. Background
Samuel is last judge of Israel and serves as transition to Monarchy
1st and 2nd Samuel were originally 1 book but broken into two in 400 AD during the translation into Greek (Septuagint)
Originally began with Hannah’s song (1 Sam. 2:1-11) and ended with David’s Song of Praise (2 Sam. 22)/David’s Last words (2 Sam. 23:1-7)
Author is unknown but must have had access to records of Samuel, Saul and David.
Sometime after the divided monarchy (931 B.C.) but before the fall of Samaria (722/21 B.C.).
Symmetry of the entire document is uncanny and purposeful. Almost cyclical as apostasy in judges

3. Outline I. Birth and Rule of Samuel (1 Sam. 1--7)
II. Saul’s Reign, Failure, and Rejection by God (1 Sam )
III. David in Saul’s Court (1 Sam )
IV. David as a Political Fugitive (1 Sam )
V. David as King over Israel and His Kindness to Saul’s Family (2 Sam )
VI. David’s Failure and its Dreadful Consequences (2 Sam )
VII. David’s Final Years and Solomon’s Accession (2 Sam Kings 2)

4. Samuel Cycle Demise of leader: Eli (1 Sam 1-2)
Hannah’s problem—rival, dumb husband (1:8)
Hannah’s vow 1:11
Why did Eli jump on her case? (1:13f)
Samuel -- God listened (1:20, 28)
What does Samuel mean?
“Name of God” or “God has heard”
Another song from a woman in Ch. 2:1-11
God is Rock

5. Eli’s sons Hophni and Phineas Problems:
Riping off meat (2:14)
Messing with women (2:22)
Tried to warn sons but was not harsh enough
Samuel contrast (2:25, 26)
How was Eli as a father?
weak man --> weak father --> bad sons

6. Call of Samuel Samuel’s night call (3:4ff)
Rule of threes?
Samuel’s sobering info to pass along (3:12-13)
Eli’s response (3:18)
“…let Him do what he seems good to Him”
Labeled a prophet

7. Demise of Old Leader Capturing the ark: 1 Sam 4-6
Lost 4,000 against Philistines and called for ark
Brought the ark and shouted
How did Philistines receive this message? (4:6-10)
Problem: God in a box mentality
How could be negative at times?
Death: Eli’s sons  A heavy fall Eli 4:18
Birth of Ichabod: 4:21
The Glory of the Lord has departed

9. Philistines and the Ark
Five Philistine cities (Ashdod, Askelon, Gath, Gaza, Ekron)— Pentapolis
Ashdod- Dagon (fertility, half fish, half man/father of Baal?) 5:5
Falling on face with arms off
Tumors (bubonic plague?)
Not ready to return yet
Gath
Great confusion and tumors
Ekron
More tumors despite the fear
Message had gotten around
Devised a plan to return
Guilt offering (golden mice and tumors?)
Still able recall Egypt’s hardened hearts (6:6)
How will they send it away? What is the purpose of this sending off? (6:7-9)

10. Samuel’s victory Samuel’s calling (7:3)
What 3 things do the Israelites have to do in order to be delivered?
Has Yahweh's criteria changed?
How did Israelites respond (7:4-6)
God shows up to help Israel despite their fear of Philistines
Another stone as a memorial: Ebenezer (Type Scene)

11. On Fathers and Sons +Eli (godly) ==> -sons (not obedient)
+Samuel (godly) ==> - sons (not obedient) (8:3)
-Saul (ungodly) ==> +son (obedient)
+David (godly) ==> +son (obedient: Solomon) and - son (no obedient: Absalom)
What does it all mean?

12. We Want a King
Was it wrong for Israel to ask for a king “like the other nations”? (8:4f)
How does God see this? (8:7)
An ominous start with lots of foreshadowing
Kingship warning: taxes 10%/ bureaucracy /slavery 8:11-18
Theocracy --> Monarchy (major shift)

13. Saul Chosen: Private Private anointing: chasing donkeys
Focus on Saul’s appearance. Why? Has appearance ever been mentioned before? (9:2) Whose appearance also is emphasized in the Samuels?
people-of-the-bible/
Was Saul initially humble? (9:21)
But I am just a Benjamite?
Spirit on Saul and began to prophesy (10:10)
Helped his campaign quite a bit
What does this tell us about Yahweh’s hand in it all despite being rejected?

14. Saul chosen: Public
Anointed and specific instructions of how he will be greeted (10:1-8)
Umim and Thumim used. Why? (10:20)
Hiding in the baggage (10:22)
Delivers Jabesh Gilead from Ammonites (first victory) (ch. 11)
Rallies 330,000 troops with a broken yoke.
What did this symbolize?
3rd time: Covenant renewal at Gilgal (11:14f)
Samuel’s defense
Covering his basis and foreshadowing defects of a king

15. Saul’s mistake
Begins to rule at 30? 1 year? 2 years? 10 years? 40 years? Translation differences.
Fear of Philistines at Gilgal (13:7f)
Improper sacrifice (13:9)
Pious cover up (13:12)
Samuel’s rebuke (13:13) –”if” you had
13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But nowyour kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince[b] over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.”
Foreshadowing of David (13:14)

16. Story of Jonathan
Takes matters into his own hands while father is relaxing under a ‘pomegranate tree’ (14:2)
Faith but also very courageous and hungry for battle: ‘perhaps’ (1 Sam. 14:6f)
Puts stipulations in place just in case (1 Sam. 14:9-14)
What do this stipulations tell us about Jonathan? Good or bad? Testing or pursuing?
Struck fear in Philistines by this little skirmish (1 Sam. 14:15)
Saul is still busy twiddling his thumbs: “Withdraw your hand” (1 Sam. 14:19)
Great confusion again (1 Sam. 14:20)
Philistines defeated—Hebrew mercenaries mixed in (14:21)
Saul’s last resort altar and God’s silence (14:37)
Saul plays the Jephthah card but this time people intervene (1 Sam. 14: 40-45)
Honey, the nectar that tempted all emotional men
Irony: Willing to kill own son but not King Agag in future chapters?

17. God and Saul and Amalekites
Agag and livestock spared
What does this tell us about Yahweh?(15:11, 35)
Regrettable? (nacham to be sorry,
Made a monument for himself after victory (15:12)
Pious cover up yet again (15:14-21)
Right motives ==> wrong actions
Long as your heart is right! Right??? Not
God’s desire: (15:22-23)
God does not make vows he cannot keep (15:29)
But shouldn’t he reward a repentant heart?
Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.” 
Samuel gets to work

18. David Does God concoct a lie? (16:2) God’s focus on the heart: 16:7
Isn’t this the whole pious excuse Saul got in trouble for?
God’s focus on the heart: 16:7
Spirit leaves Saul (16:13f)
Does God really send evil spirits on people (16:14)?
The new king (David) ironically is needed to expel evil spirit when it arises

19. David’s Victory Arrives to bring food to brothers but sees the fear
40 days of calling out Israel
David’s righteous anger (17:26)
“For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
Sibling jealousy: (17:28)
Attribution of wrong motives
“Lions, tigers and bears…no match” (17:34-37)
No need for armor  faith (17:38-40)
…but I better take 5 stones  lack of faith?
On defeating giants (17:42-47)
Women’s troublesome song & Saul’s insecurity (18:7)
Kept a close eye…in other words tried to murder him many times

20. Demise of Old leader
Saul’s attempts to kill David the same way David will kill Uriah (Irony alert)
Michal betrothal foreskins (18:20f, 23, 25)
Spearing chucking (19:9, 11) Michal’s idol protection (19:13)
Jonathan warns David: that’s what friends are for (ch. 18:3f; 20:9, 17, 33, 41f)

21. Judah-Heartland

22. David’s fleeing
Nob: (ch. 21) -- sword, food, 85 priests slain; Doeg the Edomite (ch. 22)
Suspecting a conspiracy so begins slaughtering anyone who is attached
Keilah deliverance (ch. 23:9ff;)
Does God know things that never happen? (cf. 13:13 if Saul had...) ephod: Urim/Thumim

23. Nabal and Abigail
The story line and description of Abigail (1 Sam 25:3, 10, 22)
On role of woman and foolish men (v. 24ff)
David goes to Philistine city of Ziklag (27:6f)—note date of statement

24. David’s sparing Saul
1 Sam 24:3f dropping pants in cave and cutting robe
1 Sam 26:9 stealing spear while sleeping
David’s respect: don’t touch the LORD’s anointed 24:5; 26:9

25. Witch of Endor & Saul’s demise
Story line: Final Battle in Jezreel Valley
Can witches really bring people back from the dead?
Are dead people aware of what is going on in this life? (28:15ff)

26. Overview David’s rise to the throne (ch 1-5:4)
Laments Jonathan and Saul
Made king of Judah
War with Israel
Becomes king over all Israel
Glorious early years (ch 5-10)
Sin marred latter years (ch 11-24)

27. II. The early years (5-10) Conquers Jerusalem Brings ark to Jerusalem
Joyfully danced before the Lord
Michal angry he wore an ephod & didn’t act “regal”
Wants to build a temple for the ark
God promises to establish David’s house instead:
I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body … He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son.” (7:12-14)
This promises that Christ will be the Son of David
Defeats: Philistia, Moab, Aram, Edom, Ammon

28. IIIa. Adultery and Murder (ch 11)
Started with seemingly small sins
Took a break from fighting with the army
Sleeping too much
Lead to adultery
Idleness exposes us to temptation
Lead to murder
Bathsheba became pregnant
Failed to deceive Uriah that he is the father
Uriah’s refusal to go home contrasts with David:
The ark and Israel and Judah are staying tents, and my master Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife?
Orders that Uriah be sent to death in battle
Marries Bathsheba

29. IIIb. The consequences of sin (ch 12-20)
Nathan rebukes David
Nathan said, “You are the man.” (2 Sam. 12:7)
David proclaims “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Sam. 12:13)
God forgives David
Why was he forgiven? Wasn’t his sin worse than Saul’s?
He sincerely repented. See Psalm 51
Despite being forgiven, sin still has consequences:
Bathsheba’s child dies
Amnon rapes his half sister
Absalom kills Amnon
Absalom rebels against his father and is killed
Sheba rebels
Cause of division of his kingdom after king Solomon

30. IIIc. Final reflections (ch 22-24)
David’s song of praise (ch 22)
Also known as Psalm 18
David’s last words (ch 23:1-7)
David’s mighty men (ch 23:8-39)
David counts the fighting men (ch 24)

31. THE LIVES OF DAVID & SAUL
KING SAUL
MAN’S KIND OF KING (1SAM 10;23-24)
A MAN AFTER PEOPLE’S PRAISE (1 SAM 18:6-8)
SAUL’S KINGSHIP WAS REJECTED(1 SAM 15:23)
SAUL WAS CRUEL (1 SAM 20:30-34)
WHEN CONFRONTED, HE LIED (1 SAM 15:10-31)
FEARFUL
SEPARATED FROM GOD
KING DAVID
GOD’S KIND OF KING (2SAM 7:8-16)
A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART (ACTS 13:22)
DAVID’S KINGSHIP WAS ETERNAL (2SAM 7:29)
KIND AND BENEVOLENT (2SAM 9)
DAVID REPENTED (2SAM 12:13, 24:10)
COURAGEOUS
PEACE WITH GOD

32. Absalom Was handsome and charismatic like his father, David
Avenged his sister’s rape by killing his half brother
Loved by David
Plotted against his father to take away the throne
Consistently listened to the wrong advice
The sins of parents are often repeated and amplified in their children
Caused David to cry at his death, “O my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you” (2 Sam. 18:33)

33. The Book of Samuel Review
Serves as transition from Theocracy to Monarchy
Large emphasis on physical appearance to heighten the theme of God looking at the heart
David is depicted in a sinful light in comparatively to the other historical books
Yahweh depicted in a less controlling way. Giving Israel what they ask for and reap the repercussions.