1Sa 1:1-23 | TNotes | STEP | Book of 1 Samuel — Quick facts: Purpose: To recount the establishment of the Israelite monarchy and to highlight the differing character of Israel’s first two kings Author: Unknown Date: Records events that occurred around 1050–1011 BC Setting: The transition from the period of the judges to the Israelite monarchy Book of Samuel — Overview: Setting Moses had predicted that the people of Israel would ask for a king to reign over them (Deut 17:14-20 ). God spelled out the requirements for a king (Deut 17:15 ) but also warned of the evils commonly associated with human kings. A king would want many horses, numerous wives, and large sums of gold and silver (Deut 17:16-17 ). To mitigate these tendencies, God instructed that each king of Israel must study God’s law (Deut 17:18-20 ). Throughout the days of the judges, Israel’s tribes lacked unity (see Judg 17–21 ). By Samuel’s time, Israel was looking for a king to unite the nation and protect it from internal and external threats. Gideon, who judged Israel about one hundred years before the time of Samuel, had acted a lot like a king. Gideon rejected the invitation to inaugurate a hereditary dynasty (Judg 8:22-23 ), but he began to act like a king: He accumulated gold and used it to build a religious idol (Judg 8:24-27 ), he took many wives (Judg 8:30 ), and he even named one of his sons Abimelech, which means “my father is king” (Judg 8:31 ). Gideon acted like the kind of king God wanted Israel never to have. A monarchy would give an imperfect human even more control than the judges exercised. 1 Samuel records the trouble that surrounded Israel’s first king, Saul, and begins to outline God’s unfolding plan to establish an eternal kingship through the line of David. Summary In 1 Samuel 1–7 , Samuel emerges as a judge and prophet of God. Samuel was born to a devout woman named Hannah, who had previously been barren (1:1-23 ). As a young child, Samuel, a Levite, (1 Chr 6:33-34 ) became an apprentice in the Tabernacle under the supervision of Eli the priest (1:24–3:18 ). Likely trained to be a Tabernacle assistant, Samuel instead became a prophet with a growing reputation (3:19–4:1 a). Evidently, he was not yet prominent in Israel’s national life when the Philistines harassed the Israelites and captured the Ark of the Covenant (4:1–7:2 ), as he is absent from that narrative. In chapter 7 , Samuel reappears, calling Israel to repentance; and acting as a judge, he drove out the Philistine oppressors. Samuel’s leadership as Levite, prophet, and judge spanned all spheres of public life. Yet his sons did not prove worthy of carrying on in his place (8:1-3 ), so Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king to lead them, just like the other nations. Samuel was outspoken in his opposition (8:10-21 ), yet the Lord instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as king (chs 9–10 ). In his farewell address, Samuel reminded the Israelites of God’s power and care for them (ch 12 ). He wanted them to realize their sin in asking for a king rather than trusting in the Lord. Initially, Saul was a good king. He defeated the neighboring Ammonites and saved the city of Jabesh-gilead from doom (ch 11 ). But Saul soon proved, by his disobedience to God, that he was unworthy to be Israel’s king (chs 13 , 15 ). By contrast, Saul’s noble son Jonathan seemed to be an ideal successor (14:1-52 ). But Jonathan would not succeed Saul, because God had different plans (chs 16–31 ). God instructed Samuel to anoint David secretly as Saul’s successor while Saul was still king (16:1-13 ). Saul’s relationship with David was good at first, thanks in part to David’s musical gifts (16:14-23 ). However, David’s success with Goliath (17:1-58 ) made Saul jealous (18:6-16 ), and Saul tried to eliminate the threat David posed to his kingship. He brought David into his family by marriage to provide greater opportunities to kill him (18:17-29 ). He attacked David directly (19:1-10 ) and executed anybody who harbored David (chs 21–22 ). Yet all of Saul’s attempts to eliminate David proved unsuccessful. Both Saul and Jonathan died in battle against the Philistines (31:1-6 ). This paved the way for David to begin his reign, though not without further difficulties (see 2 Sam 1:1–5:5 ). Authorship The title “Samuel” comes from the important role Samuel played in Israel’s transition to a monarchy, not from the book’s authorship. Samuel could have written parts of 1 Samuel, but he could not have written any part of 2 Samuel, as his death is recorded in 1 Samuel 25:1 . The final editor of 1 Samuel is never identified. Composition The books of 1–2 Samuel were originally one book. The translators of the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) divided it into two books, 1–2 Kingdoms. Later Hebrew tradition also divided the book but retained the name Samuel, as do most English versions. Some scholars contend that 1–2 Samuel (along with 1–2 Kings, also one book originally) were created from a variety of sources during or after the Babylonian Exile (586–538 BC ). Multiple sources were doubtless used in 1–2 Samuel—for example, Samuel, Nathan, and Gad all chronicled events from the life of David (1 Chronicles 29:29 ). The inspired author of 1–2 Samuel would have made use of such information. However, the book also could have been near its final form during or shortly after the reign of Solomon (971–931 BC ). Shortly after Judah’s exile to Babylon, 1–2 Samuel was incorporated into the larger body of material that also includes Joshua, Judges, and 1–2 Kings. This section of Scripture traces Israel’s sacred history, beginning with blessing (conquering the land) and ending with judgment (losing the land). It explains to an audience in exile how their grave misfortune came about. Manuscripts The text of 1–2 Samuel that is found in the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint, 200s BC ) is different in many places from the Hebrew (Masoretic) text (around AD 1000). The Hebrew texts of Samuel in the Dead Sea Scrolls (around 250–50 BC ) found at Qumran agree in some places with the Septuagint, in other places with the Masoretic Text. In still other places the Dead Sea texts have their own readings. Readers will encounter notes such as “Hebrew lacks ... ” or “Greek reads ... ” more frequently in 1–2 Samuel than in other Old Testament books. However, few of these textual variants significantly alter the meaning. Meaning and Message The emphasis on kingship in 1 Samuel first appears in Hannah’s prayer (see 2:10 ). The idea that Israel would have a king was as old as God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah (Gen 17:6 , 16 ). God neither mandated nor forbade a monarchy but only spelled out the excesses from which Israel’s kings must abstain (see Deut 17:14-20 ). During the period of the judges, Israel changed dramatically for the worse—both spiritually and nationally. This steady disintegration reaches a horrible climax in Judges 17–21 . The book of Judges hints that, to help correct this decline, Israel needed a king. Israel’s greatest threat was not the Philistines or any other predatory neighbor but Israel itself and its breaking of the covenant. Israel needed a king to guard the covenant, which the pre-monarchical order had put at risk. If the king’s responsibility was to administer the covenant (Deut 17:18-20 ), the prophet’s duty was to interpret its stipulations. For this reason, the prophet Samuel protected his divinely authorized claim over kings with a holy zeal. Not only did Samuel anoint Israel’s first two kings (1 Sam 10:1 ; 16:13 ), but he was also compelled to censure the king when he stepped outside of covenantal boundaries (13:8-15 ; 15:10-33 ). Saul did not have the character or integrity needed to lead Israel into a successful, God-honoring monarchy. Saul was not fated to fall, as though he had no control over his decisions. In fact, God wanted him to be a good king and made every provision for that to happen (such as changing his heart and giving him his Spirit). But God does not force righteousness, holiness, or obedience. His grace is persuasive but not coercive. Despite the deep disappointments of the era of the judges and the early monarchy, God’s sovereign control over Israel’s history is demonstrated in several ways: (1) A once-barren woman gave birth to Samuel, God’s agent for the transition to monarchy (ch 1 ); (2) a devastating Philistine victory became a Philistine defeat without human participation (chs 4–6 ); (3) the king whom the people demanded became God’s anointed (chs 8–10 ); (4) this king was rejected by God for his unfaithfulness (chs 13 , 15 ); and (5) the eighth son of an obscure family, a man after God’s own heart, was chosen as the future king of Israel (ch 16 ). Unlike Saul’s rule, David’s kingship over Israel lasted, and one of his descendants later became the sovereign King of the whole world. Jesus is the final heir to David’s throne (John 7:42 ; Rev 5:5 ; 11:15 ). He perpetuates his ancestor’s virtues but never exhibits his flaws. Jesus is the world’s perfect and eternal Shepherd and King. 1:1 Elkanah was a Levite (1 Chr 6:22-27 ). After the conquest of the Promised Land, the Levites were given towns in the territories of the other Israelite tribes, including Ephraim (Josh 21:20 ). • Elkanah’s hometown was Ramah (1 Sam 2:11 ). This location should not be confused with the Ramah in the tribal area of Benjamin (see Josh 18:25 ; Judg 19:13 ; Matt 2:18 ). • The region of Zuph was named after one of Elkanah’s ancestors, a Levite of the clan of Kohath (1 Chr 6:35 ). Saul first met Samuel in Zuph while searching for his father’s donkeys (1 Sam 9:5 ). • Elkanah’s lengthy genealogy suggests he was socially prominent.

Book of 1 Samuel — Quick facts:

Purpose: To recount the establishment of the Israelite monarchy and to highlight the differing character of Israel’s first two kings

Author: Unknown

Date: Records events that occurred around 1050–1011 BC

Setting: The transition from the period of the judges to the Israelite monarchy

Book of Samuel — Overview:

Setting
Moses had predicted that the people of Israel would ask for a king to reign over them (Deut 17:14-20 ^a). God spelled out the requirements for a king (Deut 17:15 ^b) but also warned of the evils commonly associated with human kings. A king would want many horses, numerous wives, and large sums of gold and silver (Deut 17:16-17 ^c). To mitigate these tendencies, God instructed that each king of Israel must study God’s law (Deut 17:18-20 ^d).
Throughout the days of the judges, Israel’s tribes lacked unity (see Judg 17–21 ^e). By Samuel’s time, Israel was looking for a king to unite the nation and protect it from internal and external threats.
Gideon, who judged Israel about one hundred years before the time of Samuel, had acted a lot like a king. Gideon rejected the invitation to inaugurate a hereditary dynasty (Judg 8:22-23 ^f), but he began to act like a king: He accumulated gold and used it to build a religious idol (Judg 8:24-27 ^g), he took many wives (Judg 8:30 ^h), and he even named one of his sons Abimelech, which means “my father is king” (Judg 8:31 ⁱ). Gideon acted like the kind of king God wanted Israel never to have. A monarchy would give an imperfect human even more control than the judges exercised. 1 Samuel records the trouble that surrounded Israel’s first king, Saul, and begins to outline God’s unfolding plan to establish an eternal kingship through the line of David.

Summary
In 1 Samuel 1–7 ^j, Samuel emerges as a judge and prophet of God. Samuel was born to a devout woman named Hannah, who had previously been barren (1:1-23 ^k). As a young child, Samuel, a Levite, (1 Chr 6:33-34 ^l) became an apprentice in the Tabernacle under the supervision of Eli the priest (1:24–3:18 ^m). Likely trained to be a Tabernacle assistant, Samuel instead became a prophet with a growing reputation (3:19–4:1 ⁿa). Evidently, he was not yet prominent in Israel’s national life when the Philistines harassed the Israelites and captured the Ark of the Covenant (4:1–7:2 ^o), as he is absent from that narrative. In chapter 7 ^p, Samuel reappears, calling Israel to repentance; and acting as a judge, he drove out the Philistine oppressors.
Samuel’s leadership as Levite, prophet, and judge spanned all spheres of public life. Yet his sons did not prove worthy of carrying on in his place (8:1-3 ^q), so Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king to lead them, just like the other nations. Samuel was outspoken in his opposition (8:10-21 ^r), yet the Lord instructed Samuel to anoint Saul as king (chs 9–10 ^s). In his farewell address, Samuel reminded the Israelites of God’s power and care for them (ch 12 ^t). He wanted them to realize their sin in asking for a king rather than trusting in the Lord.
Initially, Saul was a good king. He defeated the neighboring Ammonites and saved the city of Jabesh-gilead from doom (ch 11 ^u). But Saul soon proved, by his disobedience to God, that he was unworthy to be Israel’s king (chs 13 ^v, 15 ^w). By contrast, Saul’s noble son Jonathan seemed to be an ideal successor (14:1-52 ^x). But Jonathan would not succeed Saul, because God had different plans (chs 16–31 ^y). God instructed Samuel to anoint David secretly as Saul’s successor while Saul was still king (16:1-13 ^z).
Saul’s relationship with David was good at first, thanks in part to David’s musical gifts (16:14-23 ^aa). However, David’s success with Goliath (17:1-58 ^ab) made Saul jealous (18:6-16 ^ac), and Saul tried to eliminate the threat David posed to his kingship. He brought David into his family by marriage to provide greater opportunities to kill him (18:17-29 ^ad). He attacked David directly (19:1-10 ^ae) and executed anybody who harbored David (chs 21–22 ^af). Yet all of Saul’s attempts to eliminate David proved unsuccessful.
Both Saul and Jonathan died in battle against the Philistines (31:1-6 ^ag). This paved the way for David to begin his reign, though not without further difficulties (see 2 Sam 1:1–5:5 ^ah).

Authorship
The title “Samuel” comes from the important role Samuel played in Israel’s transition to a monarchy, not from the book’s authorship. Samuel could have written parts of 1 Samuel, but he could not have written any part of 2 Samuel, as his death is recorded in 1 Samuel 25:1 ^ai. The final editor of 1 Samuel is never identified.

Composition
The books of 1–2 Samuel were originally one book. The translators of the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) divided it into two books, 1–2 Kingdoms. Later Hebrew tradition also divided the book but retained the name Samuel, as do most English versions.
Some scholars contend that 1–2 Samuel (along with 1–2 Kings, also one book originally) were created from a variety of sources during or after the Babylonian Exile (586–538 BC). Multiple sources were doubtless used in 1–2 Samuel—for example, Samuel, Nathan, and Gad all chronicled events from the life of David (1 Chronicles 29:29 ^aj). The inspired author of 1–2 Samuel would have made use of such information. However, the book also could have been near its final form during or shortly after the reign of Solomon (971–931 BC).
Shortly after Judah’s exile to Babylon, 1–2 Samuel was incorporated into the larger body of material that also includes Joshua, Judges, and 1–2 Kings. This section of Scripture traces Israel’s sacred history, beginning with blessing (conquering the land) and ending with judgment (losing the land). It explains to an audience in exile how their grave misfortune came about.

Manuscripts
The text of 1–2 Samuel that is found in the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint, 200s BC) is different in many places from the Hebrew (Masoretic) text (around AD 1000). The Hebrew texts of Samuel in the Dead Sea Scrolls (around 250–50 BC) found at Qumran agree in some places with the Septuagint, in other places with the Masoretic Text. In still other places the Dead Sea texts have their own readings. Readers will encounter notes such as “Hebrew lacks ... ” or “Greek reads ... ” more frequently in 1–2 Samuel than in other Old Testament books. However, few of these textual variants significantly alter the meaning.

Meaning and Message
The emphasis on kingship in 1 Samuel first appears in Hannah’s prayer (see 2:10 ^ak). The idea that Israel would have a king was as old as God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah (Gen 17:6 ^al, 16 ^am). God neither mandated nor forbade a monarchy but only spelled out the excesses from which Israel’s kings must abstain (see Deut 17:14-20 ^an).
During the period of the judges, Israel changed dramatically for the worse—both spiritually and nationally. This steady disintegration reaches a horrible climax in Judges 17–21 ^ao. The book of Judges hints that, to help correct this decline, Israel needed a king. Israel’s greatest threat was not the Philistines or any other predatory neighbor but Israel itself and its breaking of the covenant. Israel needed a king to guard the covenant, which the pre-monarchical order had put at risk.
If the king’s responsibility was to administer the covenant (Deut 17:18-20 ^ap), the prophet’s duty was to interpret its stipulations. For this reason, the prophet Samuel protected his divinely authorized claim over kings with a holy zeal. Not only did Samuel anoint Israel’s first two kings (1 Sam 10:1 ^aq; 16:13 ^ar), but he was also compelled to censure the king when he stepped outside of covenantal boundaries (13:8-15 ^as; 15:10-33 ^at).
Saul did not have the character or integrity needed to lead Israel into a successful, God-honoring monarchy. Saul was not fated to fall, as though he had no control over his decisions. In fact, God wanted him to be a good king and made every provision for that to happen (such as changing his heart and giving him his Spirit). But God does not force righteousness, holiness, or obedience. His grace is persuasive but not coercive.
Despite the deep disappointments of the era of the judges and the early monarchy, God’s sovereign control over Israel’s history is demonstrated in several ways: (1) A once-barren woman gave birth to Samuel, God’s agent for the transition to monarchy (ch 1 ^au); (2) a devastating Philistine victory became a Philistine defeat without human participation (chs 4–6 ^av); (3) the king whom the people demanded became God’s anointed (chs 8–10 ^aw); (4) this king was rejected by God for his unfaithfulness (chs 13 ^ax, 15 ^ay); and (5) the eighth son of an obscure family, a man after God’s own heart, was chosen as the future king of Israel (ch 16 ^az).
Unlike Saul’s rule, David’s kingship over Israel lasted, and one of his descendants later became the sovereign King of the whole world. Jesus is the final heir to David’s throne (John 7:42 ^ba; Rev 5:5 ^bb; 11:15 ^bc). He perpetuates his ancestor’s virtues but never exhibits his flaws. Jesus is the world’s perfect and eternal Shepherd and King.
1:1 ^bd Elkanah was a Levite (1 Chr 6:22-27 ^be). After the conquest of the Promised Land, the Levites were given towns in the territories of the other Israelite tribes, including Ephraim (Josh 21:20 ^bf).

• Elkanah’s hometown was Ramah (1 Sam 2:11 ^bg). This location should not be confused with the Ramah in the tribal area of Benjamin (see Josh 18:25 ^bh; Judg 19:13 ^bi; Matt 2:18 ^bj).

• The region of Zuph was named after one of Elkanah’s ancestors, a Levite of the clan of Kohath (1 Chr 6:35 ^bk). Saul first met Samuel in Zuph while searching for his father’s donkeys (1 Sam 9:5 ^bl).

• Elkanah’s lengthy genealogy suggests he was socially prominent.
1:2 ^bm Hardly an instance exists in Scripture where a man’s simultaneous marriage to two wives did not produce serious friction (1:6-7 ^bn; Gen 16 ^bo; 21 ^bp; 29 ^bq).
1:3 ^br Elkanah made this trip each year; the law required that people attend three annual festivals (Exod 23:14-17 ^bs).

• According to God’s law, Israelites were to sacrifice at God’s chosen sanctuary (Deut 12:1-28 ^bt). From the days of Joshua (Josh 18:1 ^bu) through Samuel’s era, God’s sanctuary—the Tabernacle—was at Shiloh, a town in Ephraim some 8.5 miles north of Bethel en route to Shechem. King David eventually moved it to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6 ^bv).

• the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: Throughout the Hebrew Old Testament, God is often referred to as Yahweh Tseba’oth or ’Elohim Tseba’oth. Traditionally, these titles have been translated “Lord of hosts” and “God of hosts.” The term “hosts” (Hebrew tseba’oth, traditionally “sabaoth”) usually means “armies.” It can refer to human armies, such as the armies of Israel (e.g., 1 Sam 17:45 ^bw), or foreign armies sent to fulfill the Lord’s purposes (e.g., Isa 9:11-13 ^bx). However, most often it refers to God’s angelic armies sent from heaven to do his bidding and wage war on earth (e.g., 2 Kgs 6:17 ^by). This designation anticipates God’s role as a mighty warrior in the episode involving the Ark of the Covenant and the Philistines (1 Sam 4–6 ^bz).
1:4 ^ca sacrifice ... portions of the meat: Certain sacrifices involved sharing part of the sacrificial animal in a communal meal (see Lev 7:11-34 ^cb).
1:7 ^cc the Tabernacle: Also called “the Temple of the Lord” in 1:9 ^cd. These designations reflect that the Tabernacle, a portable structure, served as the central sanctuary at Shiloh.
1:9 ^ce the Tabernacle: Literally the Temple of the Lord. Solomon’s Temple had not yet been constructed, so the word Temple here means the Lord’s sanctuary.
1:11 ^cf Hannah’s vow was a promise to give the child back to the Lord as a Nazirite (see Num 6:1-21 ^cg). Hannah might have hoped that her child would be another Samson (cp. Judg 13 ^ch), a deliverer of God’s people.
Summary for 1Sam 1:13-14: 1:13-14 ^ci Some people might have used the feast times at Shiloh as an occasion to get drunk rather than to worship. Eli mistakenly assumed Hannah was another drunken reveler (cp. Acts 2:13-15 ^cj).
1:16 ^ck wicked woman (Hebrew a daughter of Belial): An expression used to describe a worthless person. Belial (“worthlessness”) is later used as a name for Satan (2 Cor 6:15 ^cl). In Hebrew, a son of or daughter of a quality is a person who exemplifies that quality.
Summary for 1Sam 1:17-18: 1:17-18 ^cm A blessing was more than mere wishful thinking. It was often God’s means of conferring a real benefit (see, e.g., Gen 27:1-40 ^cn; 28:1-4 ^co; 32:22-32 ^cp; 48:1–49:28 ^cq). Because this blessing from God’s high priest provided assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered, she was no longer sad.
1:22 ^cr until the boy is weaned: Hannah would have nursed Samuel two to four years.
1:23 ^cs Elkanah could have overridden Hannah’s promise (Num 30:12-14 ^ct), but instead he affirmed and supported it.