Looking for a Leader: Learning from King David by ChurchRez

Credits Editor: Ellen Richard Design: Alan Miller Copy Editing: Ashley Davila, Anna Robbins Writers: Allison Brown, Joe Dieterly, Stephen Gauthier, Adam Graber, Caleb Lindgren, John Raines, Ellen Richard, Bonnie Wolf Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Hoy Bible, New International Version® NIV® copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Church of the Resurrection 935 W. Union Ave, Wheaton IL 60187 www.churchrez.org

LOOK I NG FO R A L E A D E R : L e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

Contents The Word of God for the People of God: Reading the Old Testament Well

Leading Characters

Discovering the Character of God in the Story of 1 and 2 Samuel

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who in 1 and 2 Samuel

Reading the Books of Samuel: A Christian Perspective

The Lord and the Kings: 1 and 2 Samuel in the Medieval, Reformation, and Modern Eras

Reading Plans for 1 and 2 Samuel

Resources for Further Study

The Word of God for the People of God: Reading the Old Testament Well B Y J o e D i e t e r ly , Bon n i e Wol f , a n d J ohn Ra ines Ten years ago, a friend recommended that I

audience—its historical context—and we’ll flesh

read The Brothers Karamazov. We were having

that framework out as it applies to reading and

a conversation about faith and doubt, and as

thinking about 1 and 2 Samuel. In the next

he described the book, I became excited about

section, we’ll explore the way that Jesus and the

reading it. I went to Barnes and Noble to find a

writers of the New Testament read and believed in

copy and discovered that it was quite a tome—775

the Old Testament and how it connected to Jesus.

pages of Russian existential fiction. I bought it. I’m

Finally, we’ll offer a way of combining these two

up to the challenge, I thought, but I was not. It sat

frameworks of thinking about the Old Testament

unread on my bookshelf for four years, weighing

into a practical way of meeting the challenge of

down my soul with a sense of guilt. It was just so

reading the Old Testament today.

long and full of Russian names! Many of us can think of books like that—books that we intend to read, but never quite feel up to the challenge of

The Ol d Te stam e nt for the Or ig ina l Au die nc e

opening. And for many Christians these days, the Old Testament is such a book!

“I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God”

We’ve put together this introductory article

(Exod 6:7 NIV). For over a millennium, every

because we know that the Old Testament can be

Israelite knew God was talking about them.

a challenging read, but we also know that God

They knew they were the people of God and the

has been revealing himself through the stories

history that proved it. And for that long period,

and literature of the Old Testament for thousands

Israel would reflect on and live out the meaning

of years, and he’s ready to reveal himself in that

of that incredible statement. Since they were

way to us today. In the first section, we’ll give a

human, they made mistakes: often they would

framework for imagining how the Old Testament

rebel, forget who God is or who he called them

was experienced and read by its original

to be, or be just plain wrong. And yet, mothers

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

would tell their children the history of Israel, old

example, was written hundreds of years after the

men their families and clans what God had done,

events it describes. Resources like study bibles or

and kings and magistrates would be lectured in

commentaries can advise us on not only when a

no uncertain terms by some nameless priest or

particular book was written but also which pieces

prophet about how the kingdom should be run

of history and culture influenced the way that

in light of the character of God. All through this

book was written.

telling, retelling, and reflection through history, story, and song, two questions were answered:

Second, we need to understand that certain events

“What can we say about God?” and “What does it

and concepts are more important than others for

mean to be the people of God?” The answer is the

understanding the history of Israel. Israel held the

Old Testament.

events of the distant past as more significant than the events of the recent past, as did many of their

The Old Testament is both ancient Israel’s answer

neighboring cultures. In particular, the stories of

to those two questions and God’s answer to

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the exodus became

those questions. A culture different from ours

paradigms of utmost importance to solving the

produced this literature, and they answered the

riddles of the present. For in these stories, more

two questions in a way that would make sense

than any other, Israel saw most clearly who God

to them. So if we want to discover what God has

was and what it meant to be his people. All other

revealed about himself through this ancient and

history was related to that history. (Also important

strange culture, we cannot read the Old Testament

to Israel and its neighbors were the concepts of

as if it were written by ours. If we were to read the

their land, family, their place[s] of worship.)

history of Israel as we would a modern history— as a static sequence of events—then we will miss

To better understand how all this might look in

what ancient Israel saw as the important bits of

your own studies, we’ll look at a brief overview of

the story.

1 and 2 Samuel. Although 1 and 2 Samuel were drawn together from old accounts—perhaps even

Two principles will help guide us in understanding

some firsthand account of the events that they

the story of the people of God. First, we need to

describe—some elements of the books are much

understand the context of the questions the people

newer. In fact, the entire history from Joshua to

of Israel were asking of the past. We need to know

2 Kings can be looked at as a unified whole, an

a little bit about the history of the time when the

edited volume compiled into a final version when

books were written. This is not necessarily the

the kingdom of Judah was in the twilight of its

time period of the events narrated: Genesis, for

history, perhaps as late as the first years of the

t h e w ord of god f or the p e op l e of God - Continu ed

Babylonian Exile. Israel, though blood kin, had

Joseph, the favored son of Jacob and his favored

long separated itself from the kingdom of Judah.

wife Rachel. Because most of us do not know

(Potentially, Israel had already been destroyed by

our geography, we forget that Shiloh—the most

Assyria when the bulk of the Samuel narratives

important religious site before Solomon’s Temple

took their distinctive shape.) It is from this

was built in Jerusalem—was firmly in the territory

perspective that the unknown scribe or priest

of Ephraim. We might also neglect the fact that by

combined the histories into what we call 1 and 2

the time this history was written, Ephraim was

Samuel. These histories detail the golden age of

the dominant tribe of the Northern Kingdom, had

Israel from the perspective of the waning power

the location of the capitol, and had acquired a

of Judah.

name synonymous with the Northern tribes.

This perspective shows us similarities between

Yet, God did not choose Ephraim to be the tribe

the narrative of 1 and 2 Samuel and a genre of

of kings. His favor was on Judah and on David.

ancient Near Eastern literature called legitimation

Judah was the faithful son of Leah, the unfavored

history. These histories described a god or goddess

wife of Jacob. God remembered his promises

bestowing the divine right to rule on certain

and the faithfulness of his servants of old, so

individuals and their households. “Your house and

he established David over the eternal kingdom.

your kingdom shall be made sure forever before

And David is worthy of this honor. The opening

me; your throne shall be established forever” (2

chapters of 1 Samuel show how dangerous the

Sam 7:16, NRSV). God chose David as the greatest

Philistines were to Israel. The Philistines had also

king Israel would ever have, but the question

invaded the land a little over a hundred years

remained: Why?

before Israel entered it, and they inhabited the coastland of the Mediterranean Sea. They were

The answer, as told by 1 and 2 Samuel, is God’s

a rival people group who would take over the

faithfulness to his promises. From the very

Promised Land given the chance. They and their

beginning of this tale we are told all we need to

worship of Dagon could have changed the course

know: “There was a certain man . . . an Ephraimite,

of history by wiping out Israel. But David defeated

and he had two wives. . . . And he would go up

the threat of the Philistines by unifying the

yearly to worship the Lord at Shiloh” (1 Sam 1:1-

twelve tribes and becoming the first true King of

3, author’s translation). Without careful attention

Israel. He ushered in the golden age of Israel and

to the historical context, we might breeze past

established Jerusalem as the social and religious

these statements. We might forget to take into

center for the people.

account that Ephraim was the favored son of

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

God’s faithfulness to the people who served him

and symbols to prove this. Furthermore, the Old

in the long ages past established David as Israel’s

Testament was the Scripture of the early church

king. No Philistine threat, no civil war could tear

and their primary tool for teaching doctrine and

David’s throne away from him. David was not

ethics.

perfect—the history is very clear about that—but he always repented of his actions and turned back

Events and symbols throughout the New Testament

to God. He provides a model of what it means to

are grounded in Old Testament teaching. Before

be a faithful person of God. But we cannot pull

his temptation, Jesus spent forty days fasting in

these stories out from their historical contexts and

the wilderness, a parallel to Moses on Mount Sinai

think we have arrived at the answers that God

and Elijah on his journey to Mount Horeb. Jesus too

wants to give us. Israel’s story is our story, and by

ascended a mountain to meet these two prophets

reading these histories through our predecessor’s

at the transfiguration. He referred to his death and

eyes, we can better know how to read the Old

resurrection as the “sign of Jonah.” He compared

Testament in its own right as the Word of God.

himself to the stairway to heaven Jacob saw in a dream and the manna God provided the Israelites

The Ne w T e s t a m e n t ’ s U s e of th e Old T e s t a me n t ( w i t h P a rti c u l a r No te o f 1 a n d 2 S a m u e l )

in the wilderness. These Old Testament symbols

The central figures of 1 and 2 Samuel are the

Jesus’ teaching made frequent references to the

prophet Samuel, and David, the king he anointed.

Old Testament, often correcting contemporary

David and Samuel appear together again in the

misinterpretations. In Matthew 22, Jesus said that

New Testament book of Hebrews. “All these

all Old Testament teaching could be summed up

people earned a good reputation because of their

with the commandments to love God and to love

faith, yet none of them received all that God had

one’s neighbor. Incorrect interpretations of the

promised. For God had something better in mind

law were characterized by a lack of love. We see

for us, so that they would not reach perfection

this in the criticism Jesus received for healing on

without us.” (Heb 11:39-40, NLT). The “us” in this

the Sabbath and associating with tax collectors

passage are the Christians who have become part

and sinners. Jesus’ authoritative teaching as well

of God’s story. The authors of the New Testament

as the loving way he treated those eager to hear

were eager to show that Jesus was the completion

his message demonstrate what John meant when

of all that the Old Testament promised. They made

he wrote, “For the law was given through Moses;

extensive use of Old Testament quotations, stories,

grace and truth camethrough Jesus Christ.” (John

are teaching tools that help us understand Jesus as our Savior and provider.

t h e w ord of god f or the p e op l e of God - Continu ed

1:17, ESV)

There are similarities between Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2 and Mary’s song in Luke 1. Both praise

At the Last Supper, Jesus fulfilled the promise

God for rearranging power structures, giving them

of Jeremiah 31:33 (“This is the covenant I will

something where there had been nothing. Samuel

make. . . . I will put my law in their minds and

and John the Baptist join Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and

write it on their hearts.” [NIV]) by establishing

Samson as sons of formerly childless mothers.

a New Covenant, making salvation available

These patriarchs and prophets come as a result

through his blood sacrifice. An essential part of

of God’s promise. John’s birth story is followed by

the New Covenant is bringing the Gentiles into

that of Jesus, a story even greater than his. While

God’s family. The relationship of Gentiles to the

the birth of a child by a woman considered to be

church plays a significant part in the book of Acts

infertile may be a miracle, a virgin birth allows no

as well as the epistles, but we see Jesus making

doubt that God is at work.

it clear even in his time that the Gentiles are welcome to follow him. His anger was roused by

As prophets, Samuel and John the Baptist fulfilled

the moneylenders who had set up business in the

their most important role in anointing the king

Court of the Gentiles at the Temple, preventing

of God’s choosing. Samuel anointed David as

them from worshiping. “The Scriptures declare,

king and later, through the prophet Nathan, God

‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for

promised David an everlasting dynasty. By the

all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of

New Testament period, there was no longer much

thieves” (Mark 11:17, NLT). After a Roman officer

hope of a Davidic king until the angel Gabriel

showed that he had a deep understanding of

made the startling announcement to Mary, “The

Jesus’ lordship, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, I

Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor

haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell

David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his

you this, that many Gentiles will come from all

Kingdom will never end! (Luke 1:32-33, NLT).

over the world—from east and west—and sit down

Throughout the Gospels, those who believed

with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the

Jesus’ message called him by the messianic title,

Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 8:10-11, NLT).

“Son of David.” Yet Jesus was not merely any descendant of David, he was God’s own son, as

We find 1 and 2 Samuel’s important themes

promised in 2 Samuel 7:14, “I will be his father,

continued in the New Testament as well. First

and he will be my son” (NLT). It was when John

Samuel opens with the story of the special

baptized Jesus that this promise was shown to be

circumstances surrounding Samuel’s birth, which

fulfilled: “And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is

Luke’s Gospel echoes in John the Baptist’s birth.

my dearly loved Son” (Matthew 3:17, NLT).

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

God’s promise to David in 2 Samuel 7 was a

its richness and depth, but we also remember

response to David’s desire to build God his own

the difficulties we encounter in trying to read it

house, a temple to be the dwelling place for his

today. So many things about the original context

glory. David’s son Solomon did build a temple,

of Davidic Israel—the interest in genealogies,

which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586

the precision of law codes, the tribal kingship

BC. Just before the time of Jesus, King Herod

disputes, the wild and strange ways that God

renovated the Second Temple, which became well

interacts with people—can feel confusing and

known throughout the Roman world for its beauty.

distant. We have also looked at the witness of the

Yet Jesus had the audacity to say, “I tell you, there

New Testament: that the great Story begun in the

is one here who is even greater than the Temple!

Old Testament has now reached its ultimate goal

(Matthew 12:6, NLT). In John’s account of the

in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. How

cleansing of the Temple, Jesus issues a challenge:

does it affect the way we read the Old Testament,

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise

and what do we do with those bits of the story

it up” (Luke 2:19, NLT). Jesus was referring to

that feel like meanderings from the main plotline?

his own body as the temple, as Paul explains in Colossians, “For in Christ lives all the fullness of

We believe that the way forward is a process that

God in a human body” (2:9, NLT). In the person of

involves heart, mind, and community. Let’s begin

Jesus, we see God making good on both promises

by thinking about the heart. When our hearts

from 2 Samuel 7, a permanent dynasty for David

desire the presence of God, we begin to enter

and a permanent dwelling place for himself. The

into the story of Scripture. Scripture, in many

New Testament authors understood the continuity

ways, is the story of God’s presence. In its climax,

between the events of Old Testament and their

it is the story of God’s presence come to us in

own time. Their use of the Old Testament serves

Jesus, but even before that, it is the story of God’s

as our best guide for understanding our own

presence coming near to people whose hearts

relationship with the Old Testament: beholding

desire him. One very traditional way of looking

God’s saving deeds in the Old and New Testament

at the Old Testament is to see God’s instruction

as a one complete story.

to his people about how to live—what became known as “the Law”—as a form of grace. God was

Readi n g t he O l d Te s ta m e n t: Her e a n d No w

saying, Enjoying my presence is connected to being righteous and holy. Here’s how to enjoy my presence! When our hearts desire the presence of

Looking at the history surrounding the Old

God, then we become a part of the Story of God’s

Testament, as we’ve done thus far, we realize

Presence that begins in Genesis 1. This is both a

t h e w ord of god f or the p e op l e of God - Continu ed

beautiful spiritual reality and also a very practical

king of Israel?” We can think of this question as

matter when it comes to understanding the Bible!

an interpretive tool. This tool helps us with some

Have you ever tried to read an academic paper

passages that might seem strange or difficult at

that’s written about a topic you’re not familiar

first. When half of Samuel 9 is spent telling a story

with—like a medical paper full of medical jargon?

about Saul looking for his lost donkeys, we can

It’s incredibly difficult to understand because

use this tool to ask, “What does this story about

it isn’t written for you; it’s written for medical

Saul tell us about whether or not he should be

doctors. The Old Testament, and the Bible as a

king?” As we apply this interpretive tool to many

whole, was written for people who desire the

of the stories in 1 and 2 Samuel, the idea that

presence of God. Engaging the heart with the

seems to emerge is that the true king is the one

desire for God’s presence makes you one of the

whom God anoints, who also perseveres in being

people for whom the Story has been written.

obedient to God. This question, “Who is the true

We suggest that before you open your Bible, you

king?” has been used by different readers to

spend some time in prayer opening your heart to

understand Samuel and apply it to their lives.

God. Ask him for help to desire his presence, and

For the original readers of these books—people

reflect on the greatest revelation of his presence

who probably lived a little while after the rule of

by reflecting on a moment from the life of Christ.

David—they wanted to know if the king should come from the North (Ephraim’s tribal territory) or

It should also be clear from the tools included

from Judah. Much later, Jewish people and the

in this material that we believe that reading the

New Testament church would wonder what they

Old Testament should involve the mind. By this,

should expect from the Messiah, the true king.

we mean that reading the Old Testament should

Using this interpretive tool helps us understand 1

involve some study of the history, geography,

and 2 Samuel in its historical context, and it also

culture, and even some bits of language, as

points us to a way to glorify Jesus as the perfect

well as thinking about the theology of what

King.

we’re reading. For example, the first section of this article set up one aspect of the historical

Learning about historical contexts isn’t the only

context of 1 and 2 Samuel: the dispute between

way to engage the mind. We can also dive deeply

the tribe of Ephraim in the north and the tribe

into the text by reflecting on our full Christian

of Judah in the south over which tribe should

theology and using that as an interpretive tool

provide the king. Knowing this context helps us

to understand the deep significance of what we

understand that one of the questions the books

read. This is similar to the way that the disciples

are trying to answer is, “Who should be the true

used the life and teaching of Jesus to understand

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

the Old Testament. For example, if we reflect on

weekly at our local church—and with Christians

the Trinity as we confess God to be in the Nicene

throughout history. It also means that we listen

Creed (Father, Son (whose “kingdom will have no

to the instruction of our pastors as they teach us.

end”), and Spirit), then we find a deep mystery

This helps us in a couple of ways. First, it speeds

at work when the Lord anoints a shepherd king

us along toward the truth because we don’t have

on whom the Spirit descends (1 Sam 16:12-13),

to rely solely on our own resources to figure

and we find resonance with the account of Jesus’

everything out. I personally do not have the time

baptism. It is helpful to distinguish between what

to conduct all the research and thought about 1

the Scriptures meant to the original audience

and 2 Samuel that is contained in this curriculum

and what its fuller significance is, which God

and will be taught by our pastors, but I am thankful

probably did not expect most of the original

that the team working on this project can compile

readers to understand. These two things, the

and share their study with me! Second, it guards

original meaning and the deeper significance,

us from extreme error because the Holy Spirit uses

work together to form layers of meaning, and

the community of believers to protect the truth. St.

great thinkers in the church like St. Augustine of

Paul wrote to the Ephesians that growing in the

Hippo or St. Thomas Aquinas have insisted that

knowledge of the Son of God and being protected

the significance (also called the “figurative” or

from error is one of the main purposes that the

“spiritual” or “mystical” sense) never contradicts

Spirit gives us a diversity of gifts in the unity of

what

one Body (Eph 4:1-14).

the

original

audience

would

have

understood (sometimes called the “literal” or “plain” sense). The significance actually flows out

We hope and pray that the material we share here

of the original sense. We hope to give you many

will enrich your study of 1 and 2 Samuel, that

good resources in this collection of study material

your desire for the presence of God will increase,

for engaging your minds in the study of 1 and 2

and that the effects of his presence will spill out

Samuel. Another easy-to-use resource for diving

into the lives of those around you.

into the historical context of the Old Testament is a study Bible. Finally, we believe that it’s important to read the Old Testament and all of Scripture as a part of the community of believers, which is the church. Practically, this means that we read it with our brothers and sisters with whom we worship

Le a d ing Cha ra cte rs : Mo ral milesto nes in 1 samuel

10 SAMU E L 2.0 1.5

MORAL SCALE

1.0 0.5 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0

2:11

2:18

7:3

7:6

7:9

7:15

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8:6

8:10

10:1

10:17

12:20

15:1-2

27:10 17:11

18:11

18:29

15:33

16:4

SCRIPTURE SAU GODL 2.0

1.5 2 1

-1.0 -2 -1.5 -3 -2.0

9:21

REGRETS SAUL

-0.5 -1

17:35 18:23 10:11 10:22

11:6

13:9

2 1:8

2 2 :5 14:35

ANOINTS DAVID

GOD ’S SILENT

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SAU L TR ANSFORMED

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1.0 0.5

2 3 :5 14:44

24: 3 24: 4 25 : 22 15:4 15:8

26: 9 1 5 : 24

30: 8 30: 26 19:10 22:18

SCRIPTURE DAVID 2 .0 1.5

MORAL SCALE

1.0 0.5 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2 .0

17:35

18:23

21:8

22:5

23:5

24 : 3

SCRIPTURE

24 : 4

25:22

26:9

27:10

30:8

30:26

L ea d i n g C ha r a cte rs : M ora l m ile sto nes in 2 samuel

DAVID (Cont inued ) NATHAN’S PROPHECY

2.0 1.5

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ARK

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VIC TORY

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1.0

9:1

Bathsheba

13:21

14:23

14:33

15:14

19:23

Wo r s h i p

24 : 4

24 :1 0

SCRIPTURE J OAB 2.0 1.5

MORAL SCALE

1.0 0.5 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0

3:27

14:19-20

18:14 -15

20:10

24 : 3

SCRIPTURE ABNER

ABSALOM

2.0 1.5

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3:9

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SCRIPTURE

15:10

16:22

Discovering the Character of God in the Story of 1 and 2 Samuel B Y Ca l e b L i n d g re n Who s e L i n e i s I t A n y w a y ?

its human characters misses how God reveals himself to us through these human stories.

One of the oddest features about 1 and 2 Samuel is that these books have surprisingly little storyline

The B ib l e ’s Main Cha r ac te r

devoted to the “title character,” the prophet Samuel. This story seems like it is mostly about

God is the main character of the Bible, and in

Saul and then David. Samuel shows up in only

many ways the Bible is like his autobiography.

fifteen of the total fifty-five chapters that make

It is the record of God’s relationship with human

up both books, so it is easy to assume that the

beings, and it was authored and authorized by God

story of 1 and 2 Samuel is not about Samuel at

himself. It is true that we can see the fingerprints

all. Surprisingly, that’s exactly right! The books of

of God in nature (Rom. 1:20, NLT), but we can only

1 and 2 Samuel are not primarily about Samuel,

come to understand his character fully through

and they are not ultimately about Saul, or David,

the way he communicates it to us in Scripture. So,

or any of David’s family either. The story of 1 and

as we are reading through a narrative in the Bible

2 Samuel is ultimately about Yahweh, the Lord of

like 1 and 2 Samuel, we should always be asking

the uNIVerse and the God of Israel.

the question: what does this tell us about who God is, how he acts, and what he cares about?

1 and 2 Samuel belong to the narrative genre, meaning that they tell a story. When we read

With this question in mind, let’s look at 1 Samuel

narrative, most of us focus on the human

chapter 3 to see what this passage reveals about

characters. We try to imitate their noble deeds,

God.

and we draw stern lessons from their follies. While it’s not wrong to look at the lives of biblical

Ca n You He ar Me Now?

people for examples of how (and how not) to follow God, restricting our study of the Bible to

In 1 Samuel 3, God calls to Samuel while he is

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

alone in the middle of the night. At first Samuel

she dedicates him back to God to serve Eli in the

does not recognize who is calling him, but after

Tabernacle (1 Sam. 2:26-28). In that culture an

the old priest Eli is asked about it three times,

infertile woman felt like a worthless woman. By

Eli finally recognizes the call is from God and

allowing Hannah to bear a son who could carry

instructs Samuel to wait and listen. God then

on the family line, God restores Hannah’s cultural

delivers a judgment against Eli and his sons for

value, and Samuel is the living testimony of what

their wickedness and selects Samuel to replace

God has done for her.

them as priest, as well as to be God’s appointed prophet and judge.

God’s selection of Samuel to be a priest indicates that he is doing something special. Furthermore

There are many lessons about obedience and

it shows that God, through his grace and mercy,

disobedience that could be learned from the

can choose to do a new thing at any time in

human characters in this story, but what do we

response to the obedience or disobedience of

learn about God from the events in 1 Samuel 3?

his people. This is a pattern that we will see repeatedly through 1 and 2 Samuel. A central

Pay ing A t t e n t i o n to Y our Surr o u n d i ngs

aspect of God’s character is that he responds to his people. In this case, the unfaithfulness of Eli’s sons disqualifies them for the priesthood, whereas

An important part of studying any portion of

the faithfulness of Hannah and her son Samuel

Scripture is context. What we can learn about the

qualifies him to become the official mediator

character of God from 1 Samuel 3 is fully realized

between God and his people (1 Sam. 2:30,

only through an understanding of chapters 1 and

35). We will see something similar occur when

2 as well. While it is possible to tell the story of

David is anointed king, as he is a youngest son

1 Samuel 3 independently, we miss much of its

and not from the family of Saul, the established

meaning if we ignore the surrounding passages

monarch (1 Sam. 16:7). God consistently chooses

and the culture in which the story takes place.

unexpected people for special service to him in

Often, Scripture illuminates for us aspects of God’s

order to display his power and glory through

character in the context of a particular passage.

them. All through the Bible, God chooses those on the margins and those who are rejected to do

In 1 Samuel chapter 1 we learn that Samuel is an

his will, and by doing so God is able to overturn

answer to prayer. He is the son of a woman named

expectations and allow his greatness to shine

Hannah who had been infertile for many years. His

(1 Sam. 16:7; Psalm 118:22; Matt. 21:42; 1 Cor.

birth is such a blessing that, in her thankfulness,

1:27; 2 Cor. 12:9).

D i s c ov e ri n g th e c h a ra c te r of g od in 1 & 2 S am u e l - continu e d

Do W e H a v e a D e a l ?

and beyond his creation, and so he has the highest standards of conduct for those who serve

The story in 1 Samuel 3 is also an instance of

him. Eli’s sons profane the worship of God by

something that God does consistently throughout

extorting goods from those who come to worship

the Bible. God calls to his people and asks them

God and also by sexually abusing women who

to respond in faith and obedience. God promises

came to the tabernacle. This flies directly in the

to give his presence and blessing to them, but

face of the commands that God had laid out for

if they do not remain faithful to him, God also

his people at Sinai (Exod. 20:1-17; Deut. 5–6).

promises that he will punish them and remove

As the priests of God, Eli’s sons were the keepers

his presence. This arrangement—where grace is

of these commands. Flagrantly disobeying them

extended and faithfulness is requested in return—

was an affront to God and poorly represented God

is a covenant. God is a covenant-making God

to his people. If this is what the priests of God

from start to finish. Here in the opening chapters

do, what must God himself be like? As a result,

of 1 Samuel, we see God make a covenant with

God curses Eli’s family and removes them from

Samuel, blessing him and making him a leader

the priestly line for the rest of Israel’s history (1

in Israel (1 Sam. 2:35) with the expectation that

Sam. 2:30-32). Conversely, Samuel’s obedience

Samuel will obediently serve the Lord as his

and uprightness meet God’s high standards, so

prophet, priest, and judge (1 Sam. 3:19-21). The

God selects Samuel to be his spokesperson. Only a

fulfillment of this covenant-making pattern is the

truly virtuous and righteous person can be trusted

new covenant that Jesus makes with us at the

with reliably delivering the messages of God to

Last Supper (Luke 22:19-20). God’s covenants

his people, and Samuel is just such a person (1

always begin with him, as an act of grace given to

Sam. 3:19). Because God is holy, his servants must

his people regardless of anything they have done

also be holy (Lev. 11:44; 1 Pet. 1:13-16).

to deserve such blessings, but God does expect that his people will respect his holiness by acting with righteousness and faithfulness. God calls to

A Faithfu l God f or a Faithfu l P eop l e

us in grace and we respond in loving obedience (1 John 4:9-10).

1 Samuel 3 is a wonderful example of a story that gives us insight into what God is like. Here we

Sett i ng t h e B a r H i g h

encounter a holy God who makes covenants, who is faithful to the covenants he has made, who

Lastly, we also see in 1 Samuel 3 that God is a

demands faithful obedience in return, and who

holy God. He is transcendent, completely above

acts unexpectedly to bring about his will. We will

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meet this same God again and again in the rest of 1 and 2 Samuel. God consistently displays this same character in his dealings with Samuel, Saul, David, and many others. In fact, as you continue to read through the Bible you will find that this same gracious covenant-making God appears on every page of Scripture and reveals himself to his people again and again. The God of 1 and 2 Samuel is the same God of 1 and 2 Corinthians; he is the God of the Old Testament and the New. God persistently calls to his people and remains faithful to the promises he makes to them. When they are faithful to him, they will find him faithful in his abundant blessings. Likewise, God is consistently holy and completely unwavering in his high standards. God is true to his character and faithful to the promises he has made to his people--all the way from Abraham to us today. As we read the Bible and learn the stories of those who had great faith and virtue as well as those who had great sinfulness and vice, we must continually watch for how God is moving and revealing himself to us in these stories. We can certainly learn from the successes and failures of biblical characters, but we must not allow them to distract us from the true main character of the Bible: God himself. If we continually search Scripture for what it teaches us about God, we will find that he is faithful to reveal himself to those who seek him within his word (Matt. 7:7-11).

Who’s Who in 1 and 2 Samuel: A Brief Analysis of the Human Characters BY

E l l e n Ri c h a rd

Samu e l :

Saul and David as king, and he serves as Saul’s spiritual advisor throughout his reign, even from

The final judge of Israel (1 Samuel 1:21–25:1;

the grave (1 Sam. 28). Throughout the narrative,

28:3-20). Samuel is the son of Hannah, who

Samuel is the moral, spiritual, and political center

dedicated him to the service of Yahweh before

of the tribes of Israel.

he was even conceived. Although he could not technically become a priest because he was most

Ha nnah:

likely from the tribe of Ephraim, his adoption into Eli’s family qualified him to serve a priestly

The mother of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1–2:21).

role. Samuel’s parents, Hannah and Elkanah, are

Hannah was an infertile woman. She was married

demonstrated in the text to be faithful followers of

to a man named Elkanah who was from the

Yahweh, and Samuel appears to inherit and mimic

tribe of Ephraim. Hannah had a co-wife named

that same level of commitment. Samuel was still

Peninnah who had no problem conceiving and

very young and living with Eli in the Tabernacle

giving birth to many children. But Hannah had no

when he heard the voice of the Lord. This was

children. Every year when they went to Shiloh to

notable—messages and visions from God were

make sacrifices to the Lord, Peninnah would taunt

very rare because the people of Israel were very

Hannah until she was sick with grief. Finally

sinful. (As it is recounted repeatedly in Judges, “In

one year, Hannah prayed desperately for a child,

those days Israel had no king; all the people did

promising to return him to the Lord’s service.

whatever seemed right in their own eyes” [21:25

Eli noticed her making a fervent request to the

NLT]). God was renewing his connection to Israel

Lord for a son and encouraged her that the Lord

through his faithful prophet Samuel. Samuel plays

would indeed give her a son. Hannah conceived

such an important role in this story that both books

and gave birth to a son and named him Samuel.

bear his name. He functions as a priest, a prophet,

After Samuel, Hannah had three more sons and

and the final judge of Israel. He anoints both

two daughters (1 Sam. 2:21). Hannah’s prayer of

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thanksgiving in response to the Lord’s provision

Saul:

(1 Sam. 2:1-10) is echoed in Mary’s prayer of thanksgiving (Luke 1:46-55). Hannah is notable

The first king of Israel (1 Samuel 9:1–31:13). Saul

for her petitionary prayer and humble and faithful

was part of a family in the tribe of Benjamin. He

response to God granting her request.

was the nephew of Abner, a military leader (Abner appears again below). His wife was Ahinoam,

Eli:

and by her, Saul had three sons (Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua) and two daughters (Merab and

A priest of Yahweh in the Tabernacle at Shiloh (1

Michal); he had some other children through a

Samuel 1:3–4:22). Eli played the role of Samuel’s

concubine. As the first king of Israel, Saul marks

guardian once his parents gave him over to serve

the shift from an affiliation of tribes who were led

in the Tabernacle. When he took on Samuel,

charismatically by a prophetic leader or judge to

he was very old and blind. Eli appears to be a

an anointed king who united the tribes militarily

faithful priest, but his sons were terrible people.

against the Philistines and other invaders. The

They also served as priests at the Tabernacle,

text describes Saul as “a man of standing, . . .

but they forcibly took meat that was reserved for

as handsome a young man as could be found

sacrifice and sexually harassed young women

anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller

who assisted at the Tabernacle (1 Sam. 2:12-

than anyone else” (1 Sam. 9:1-2, NIV). Saul was

25). Eli was warned by a prophet that due to his

a successful military leader (1 Sam. 14:47-48)—

refusal to rein in his sons his family branch would

what the Israelites were seeking in their request

end and no longer be permitted to serve the Lord.

for a king (1 Sam. 8:4-22)—and he drafted and

Instead, God would use Samuel to continue the

developed leaders for his military (1 Sam. 14:52).

priesthood in Israel. Samuel also warned him of

The Lord finally rejected Saul as the king of Israel

this coming occurrence (1 Sam. 3:11-18). Not long

because he failed to obey the Lord by destroying

after we meet Eli, we are informed that he had

all

served as Israel’s judge for forty years (1 Sam.

completely (1 Sam. 15). He even allowed their

4:18) before he died. This is how it happened:

king, Agag, to live! The rest of his reign as king

The Israelites were at war with the Philistines.

revolved around his attempts to destroy David,

One day in battle, the Ark of the Covenant was

who had been anointed as the next king of Israel.

captured by the Philistines, and Eli’s sons,

Saul’s relationship with David was characterized

Hophni and Phineas, died in battle. When Eli was

by paranoia and fear. He stalked him around

informed of this, he fell off his chair, broke his

the land and drew him into his inner circle to

neck, and died. He was ninety-eight.

keep him close and track his movements. Saul’s

the

Amalekites

and

their

possessions

Wh o’ s w h o i n s a m ue l : a n anal ysis hu m a n c ha r ac te r s - c ont’d

children repeatedly rescued David from their

but because “Jonathan had taken a great liking

father (1 Sam. 19:11-24; 20). Saul also murdered

to David,” he warned him that Saul wanted to

the Lord’s priests at Nob (1 Sam. 22:6-23), and

kill him (1 Sam. 19:1-3 NIV). Jonathan convinced

consulted a medium at Endor who called up the

Saul at that time that David had not wronged

spirit of Samuel from the dead (1 Sam. 28:3-25).

him and did not deserve to die, and Jonathan

Saul finally took his own life: he was critically

brought David back into Saul’s court (1 Sam. 19:6-

wounded in a battle against the Philistines on

7). Once again, when Saul’s anger toward David

Mount Gilboa and fell on his sword to avoid being

became inflamed, Jonathan rescued his friend.

tortured by the enemy. His armor bearer did the

During the New Moon feast, Jonathan ascertained

same. Three of Saul’s sons died in this battle (1

Saul’s intentions to kill David, and then helped

Sam. 31). After Saul’s death, Abner, commander of

David escape (1 Sam. 20). Jonathan and David

Saul’s army, attempted to make Ish-Bosheth, one

wept bitterly at their circumstance and David’s

of Saul’s sons, king over Israel at Manahaim. Ish-

departure, but Jonathan consoled David, saying,

bosheth reigned over Israel—except Judah where

“Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with

David had been established as king—for two years

each other in the name of the Lord” (1 Sam. 20:42

(2 Sam. 2:10). Eventually, Abner turned on Ish-

NIV). Jonathan was a strong and brave military

Bosheth. When Abner died, Ish-Bosheth became

leader for his father, Saul, and he was a loving

afraid. He was soon murdered by two of Saul’s

and devoted friend to David. After Jonathan died

men, Rekab and Baanah, because they thought

and the rest of Saul’s family was executed, David

David would reward them (2 Sam. 4).

found Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, and took him into his palace to live with his family (2 Sam. 9).

Jo na t h a n :

Michal :

A son of Saul, the best friend of David (1 Samuel 13–31:13). Jonathan should have been the heir to

A daughter of Saul, the first wife of David (1

the throne, but instead of being bitter and envious

Samuel 14:49; 18:17–19:24; 25:44; 2 Samuel

of David’s anointing, he protected and preserved

6:16-23). This was the most political of David’s

him as the Lord’s chosen future king. Jonathan

marriages. Michal was King Saul’s youngest

and David had sworn a covenant establishing

daughter, and she fell in love with David. Saul

their friendship, and the narrator emphasizes

wanted to use this as an opportunity to place

that Jonathan “loved [David] as himself” (1 Sam.

David in harm’s way. Saul attempted to bring

18:1-2 NIV). Jonathan saved David’s life multiple

about David’s death by tempting him to pick a

times. Once, Saul ordered Jonathan to kill David,

fight with the Philistines in order to earn the hand

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of the princess and become the king’s son-in-law.

and Saul felt greatly threatened by his strength,

The text emphasizes the attractiveness of this offer

popularity with the people, and (not to mention) his

by repeating it three times (1 Sam. 18:18, 21-22).

anointing to be the next king of Israel. Saul tried to

David finally took the bait when Saul proposed

kill David for the rest of his life. Eventually, David

that the bride price be one hundred Philistine

was established as king over Israel. He reigned

foreskins; David returns with two hundred.

with military might and favor with God and the

Michal became his wife and saved his life when

people. He is the king against whom all future

she learned of one of Saul’s plots to kill him (1

kings would be measured. The Lord promised

Sam. 19:11-24). At one point, Saul gave her to be

that David’s kingdom would reign forever (2

the wife of another man (1 Sam. 25:44). Later,

Sam. 7:16). This is finally fulfilled in Jesus. David

after David became king, Michal objected to David

was married to Michal, Saul’s daughter, but he

exposing himself while dancing before the Ark of

had other wives too. Most significantly, he was

the Covenant in celebration of its return to Israel.

married to Abigail and Bathsheba. Abigail was the

She was seemingly punished for her attitude by

wife of an evil man named Nabal who refused to

having no children (2 Sam. 6:23).

show David and his men hospitality. Abigail was “an intelligent and beautiful woman” (1 Sam. 25:3

Davi d :

NIV), so Abigail ran after David, brought him lots of food, and stopped David from avenging himself.

The second and greatest king of Israel (1 Samuel

After Nabal died, David took Abigail as his wife

16:1—1 Kings 2:12). David is the youngest son

(1 Sam. 25:39). Later, David took another wife,

of Jesse, and ultimately an ancestor of Jesus.

Bathsheba. David stayed home from war and

After the Lord rejected Saul as the king of Israel,

happened to see Bathsheba bathing on the roof

Samuel was sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to

of her home and soon after summoned her to him

be king. Jesse paraded all of his young, hardy

(2 Sam. 11:1-5). Bathsheba was the wife of Uriah

sons before Samuel, but the Lord wanted none of

the Hittite, but she became pregnant with David’s

them. Finally, David was brought in from tending

child. David arranged it so that her husband would

the sheep, and “he was glowing with health and

be killed in battle and then took her as his wife.

had a fine appearance and handsome features” (1

There were grave consequences for his actions,

Sam. 16:12 NIV). Once Samuel saw him, the Lord

including the death of their child, but Bathsheba

instructed him to anoint him as king. David went

became the mother of the next king of a united

on to defeat Goliath, who was terrorizing the army

Israel, Solomon. David was a great military leader

of Israel. This is when he was first noticed by

and king over Israel. He honored God with his life

Saul. David became a strong and mighty warrior,

and had a close relationship with the Lord. David

Wh o’ s w h o i n s a m ue l : a n anal ysis hu m a n c ha r ac te r s - c ont’d

was not perfect and his family was full of strife

of David’s life, Joab conspired to make Adonijah

and brokenness, but the Lord was faithful and

king rather than Solomon. Ultimately, Joab was a

continued to establish his reign through David’s

strong and courageous leader.

family.

Jo ab :

Nathan: A prophet of the Lord in David’s court (2 Samuel

The commander of David’s army (1 Samuel 26:6;

7; 12). Nathan played a prophetic role in David’s

2 Samuel 2:13–24:9; 1 Kings 11:14-18). Joab

court as the voice of the Lord when David wanted

was also David’s nephew, the son of his sister

to build a temple and when David murdered Uriah

Zeruiah. He had two other brothers who were

in order to take Bathsheba as his wife. Once David

influential men in this time, Abishai and Asahel.

had moved into his palace, he began to think that

Joab splashes into the story when he murders

the Lord needed a more exemplary home instead of

Abner, who was the commander of Saul’s army

the mobile Tabernacle. Nathan originally thought

(1 Sam. 14:50), to avenge the death of his brother

this was a good idea, but when the Lord spoke to

Asahel against the wishes of David (2 Sam. 3:22-

him and told him that David would not build him a

39). Joab became the commander of David’s army

temple, Nathan faithfully delivered that message.

when he led the attack against the Jebusites at

It was also Nathan through whom the Lord made

the place that would become Jerusalem (1 Chron

a promise to David to build him a kingdom that

11:4-6). Joab was a strong military leader, but

would bring God glory forever (2 Sam. 7). Later,

was not always the most trustworthy. Joab led

after David murdered Uriah and took Bathsheba

the army with David in a stunning military victory

to be his wife, the Lord sent Nathan to tell him

over the Arameans and the Ammonites (2 Sam.

a parable about a rich man and a poor man’s

10; 12:26-31); but Joab was also complicit in

sheep. Nathan’s parable caused David to confront

David’s murder of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah

his sin; Nathan rebuked David and called him to

(2 Sam. 11). After Absalom fled Jerusalem, it was

repentance (2 Sam. 12). Nathan functions in the

Joab who convinced King David that he needed

narrative as the voice of the Lord for David. His

to be brought back there (2 Sam. 14). When

role as prophet in the royal court was a place of

Absalom attempted to take over the kingdom

privileged and important leadership.

from David, David sent Joab and his men to find Absalom again. Despite David’s order to protect

Am non a nd Absal om :

and preserve Absalom, Joab killed him after they tracked him down (2 Sam. 18:5-18). At the end

Sons of David (2 Samuel 13–19). Amnon was

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David’s firstborn son; his mother was Ahinoam, who may have also been Saul’s wife. Absalom was his third-born son of David’s wife Maakah; his sister was Tamar. Amnon fell in love with Tamar, and his desire for his half-sister became so strong that he pretended to be sick in order to be alone with her in his bedroom. Once there, Amnon overpowered Tamar and raped her (2 Sam. 13). Afterward, he sent her away in disgrace. Tamar was forced to live in the house of Absalom for the rest of her life as a “desolate woman” (2 Sam. 13:20 NIV). The text does not say that King David did anything in defense of his daughter. Absalom was outraged on behalf of his sister—Amnon had robbed her and their family of honor. Two years after the initial incident, Absalom invited Amnon to join him in Baal Hazor during the sheep shearing. It was there that Absalom’s men murdered Amnon while he was drunk (2 Sam. 13:23-29). Absalom fled to Geshur (where his mother was born) and remained there for three years (2 Sam. 13:38). Eventually, Joab convinced David to reconcile with Absalom (2 Sam. 14). Later, Absalom conspired to turn the people of Israel against David (2 Sam. 15). He attempted a revolt at Hebron, but David’s forces defeated the army of Israel that Absalom controlled in the forest of Ephraim (2 Sam. 18:68). Absalom was killed by Joab (2 Sam. 18:14-15). These events were prophesied by Nathan when he rebuked David for his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah (2 Sam. 12:10).

Reading the Books of Samuel: A Christian Perspective B Y Re v. S t e p he n J . G a uth i e r, P h D R ead i ng t h e B o ok s of S a m u e l : A C hri s t i a n P e r s pe c ti v e

Ne w Testam e nt Chr istians a nd the Ol d Te stam e nt

Within the three great divisions of the Hebrew

In the New Testament we find Jews and Christians

Bible (Law, Prophets, Writings), 1 Samuel and

in profound agreement on the inspired character

2 Samuel form a single book that finds its place

and incomparable value of the Old Testament

among “the prophets.” In the history of God’s

Scriptures. Even before his conversion, the

people, these Books of Samuel provide the crucial

devoutly Jewish Saul (later Paul) could have said,

transition from the time of the judges to the age of

without reservation: All Scripture is breathed out

the kings, for it is there that we find the stories of

by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for

the last of the judges (Eli and Samuel) and the first

correction, and for training in righteousness (2

of the kings (David and Solomon).

Timothy 3:16, ESV);1 however, for New Testament Christians, the Old Testament offered much more:

While this story is compelling in its own right,

an irrefutable witness to the death, resurrection,

the Books of Samuel are more than a monument

and ascension of Jesus that was written down

to the history of times long past and otherwise

primarily for the benefit of later generations:

forgotten. For Christians they open a priceless window to the beginning of Israel’s hope for a

…the prophets who prophesied about the

king like no other, an eternal king anointed by God himself (anointed = Messiah/Christ). This Christian understanding is deeply rooted in the teachings of Jesus himself and the witness of the New Testament Church.

1 The Sadducees would only have said this of the Torah (first five books of the Bible/Pentateuch/Books of Moses) because they believed only the Torah had divine authority.

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grace that was to be yours searched and

written about me in the Law of Moses and the

inquired carefully, inquiring what person

Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

or time the Spirit of Christ in them was

Then he opened their minds to understand

indicating when he predicted the sufferings

the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is

of Christ and the subsequent glories (1 Peter

written, that the Christ should suffer and on

1:10-11)

the third day rise from the dead . . .” (Luke 24:44-46)

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our

It is hardly surprising then that the Church

instruction, on whom the end of the ages has

described in Acts of the Apostles continually

come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)

draws upon this Old Testament witness in its preaching of the Gospel. We are told, for instance,

This view was supported by no less an authority

that Paul and his companions

than the risen Lord Jesus himself. Thus, when Jesus encounters two disheartened disciples

came to Thessalonica, where there was a

on the road to Emmaus on the first Easter he

synagogue of the Jews. And Paul went in, as

upbraids them for their failure to understand the

was his custom, and on three Sabbath days

Old Testament scriptures that bear witness to him:

he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary

“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe

for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the

all that the prophets have spoken! Was it

dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I

not necessary that the Christ should suffer

proclaim to you, is the Christ.” (Acts 17:1-3)

these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,

So too, we see later in that same chapter that

he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures

the Jews of Berea responded to Paul’s preaching

the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-

the crucified and risen Jesus by examining the

27)

Scriptures daily to see if these things were so (Acts 17:11). Elsewhere, the Book of Acts makes

Likewise, immediately prior to his ascension, the

clear that a key element in the success of the

resurrected Jesus explains to his disciples:

famous preacher Apollos was his command of the Old Testament Scriptures:

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of

Re a di n g th e b ook s of s a mu el : a c hr is tian p e r sp e c tive - c ont’d

Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures

The Natu r e of the O ld Te stam e nt Witness

. . . for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the

From the New Testament forward, Christians have

Christ was Jesus. (Acts 18:24, 28)

understood the Old Testament as witnessing to Jesus in two different ways. First, they have found

In short, the Church has held from New Testament

in the Old Testament specific prophecies of the

times that to interpret the Old Testament in the

suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. They

light of Christ is not to piously, but mistakenly,

also have seen throughout the Old Testament

read into the text something that is not really

images (“types”) of Christ and his saving work.

there (eisegesis), but on the contrary, to draw out its authentic meaning (exegesis). Thus, in

Prophecies fulfilled. As noted earlier, the

the Nicene Creed Christians proclaim to this day

risen Lord Jesus expressly taught that the Old

not only that Jesus “was crucified under Pontius

Testament prophesied his suffering, death, and

Pilate, suffered death, was buried, and on the

resurrection. Even before that, throughout the

third day rose again,” but also that all of this took

course of his public ministry, Jesus taught the

place in accordance with the scriptures.

same. When Jesus read from the prophecies of the Prophet Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth,

The early church father Augustine of Hippo (354-

for example, he concluded with the words, “Today

430) famously summarized this belief in the oft-

this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”

quoted line “the New in the Old lies concealed, the

(Luke 4:20-21). In a similar vein, he challenges

Old in the New stands revealed”). Indeed, Jerome

those who came to arrest him:

(347-420), the greatest exegete among the early church fathers, emphasized the importance of the

“Have you come out as against a robber, with

Old Testament to Christians in the prologue to

swords and clubs to capture me? Day after

his Commentaries on Isaiah, where he cautions

day I sat in the temple teaching, and you

those who might be tempted to neglect the Old

did not seize me. But all this has taken place

Testament that “ignorance of [Old Testament]

that the Scriptures of the prophets might be

scripture is ignorance of Christ.”

fulfilled.” (Matthew 26:55-56) So too, he tells his apostles that resistance to his arrest is futile because:

2 Latin: novum in vertere latet; vetus in novo patet

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

“I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled

Caiaphas clearly thinks he is merely offering a

in me: ‘And he was numbered with the

pragmatic argument for handing Jesus over to

transgressors.’ For what is written about me

death, despite any potential moral qualms: “But

has its fulfillment.” (Luke 22:37)

one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all. Nor

Were the prophets aware that their prophecies

do you understand that it is better for you that one

concerning Jesus were for a future generation?

man should die for the people, not that the whole

The first epistle of Peter teaches as much, at least

nation should perish’ ” (John 11:49-50). To the

in general:

contrary, John explains, these fateful words were actually a prophecy completely at odds with the

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who

intent of the man who uttered them:

prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,

He did not say this of his own accord, but

inquiring what person or time the Spirit

being high priest that year he prophesied

of Christ in them was indicating when he

that Jesus would die for the nation, and not

predicted the sufferings of Christ and the

for the nation only, but also to gather into

subsequent glories. It was revealed to them

one the children of God who are scattered

that they were serving not themselves

abroad. (John 11:51-52)

but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who

“Types” of Christ and his saving work. Early

preached the good news to you by the Holy

Christians, from the New Testament forward, saw

Spirit sent from heaven, things into which

various characters and events of the Old Testament

angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:10-12)

as powerful images or “types” of Jesus and his saving work, a copy and shadow (Hebrews 8:5)

At the same time, the Gospel of John also supports

of greater things to come (“antitypes”).

the view, then current among many rabbis, that a prophecy can have a meaning quite different

During the course of his earthly ministry, Jesus

from, or going well beyond, what the prophet

himself identified a number of such “types.” For

consciously intended.3 Thus, the high priest

example, he compared his death “lifted up” on a cross to the bronze serpent lifted up on a pole

3 Students of literature may be familiar with a similar idea in the modern notion of the “intentional fallacy,” which denies that an author is the definitive interpreter of his or her own work.

in the desert to offer healing to those bitten by deadly snakes: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be

Re a di n g th e b ook s of s a mu el : a c hr is tian p e r sp e c tive - c ont’d

lifted up (John 3:14).4 In similar manner, Jesus

Melchizedek6 is really a “type” of the true eternal

compared the three days that his body would lie

high priest, Jesus Christ: This becomes even more

in the tomb prior to his resurrection to the three

evident when another priest arises in the likeness

days spent by Jonah in the belly of the great fish:

of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on

For just as Jonah was three days and three nights

the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily

in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of

descent, but by the power of an indestructible life

Man be three days and three nights in the heart

(Hebrews 7:15-16). Similarly, the paschal lamb of

of the earth (Matthew 12:40). On yet another

the Exodus, whose blood preserved the Israelites

occasion, Jesus taught that the manna given to

from the angel of death, is really a “type” of the

the children of Israel in the wilderness, described

death of the innocent Jesus and his blood poured

in the Psalms as “bread from heaven” (Psalm

out on the cross for our salvation: Christ, our

105:40), is really a “type” of the life-giving gift

Passover lamb, has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians

of Jesus himself: Jesus then said to them, “Truly,

5:7). Even the rock from which water flowed in

truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you

the wilderness, Paul assures us, was none other

the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you

than Christ himself: . . . and all drank the same

the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God

spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual

is he who comes down from heaven and gives life

Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ

to the world” (John 6:32-33).

(1 Corinthians 10:4).

The authors of the New Testament epistles offer

The

additional “types” of their own. Paul, for instance,

other “types” of Christ in the Old Testament

tells us that the first man, Adam, “was a type of the

not expressly identified as such in the New

one who was to come” (Romans 5:14).5 Likewise,

Testament. For example, Isaac carrying the wood

the author of Hebrews explains that the mysterious

on which he was to be sacrificed was a “type”

and seemingly inexplicable Old Testament figure

of Jesus bearing the wood of his own cross to

Early

Church

Fathers

identified

many

Calvary. Joshua (Hebrew form of the Greek name “Jesus”) was a type of Jesus, the one who leads 4 In both cases, the very instrument of death (cross/ snake) brings life to those who look up to it for healing. 5 If it is possible for the injustice of a single man (Adam) to bring death to all, then it is possible for the justice of a single man (Jesus) to bring life to all.

God’s people where Moses could not—into the Promised Land itself. Elijah was a type of Christ when he was taken up into heaven before the eyes of his disciple Elisha, who then received a 6 Genesis 14:17-20; Psalm 110:4.

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

“double portion” of his master’s spirit (1 Kings 2),

delivered him up [Mark 15:10]).

just as Jesus ascended into heaven in full view of his disciples and then poured out the Holy Spirit

David and his companions “violate” the ceremonial

upon them on the day of Pentecost.

law for a greater good (1 Samuel 21), just as do Jesus and his disciples. Indeed, in defending

C hr i s t a n d t he Book s of S a m ue l

himself and his disciples against their critics, Jesus appeals specifically to David’s example: He

The Books of Samuel offer the ultimate “type” of

said to them, “Have you not read what David did

Jesus in the person of Israel’s second king, David.

when he was hungry, and those who were with

They also contain the foundational messianic

him: how he entered the house of God and ate the

prophecy.

bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but

Types of Christ. In the Books of Samuel we

only for the priests” (Matthew 12:3-4)?

find David as the ideal “type” of his messianic descendent, Jesus.

David brings the presence of God (in the visible form of the Ark of the Covenant) into Jerusalem

David is a shepherd whom God describes as a

with joy, but must respond to criticism of that joy

man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), just as

(2 Samuel 6:12-14; 20-22). So too, Jesus brings

Jesus is the good shepherd (John 10:11) in whom

the presence of God in his very person into the

God is well pleased (Matthew 3:17).

Holy City to great joy (Luke 19:28-38), but must respond to criticism of that joy: And some of the

David slays Goliath with the very sword the giant

Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher,

was going to use to kill him (1 Samuel 17:51), just

rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if

as Jesus used the devil’s own weapon, death, to

these were silent, the very stones would cry out”

defeat him (…that through death he might destroy

(Luke 19:39-40).

the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil [Hebrews 2:14]).

David, betrayed by his own son, is driven out of Jerusalem in shame (2 Samuel 15-16). Jesus,

Simple envy causes Saul to murderously persecute

betrayed by one of his own disciples, is made

David without cause (1 Samuel 18:6-9), just as

to leave the Holy City in shame (So Jesus also

envy causes the chief priests to persecute the

suffered outside the gate [Hebrews 13:12]).

innocent Jesus (For he [Pilate] perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had

The fulfillment of prophecy. Near the end of

Re a di n g th e b ook s of s a mu el : a c hr is tian p e r sp e c tive - c ont’d

his reign, David felt moved to build a temple to

said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until

house the Ark of the Covenant. While God would

I make your enemies your footstool.’ David

not permit David himself to build the temple (a

thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

privilege he reserved for his son, Solomon), he

(Luke 20:41-44)

used the occasion to make a promise that is at the very foundation of all of Israel’s hopes for a

Psalm 16, also expressly attributed to David,

Messiah: an anointed king who would be both

prophesies that the psalmist would die, but that

David’s son and God’s, and whose throne would

his body would not undergo decay: For you will

endure forever:

not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption (Psalm 16:10). Peter, on the day of

“I will raise up your offspring after you, who

Pentecost, explains how these words are to be

shall come from your body, and I will establish

understood as a prophecy of Jesus, the messianic

his kingdom. He shall build a house for my

son of David who would die and be buried, but

name, and I will establish the throne of his

then rise again:

kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” (2 Samuel 7:12-14)

“For David says concerning him . . . ‘you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy

Two later prophecies, given by David himself

One see corruption’ . . . Brothers, I may say

elsewhere in the Old Testament, would draw out

to you with confidence about the patriarch

the implications of this promise. Psalm 110, which

David that he both died and was buried,

expressly identifies itself as a “psalm of David”

and his tomb is with us to this day. Being

begins with the words: The Lord says to my Lord:

therefore a prophet, and knowing that God

“Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies

had sworn with an oath to him that he would

your footstool” (Psalm 110:1). Jesus interprets

set one of his descendants on his throne, he

these words to imply that God’s promise that

foresaw and spoke about the resurrection

the messianic king would be “my son” was no

of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to

mere figure of speech; the promised messiah king

Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This

would, in fact, be infinitely more than David’s

Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are

mere physical progeny:

witnesses.” (Act 2:25, 27, 29-30)

But he [Jesus] said to them, “How can they

Centuries earlier, God had made a promise to

say that the Christ is David’s son? For David

Abraham that extended well beyond himself and

himself says in the Book of Psalms, ‘The Lord

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

his descendants: in your offspring7 shall all the

By oppression and judgment he was taken

nations of the earth be blessed (Genesis 22:18).

away;

Later, Isaiah spoke of an innocent man who

and as for his generation, who considered

would suffer for the iniquities of others to bring

that he was cut off out of the land of the

them healing:

living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;

And they made his grave with the wicked

yet we esteemed him stricken,

and with a rich man in his death,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

But he was pierced for our transgressions;

(Isaiah 53:4-9)

he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought

The Church has always believed and taught that

us peace,

the promise to Abraham8, the promise to David,

and with his wounds we are healed.

and the prophecies of Isaiah9 are uniquely fulfilled in a single person, Jesus Christ, the son of David,

All we like sheep have gone astray;

the son of Abraham (Matthew 1).

we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him

The B ooks of S am u e l as a m essag e of hop e

the iniquity of us all. In the Garden of Eden, God offered us life, but He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

we chose death instead. But God, being both

yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

7 Hebrew singular. In Hebrew, as in English, the term could be used to describe a single descendant or all descendants as a group.

8 Peter preaches in Acts of the Apostles that the promise to Abraham was fulfilled in Jesus: You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant [Jesus], sent him to you first (Acts 3:25). 9 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3)

Re a di n g th e b ook s of s a mu el : a c hr is tian p e r sp e c tive - c ont’d

good and sovereign, took death itself and made

our enemies, might serve him without fear,

it an agent of life. The tree in the garden brought

in holiness and righteousness before him all

death, but the tree of the cross brought life.

our days.” (Luke 1:68-75)

So too, the Books of Samuel show Israel foolishly

The very first words of the New Testament

rejecting God as their ruler in favor of a human

echo this truth by announcing: The book of

king: And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the

the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David

voice of the people in all that they say to you,

(Matthew 1:1). As Christians, may we joyfully

for they have not rejected you, but they have

respond from our hearts with the words of the

rejected me from being king over them (1 Samuel

crowds that greeted Jesus at his triumphal entry

8:7). Once again, however, God, being both good

into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday:

and sovereign, saves them from the consequences of their folly by using their choice of a human

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he

king to pave the way for God once more to reign

who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna

personally over his people through a descendent

in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9)

of David who would be both God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is with this truth in mind that the Church joyfully proclaims in her liturgy, in the words of the Song of Zechariah: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of

The Lord & Kings: 1 & 2 Samuel in the Medieval, Reformation, & Modern Eras B Y A l l i s o n B row n As the Church emerged from the formative

not merely to a little local flock, but to large

first centuries of its existence, it responded to

amounts of people in desperate need of someone

changing political and cultural environments with

to follow. Gregory the Great (540-604), one of the

new and different interpretations of Scripture.

great popes in the Western Church and a saint

The books of 1 and 2 Samuel continue the history

recognized by the Anglican Communion, wrote on

of the nation of Israel, full of kings, prophets and

1 and 2 Samuel in at least two of his works: in his

priests, political turmoil and human sin--a history

incredibly influential work on the role of clergy,

that paralleled the Church’s own experience with

Pastoral Care, and in a commentary called Six

clergy, empires, kings, scandal, and division.

Books on 1 Kings (in the medieval era, 1 Samuel

These biblical texts provided guidance for

was confusingly referred to as 1 Kings).

medieval church structure, helped define radical political theology in the Reformation, and offered

Gregory used the examples of Eli, Saul, and David

fodder for modern theologians’ Christ-centered

as warnings to the clergy, writing, “It is common

interpretation of 1 and 2 Samuel.

experience that in the school of adversity the heart is forced to discipline itself; but when one

The M e d i e v a l E ra (A D 5 0 0 - 1 5 0 0 )

has achieved supreme high rule [as Saul had], it is at once changed and puffed up by the experience

The medieval era of the Church is often depicted

of his high estate.” A leader should remain humble

as the Dark Ages, a time of backward thinking

and be aware of his or her prideful weaknesses.

and general chaos. The political state of Europe,

David in his dealings with Uriah (2 Samuel

particularly the Roman Empire, was in dire straits

11) “broke out in feverish conceit and showed

(Rome fell in AD 476), so the Western church

himself as harsh and cruel…” His failures and sin

centralized its power to create a more stable

were made utterly apparent when he forgot his

political and religious environment. Thus, the

responsibilities and standards of godly kingship.

leaders of the Church needed to act as shepherds

Gregory also used 1 Samuel to offer practical

T h e l ord & th e k i n g s : b ook s of sam u e l thr ou g h his tor y - c ont’d

advice. When Eli neglected to discipline his sons

the reign of the Catholic Queen Mary in England

in any meaningful way, Gregory chastised him

from 1553-1558—after Henry VIII and Edward

for following “a policy of equality” rather than a

VI brought Protestantism to the country—was a

“policy of discipline” (ACCS, 208). The flock had

terrifying reality for some English Protestants.

to be disciplined when necessary, regardless

Worried about the possibility of persecution, a

of their status, in order to ensure that the flock

group of around 800 Protestants known as the

honored God.

“Marian Exiles” fled, especially flocking to John Calvin’s Geneva. Some of these Marian Exiles

Gregory also found positive pastoral examples,

became extraordinarily radical voices of political

like Samuel’s encounter with Saul in 1 Samuel 9

rebellion, adopting an extreme anti-Catholic

as they came down from a high place into the city.

stance against Queen Mary. They saw England as

Gregory, using a more figurative interpretation,

a nation chosen by God to be the harbinger of the

wrote that “whoever is received into the eminent

“true [Protestant] faith” to the world, projecting

office of dispensing pastoral care” should know

themselves into the place of the Israelites in exile

how to both “conduct lofty things, but let him also

and using a literal interpretation of Scripture to

know how to manage ordinary things” (ACCS,

understand their current situation.

230). People in authority should be able to “live in a distinguished manner, to preach clearly, to be

One Marian Exile, Christopher Goodman (1520-

strict with themselves but more gentle with those

1603), published a tract in 1558 How Superior

under their care, to attend to their own salvation

Powers Ought to Be Obeyed of Their Subjects: and

so that they can be weak with the weak” (ACCS,

Wherein they may be lawfully by Gods Worde be

230). This wisdom would be particularly important

disobeyed and resisted. Goodman concluded that

during the tumultuous circumstances of the Holy

Mary, because of her unlawful status as ruler and

Roman Empire.

her Catholic faith, could and should be resisted. This stance was seemingly contrary to Romans

The Re f o r ma t i o n E ra (A D 1 5 1 7- 1 6 4 8 )

13, where Paul urges Christians to obey their sovereigns. Goodman, however, pulling heavily

The Protestant Reformation brought monumental

from 1 and 2 Samuel, created a new rubric for

religious changes to Europe, such as a renewed

godly kingship. He wrote, “if we will be the people

emphasis on justification by faith, the importance

of God, let us then search and diligently follow

of reading and preaching the Bible in the

the Laws of God, especially in so weighty matters,

vernacular, and also a shift in the political,

as the election of princes and kings, by whom

economic, and social landscape. For example,

realms and nations are either preserved if they

Look i ng f o r a l e a de r: l e a rn i n g f rom k ing da vid

are godly, or utterly destroyed, and shamefully

the Reformation.

oppressed if they are ungodly.” If a ruler did not meet the standards as given by God to the people

The Mode r n E r a

of Israel, then he or she should not be obeyed. Goodman described how a rightful sovereign could

Karl Barth (1886-1968) was a Swiss theologian

be identified: by God’s express commandment

known for his thirteen-volume masterpiece,

(as Saul and David were) and/or by God’s Word.

Church Dogmatics. In this work, Barth focused

The sovereign should “seek [God’s] honor and

on one simple fact: God made himself known to

glory, and will command and do nothing contrary

humanity through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

to [God’s] Law” and must “not only to fear God

Barth thought that the Old Testament was “a record

themselves, but to see that their people fear him

of the miracle of the grace of God” (393). Even in

also.” The sovereign must uphold true, apparently

the midst of the more confusing parts of the Old

Protestant faith, “hating unfeignedly all papistry.”

Testament, the Bible must always be read in light

Goodman was sure to emphasize that a king was

of the revelation of Jesus Christ, an extraordinarily

to be chosen from the brethren of Israel, not a

Christ-centered interpretation easily seen in

queen from “amongst thy sisters.” The rightful king

Barth’s explanation of 1 and 2 Samuel. In the

was “also not to lift himself up above his brethren:

Church Dogmatics, Barth agreed with centuries of

meaning, he should rule with all holiness and

theologians who saw the earthly King David as

humbleness, as did Moses and David.” David’s

a precursor to the eternal King Jesus, reminding

indiscretions are forgotten here, but his humility

his readers that “the King Jesus Christ is the true

and moral uprightness was celebrated as a model

subject and hero of these stories of kings” (391).

of godly kingship; if such a king would indeed

However, Barth furthered this interpretation,

rule England, then God may continue to bless the

writing: “we cannot forget Saul in David and

nation.

Solomon” (392). David is not the only precursor to Jesus because Christ not only was glorified as the

Goodman’s book was a spectacular failure, as

eternal King, but rejected for the sin of humanity:

Elizabeth I, a Protestant woman, came to the

Saul sinned before God and was rejected for his

throne in 1558 and banned Goodman from

sins, David sinned greatly and Solomon, with all

returning to England. Although Goodman’s book

his wisdom, turned away from God. These books

made little impact and is not the best example

also showed the grace of Christ’s kingship. Barth

of Christian love, kindness, and obedience, it is

urged his readers to remember:

a remarkable example of how Protestants used Scripture to navigate the political upheavals of

We are reminded that [his people are] lost sinners

T h e l ord & th e k i n g s : b ook s of sam u e l thr ou g h his tor y - c ont’d

who are justified and saved by him. We are

Conc lu sion

reminded that for the sake of their justification and sanctification He had to accept their nature,

The Church’s use of 1 and 2 Samuel in the

had to become like them in all ways. We are

Medieval, Reformation, and Modern eras show the

reminded what it cost Him to be the King of grace

vital role of the Old Testament in forming practice,

at the head of this people, and as such to reign

defining clerical roles, interacting with political

over them. (392)

powers, understanding history, and interpreting the New Testament. Not only were these books

Barth also questioned why some of these stories

seen as important historical narratives, but guides

found in 1 and 2 Samuel even made it into the

to practical life and theology for the Church in the

Bible. He wondered, “Had not the whole history

world.

of the Israelite monarchy been the history of a single mistake?” First Samuel records how the nation of Israel pleaded with God for a king and how the kingdom that was established was far from perfect. However, Barth insisted that the establishment of the Kingdom of God was not an “interruption or hindering,” but part of God’s plan (367). God’s plans in Israel seemed to be drawn out: Saul fails, David is not allowed to build the Temple, Solomon builds the Temple . . . ; however, Barth

wrote

that

this

continuing

Kingdom

parallels the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, a “kingdom of reconciliation” that continues on, “concealed in the visible appearance of the Church, which in every age and manifestation can reveal the glory of this Kingdom in transitory flashes” (390). The earthly representative of the Kingdom, the Church, was bound by history and time. Yet Barth reminded the Church that the full manifestation of the Kingdom of God, echoed in the incomplete Kingdom of Israel, was coming.

Gregory the Great, Pastoral Care and Six Books on 1 Kings. In Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press Academic, 2005. (ACCS) Goodman, Christopher. How Superior Powers Ought to Be Obeyed of Their Subjects: and Wherein they may be lawfully by Gods Worde be disobeyed and resisted. Geneva: Jean Crespin, 1558. All quotes standardized in spelling and grammar. Barth, Karl. The Doctrine of God. Vol. 2.2 of Church Dogmatics. Edited by G. W. Bromiley and T. F. Torrance. Translated by G. W. Bromiley. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1958: 354-405.

1 & 2 Samuel Reading Plans Ei g ht-We e k R eadin g Plan

T en- W eek R ead i ng Pl an

1 Samuel 1–7

1 Samuel 1–6

1 Samuel 8–14

1 Samuel 7–11

1 Samuel 15–21

1 Samuel 12–16

1 Samuel 22–28

1 Samuel 17–22

1 Samuel 29—2 Samuel 4

1 Samuel 23–28

2 Samuel 5–11

1 Samuel 29 — 2 Samuel 2

2 Samuel 11–17

2 Samuel 3–7

2 Samuel 18–24

2 Samuel 8–13 2 Samuel 14–19 2 Samuel 20–24

Resources for Further Study C o mme nt a r i e s

Iain Provan, V. Phillips Long, and Tremper

Bill T. Arnold, 1 & 2 Samuel, NIV Application

Westminster John Knox, 2003.

Longman III, A Biblical History of Israel,

Commentary, Zondervan, 2003.

Ol d Te stam e nt Re sou r ces Robert Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, New American Commentary, Broadman & Holman, 1996.

William J. Dumbrell, The Faith of Israel: A Theological Survey of the Old Testament, Baker,

John R. Franke, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2 Samuel,

2002.

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: O l d Testament 4, IVP Academic, 2005.

Robin Routledge, Old Testament Theology: A Thematic Approach, IVP Academic, 2008.

John Goldingay, 1 & 2 Samuel for Everyone, The Old Testament for Everyone, Westminster

John H. Walton and Andrew E. Hill, Old Testament

John Knox, 2011.

Today, Zondervan, 2003, 2013.

Bo o ks

John H. Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought

Bill T. Arnold and H. G. M. Williamson, editors, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books, IVP Academic, 2005. John H. Walton, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary Volume 2, Zondervan, 2009. Robert Chisholm, Interpreting the Historical Books, Kregel, 2006.

and the Old Testament, Baker, 2006.