March 18, 2025
Samuel's Origin Story
1 Samuel 1-4
Jarod Farrar
Big Book Idea
Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart!
Key Verse | 1 Samuel 3:20
And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD.
1 Samuel 1-4
Chapter 1
The Birth of Samuel
1 There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite. 2 He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
3 Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD. 4 On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters. 5 But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. 1 1:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Septuagint And, although he loved Hannah, he would give Hannah only one portion, because the LORD had closed her womb 6 And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. 7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. 8 And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?”
9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”
12 As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. 13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. 14 And Eli said to her, “How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.” 15 But Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. 16 Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” 17 Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 18 And she said, “Let your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then the woman went her way and ate, and her face was no longer sad.
19 They rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her. 20 And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, “I have asked for him from the LORD.” 2 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God
Samuel Given to the LORD
21 The man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and to pay his vow. 22 But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, so that he may appear in the presence of the LORD and dwell there forever.” 23 Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only, may the LORD establish his word.” So the woman remained and nursed her son until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull, 3 1:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Syriac; Masoretic Text three bulls an ephah 4 1:24 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters of flour, and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh. And the child was young. 25 Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, “Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. 27 For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him. 28 Therefore I have lent him to the LORD. As long as he lives, he is lent to the LORD.”
And he worshiped the LORD there.
Chapter 2
Hannah's Prayer
1 And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the LORD;
my horn is exalted in the LORD.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
2
There is none holy like the LORD:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.
3
Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the LORD is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
4
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
5
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
6
The LORD kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
7
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
8
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's,
and on them he has set the world.
9
He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
10
The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
11 Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy 5 2:11 Hebrew naar can be rendered boy (2:11, 18, 21, 26; 3:1, 8), servant (2:13, 15), or young man (2:17), depending on the context was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli the priest.
Eli's Worthless Sons
12 Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD. 13 The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, 14 and he would thrust it into the pan or kettle or cauldron or pot. All that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. 15 Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest's servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give meat for the priest to roast, for he will not accept boiled meat from you but only raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,” he would say, “No, you must give it now, and if not, I will take it by force.” 17 Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD, for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt.
18 Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy clothed with a linen ephod. 19 And his mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, “May the LORD give you children by this woman for the petition she asked of the LORD.” So then they would return to their home.
21 Indeed the LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew in the presence of the LORD.
Eli Rebukes His Sons
22 Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 23 And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24 No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. 25 If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.
26 Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man.
The LORD Rejects Eli's Household
27 And there came a man of God to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Did I indeed reveal myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt subject to the house of Pharaoh? 28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. 29 Why then do you scorn 6 2:29 Hebrew kick at my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ 30 Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your father's house, so that there will not be an old man in your house. 32 Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever. 33 The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep his 7 2:33 Septuagint; Hebrew your; twice in this verse eyes out to grieve his heart, and all the descendants 8 2:33 Hebrew increase of your house shall die by the sword of men. 9 2:33 Septuagint; Hebrew die as men 34 And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day. 35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. And I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed forever. 36 And everyone who is left in your house shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread and shall say, “Please put me in one of the priests' places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’”
Chapter 3
The LORD Calls Samuel
1 Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD in the presence of Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.
2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his own place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.
4 Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, “Here I am!” 5 and ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down.
6 And the LORD called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 On that day I will fulfill against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 And I declare to him that I am about to punish his house forever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God, 10 3:13 Or blaspheming for themselves and he did not restrain them. 14 Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
15 Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. 16 But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” 17 And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the LORD. Let him do what seems good to him.”
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD.
Chapter 4
The Philistines Capture the Ark
1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2 The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3 And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it 11 4:3 Or he may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. 6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp, 7 the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. 8 Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. 9 Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.”
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. 11 And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
The Death of Eli
12 A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. 13 When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. 14 When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, “What is this uproar?” Then the man hurried and came and told Eli. 15 Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set so that he could not see. 16 And the man said to Eli, “I am he who has come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.” And he said, “How did it go, my son?” 17 He who brought the news answered and said, “Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great defeat among the people. Your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.” 18 As soon as he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate, and his neck was broken and he died, for the man was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.
19 Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. And when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth, for her pains came upon her. 20 And about the time of her death the women attending her said to her, “Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer or pay attention. 21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed 12 4:21 Or gone into exile; also verse 22 from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. 22 And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”
Footnotes
[1] 1:5 Syriac; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Septuagint And, although he loved Hannah, he would give Hannah only one portion, because the LORD had closed her womb[2] 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard of God
[3] 1:24 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Syriac; Masoretic Text three bulls
[4] 1:24 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
[5] 2:11 Hebrew na‘ar can be rendered boy (2:11, 18, 21, 26; 3:1, 8), servant (2:13, 15), or young man (2:17), depending on the context
[6] 2:29 Hebrew kick at
[7] 2:33 Septuagint; Hebrew your; twice in this verse
[8] 2:33 Hebrew increase
[9] 2:33 Septuagint; Hebrew die as men
[10] 3:13 Or blaspheming for themselves
[11] 4:3 Or he
[12] 4:21 Or gone into exile; also verse 22
Table of Contents
Introduction to 1–2 Samuel
Timeline
Author and Date
The author or authors of 1 and 2 Samuel are not known. These books recount the stories of Samuel, Saul, and David. Saul’s reign began between 1050–1030 B.C. and ended in 1010. David then reigned until 971. The books were probably written soon after the end of his reign.
Theme
The central theme of the books of Samuel is how the Lord (1) established a dynasty (“house”) in Israel for David rather than Saul and (2) how he chose Jerusalem as the place where David’s successor would establish the temple (“house”) for the worship of the divine King Yahweh.
Purpose
The purpose of 1 Samuel is to highlight two major events: the establishment of the monarchy in Israel (chs. 8–12); and the rise of David to be king after Saul (chs. 16–31). After ruling for a while, Saul was rejected by the Lord in favor of David (chs. 15–16), though Saul stayed on the throne until his death at Mount Gilboa (ch. 31). Later, in 2 Samuel 7, God promises David and his house an eternal dynasty. The book of 1 Samuel establishes the principle that obedience to the word of God is the necessary condition for a king to be acceptable to the God of Israel.
First and Second Samuel deal with a transitional period in the history of ancient Israel. There is a transition of leadership first from the priest Eli to the judge Samuel, then from the judge Samuel to the king Saul, and then from Saul to David. Samuel thus is the link between the judgeship and the kingship in Israel. He is the prophet God uses to anoint both Saul and David. The kingdom of Saul was also transitional. Under Saul, Israel was more than a loose confederation that gathered together whenever there was a common threat, but there was no strong central rule such as existed later. The story of the rise of David in the second half of 1 Samuel prepares for the full-scale kingship of David in 2 Samuel.
1 Samuel Key Themes
- God’s kingship. God is King of the universe and always has been. No human king can assume kingship except as a deputy of the divine King.
- God’s providential guidance. God providentially and individually guided the lives of chosen people such as Hannah, Samuel, and David. Even the life of Saul was in God’s providential care (see 1 Sam. 9:16). God’s timing is always perfect (see 1 Samuel 9 and the end of 1 Samuel 23), for he is the Lord of history.
- God’s sovereign will and power. God chooses or rejects people according to his absolute sovereign will and purpose. He may change his way of dealing with individuals according to his plan and purpose, but his decision is always just and right. At the same time, he is merciful and gracious.
Therefore, obedience to God’s word is of prime importance. Only God’s grace allows sinful human beings to be in relationship with the holy God. Only the God-given way of approaching him through sacrifice can prepare humans to come closer to God. Believers can only wait on God, who will do his will according to his own purpose. What is impossible for humans is possible for God. This should encourage believers to put their faith in the one who is sovereign over the entire creation.
2 Samuel Key Themes
The themes of 1 Samuel are related to the themes of 2 Samuel: the sovereign God, who has guided David’s life, chooses David as the ruler of God’s people. God pledges to David an eternal covenant. David thus becomes the prototype of the future Messiah, Jesus Christ.
- Davidic covenant. See 2 Samuel 7.
- Messianic promise. Second Samuel 7 is a turning point in the history of salvation. God chose David to be the beginning of an enduring dynasty, from which the ultimate Ruler, Jesus, would come. God used David to fulfill his eternal plan of salvation, not because he was perfect from a human viewpoint, but because the Lord was “with him” and showed grace to him.
1 Samuel Outline
- The Story of Samuel (1:1–7:17)
- Transition to the Monarchy (8:1–22)
- The Story of Saul (9:1–15:35)
- The Story of Saul and David (16:1–31:13)
2 Samuel Outline
- Story of King David (1:1–20:26)
- Epilogue (21:1–24:25)
The Setting of 1 Samuel
c. 1050 B.C.
The book of 1 Samuel is set in Israel during the transition between the period of the judges and the period of the monarchy. It opens with Samuel’s birth and then describes his role as judge over Israel. When the people ask for a king, the Lord instructs Samuel to anoint Saul as Israel’s first king.
The Setting of 2 Samuel
The Setting of 2 Samuel
c. 1000 B.C.
The book of 2 Samuel recounts David’s reign over Israel and his battles to establish Israel as the dominant power in Syria and Palestine. David expanded Israel’s borders from Saul’s smaller territory. By the end of his reign, David controlled all of Israel, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Syria, and Zobah. Other kingdoms, such as Tyre and Hamath, established treaties with him.
Fact: The term “Hebrews”
The term “Hebrews” is used in 4:6 by the Philistines to describe the Israelites as an ethnic group. The term literally means “descendants of Eber” (Gen. 10:21–25). After David established the monarchy, the nation was referred to as “Israel” rather than “the Hebrews.”
Fact: Children
Children were of great importance in ancient times for several reasons. They carried on the family name and helped to care for the family’s flocks and herds. Women who could not have children were often looked down upon because children were considered a blessing from the Lord. It was common for children to die as infants, so couples would often have many children, knowing some would not survive.
Fact: “Thus says the Lord.”
“Thus says the Lord.” Ancient messengers would begin their message by stating the sender’s name and saying, “[The sender’s name] has spoken thus.” The message would then be delivered in the first person as if the sender were saying it himself (2:27).
Fact: Samuel! Samuel!
Samuel! Samuel! When God called Samuel to his service, he called out his name twice (3:10). Abraham, Jacob, and Moses also heard the Lord speak their name twice at a crucial point in their lives.
The Setting of 1 Samuel
c. 1050 B.C.
The book of 1 Samuel is set in Israel during the transition between the period of the judges and the period of the monarchy. It opens with Samuel’s birth and then describes his role as judge over Israel. When the people ask for a king, the Lord instructs Samuel to anoint Saul as Israel’s first king.
The Journey of the Ark of the Covenant
in 1–2 Samuel
| 1 Sam. 3:3 | The Lord calls to Samuel who is sleeping in the tent of meeting, “where the ark of God was” |
| 1 Samuel 4 | Philistines capture the ark (for seven months: 1 Sam. 6:1) |
| 1 Sam. 5:1–7 | Philistines bring the ark to Ashdod, setting it up next to the idol Dagon |
| 1 Sam. 5:8–9 | Philistines bring the ark to Gath |
| 1 Sam. 5:10–12 | Philistines send the ark to Ekron |
| 1 Sam. 6:10–15 | Philistines return the ark with guilt offering to Beth-shemesh |
| 1 Sam. 6:19–21 | The Lord strikes 70 men for looking into the ark |
| 1 Sam. 7:1–2 | Men of Kiriath-jearim take the ark to the house of Abinadab (where it stays for 20 years) |
| 1 Sam. 14:18 | Saul commands Ahijah to bring the ark to the war camp |
| 2 Sam. 6:2–5 | David begins to move the ark to Jerusalem on a cart |
| 2 Sam. 6:6–7 | The Lord strikes Uzzah dead for holding on to the ark |
| 2 Sam. 6:10–11 | David takes the ark to the house of Obed-edom, where it stays for three months |
| 2 Sam. 6:12–17 | David brings the ark to Jerusalem, and places it inside the tent he pitched for it |
| 2 Sam. 15:24–25 | Zadok brings the ark to David, who commands him to carry it back to Jerusalem |
| 2 Sam. 15:29 | Zadok and Abiathar carry the ark back to Jerusalem |
Events of 1–2 Samuel Referenced in the Psalms
| 1 Samuel | Incident | Psalm |
|---|---|---|
| 19:11 | David’s house surrounded | 59 |
| 21:10–11 | David seized by Achish | 56 |
| 21:12–22:1 | David escapes from Achish (called Abimelech in Psalm 34 title) | 34 |
| 22:1 (possibly also 24:3) | David in cave | 57; 142 |
| 22:9–19 | Doeg the Edomite | 52 |
| 23:14–15 (possibly) | Desert of Judah | 63 |
| 23:19 | David betrayed by Ziphites | 54 |
| 2 Samuel | Incident | Psalm |
|---|---|---|
| 8:1–14 | Victory over Transjordan | 60 |
| chs. 11–12 | Against house of Uriah | 51 |
| chs. 15–17 | Absalom’s revolt | 3 |
| chs. 15–17 (possibly) | Desert of Judah | 63 |
| ch. 22 | Victory over all enemies | 18 |
The Fall of Saul and the Rise of David in 1 Samuel
| Saul | David |
|---|---|
| Holy Spirit removed; evil spirit given (16:14–23) | Anointed with Holy Spirit (16:1–13) |
| Jealous and treacherous (ch. 18) | Faithful friend (ch. 20) |
| Attempts to kill David (ch. 19) | Protects Saul’s life (chs. 24; 26) |
| Failed holy warrior (ch. 15) | Mighty holy warrior (ch. 17) |
| Kingdom torn away (13:13–14; 15:11, 26) | Kingdom promised forever (2 Sam. 7:1–17) |
Comparison of 1–2 Chronicles with 2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings
| 1 Chronicles | 2 Samuel | |
|---|---|---|
| Genealogies | 1:1–9:44 | |
| Death of Saul and sons | 10:1–14 | 1 Sam. 31:1–2 Sam. 1:16 |
| Lament for Saul | 1:17–27 | |
| David king of Judah | 2:1–7 | |
| War between house of Saul and David; Ish-bosheth made king | 2:8–3:1 | |
| David’s sons in Hebron | 3:2–5 | |
| Abner helps David | 3:6–21 | |
| Joab kills Abner | 3:22–39 | |
| Ish-bosheth killed | 4:1–12 | |
| David king of Judah and Israel | 11:1–3 | 5:1–5 |
| Conquest of Jerusalem | 11:4–9 | 5:6–10 |
| David’s mighty men | 11:10–47 | 23:8–39 |
| David’s men at Ziklag | 12:1–22 | |
| Celebration at Hebron | 12:23–40 | |
| Attempted return of ark; death of Uzzah | 13:1–14 | 6:1–11 |
| David’s house built | 14:1–2 | 5:11–12 |
| David’s children in Jerusalem | 14:3–7 | 5:13–16 |
| David defeats Philistines | 14:8–17 | 5:17–25 |
| Spiritual preparation for the ark’s return | 15:1–24 | |
| Ark brought to Jerusalem | 15:25–16:6 | 6:12–19 |
| David and Michal | 6:20–23 | |
| David’s psalm of praise | 16:7–43 | |
| David’s desire to build the temple | 17:1–2 | 7:1–3 |
| Davidic covenant | 17:3–15 | 7:4–17 |
| David’s prayer of praise | 17:16–27 | 7:18–29 |
| David’s victories | 18:1–13 | 8:1–14 |
| David’s officials | 18:14–17 | 8:15–18 |
| David helps Mephibosheth | 9:1–13 | |
| Ammonites defeated | 19:1–15 | 10:1–14 |
| Syrians defeated | 19:16–19 | 10:15–19 |
| Ammonites defeated | 20:1–3 | 11:1; 12:26–31 |
| David and Bathsheba | 11:2–12:25 | |
| Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom | 13:1–14:33 | |
| Absalom’s rebellion | 15:1–19:43 | |
| Sheba’s rebellion | 20:1–26 | |
| Famine; death of Saul’s sons | 21:1–14 | |
| War with Philistines; the Philistine giants | 20:4–8 | 21:15–22 |
| David’s psalm of deliverance | 22:1–51 | |
| David’s last words | 23:1–7 | |
| David’s census | 21:1–27 | 24:1–25 |
| David plans for the temple | 21:28–22:5 | |
| David’s charge to Solomon and the leaders | 22:6–19 | |
| David organizes temple personnel | 23:1–26:32 | |
| Israel’s military | 27:1–15 | |
| Israel’s leaders | 27:16–34 | |
| David’s charge to Israel; affirmation of Solomon | 28:1–10 | |
| Pattern for the temple | 28:11–21 | |
| Offerings for the temple | 29:1–9 | |
| David’s prayer of thanks for the temple | 29:10–19 | |
| 1 Kings | ||
| David and Abishag | 1:1–4 | |
| Adonijah claims the throne | 1:5–27 | |
| Solomon’s coronation | 29:20–25 | 1:28–40 |
| David instructs Solomon | 2:1–9 | |
| Death of David | 29:26–30 | 2:10–11 |
| Solomon establishes his kingdom | 2:12–46 | |
| 2 Chronicles | ||
| Solomon marries Pharaoh’s daughter | 3:1–3 | |
| Solomon at Gibeon | 1:1–6 | 3:4 |
| God gives Solomon wisdom | 1:7–12 | 3:5–14 |
| Solomon’s wise judgment | 3:16–28 | |
| Solomon’s prosperity | 1:14–17 | 4:20–34 |
| Preparations for the temple | 2:1–18 | 5:1–18 |
| Temple built | 3:1–5:1 | 6:1–38;7:13–51 |
| Solomon’s palace | 7:1–12 | |
| Ark brought to the temple | 5:2–12 | 8:1–9 |
| God’s glory fills the temple | 5:13–14 | 8:10–11 |
| Solomon blesses the people | 6:1–11 | 8:12–21 |
| Solomon consecrates the temple | 6:12–42 | 8:22–61 |
| Fire from the Lord consumes the sacrifices | 7:1–3 | |
| Solomon and the people offer sacrifices | 7:4–7 | 8:62–64 |
| Feast of Tabernacles | 7:8–10 | 8:65–66 |
| The covenant confirmed | 7:11–22 | 9:1–9 |
| Solomon’s territory increases | 8:1–6 | 9:10–19 |
| Solomon’s enemies defeated | 8:7–10 | 9:20–23 |
| Solomon’s religious practices | 8:11–16 | 9:24–25 |
| Solomon’s economic operations | 8:17–18 | 9:26–28 |
| Queen of Sheba visits | 9:1–12 | 10:1–13 |
| Solomon’s wealth | 9:13–28 | 10:14–29 |
| Solomon’s apostasy and adversaries | 11:1–40 | |
| Death of Solomon | 9:29–31 | 11:41–43 |
| Division of the kingdom | 10:1–11:23 | 12:1–33 |
| Man of God from Judah warns Jeroboam (Israel) | 13:1–34 | |
| Ahijah’s prophecy against Jeroboam | 14:1–18 | |
| Death of Jeroboam | 14:19–20 | |
| Shishak invades Judah | 12:1–12 | 14:25–28 |
| Reign of Rehoboam (Judah) | 12:13–16 | 14:21–24,29–31 |
| War between Judah and Israel | 13:1–22 | 15:1–8 |
| Evaluation of Asa (Judah) | 14:1–8 | 15:9–12 |
| Ethiopians defeated | 14:9–15 | |
| Azariah the prophet | 15:1–7 | |
| Asa’s reforms | 15:8–19 | 15:13–15 |
| Asa defeats Syria | 16:1–10 | 15:16–22 |
| Death of Asa | 16:11–14 | 15:23–24 |
| Reigns of Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri (Israel) | 15:25–16:28 | |
| Ahab becomes king (Israel) | 16:29–34 | |
| Elijah | 17:1–19:18;21:17–29 | |
| Call of Elisha | 19:19–21 | |
| Ahab conquers Syria, acquires Naboth’s vineyard | 20:1–21:29 | |
| Evaluation of Jehoshaphat (Judah) | 17:1–9 | |
| Expansion of Judah | 17:10–19 | |
| Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab; death of Ahab | 18:1–34 | 22:1–40 |
| Jehoshaphat’s reforms, crisis, and deliverance | 19:1–20:30 | |
| Reign of Jehoshaphat | 20:31–37 | 22:41–50 |
| Reign of Ahaziah (Israel) | 22:51–53 | |
| 2 Kings | ||
| Death of Ahaziah; Elijah’s prophecy | 1:1–18 | |
| Elijah and Elisha | 2:1–25 | |
| Evaluation of Jehoram (Israel) | 3:1–3 | |
| Moab rebels | 3:4–27 | |
| The widow’s oil | 4:1–7 | |
| The Shunammite woman | 4:8–37 | |
| Miracles for the prophets | 4:38–44 | |
| Naaman healed | 5:1–27 | |
| The axe head recovered | 6:1–7 | |
| Chariots of fire | 6:8–23 | |
| Siege of Samaria | 6:24–7:20 | |
| Shunammite’s land restored | 8:1–6 | |
| Hazael kills Ben-hadad | 8:7–15 | |
| Evaluation of Jehoram (Judah) | 21:1–7 | 8:16–19 |
| Edom and Libnah rebel | 21:8–11 | 8:20–22 |
| Warning of Elijah | 21:12–15 | |
| Invasion of Philistia and Arabia | 21:16–17 | |
| Death of Jehoram | 21:18–20 | 8:23–24 |
| Reign of Ahaziah (Judah) | 22:1–9 | 8:25–29; 9:15–16, 27–28; 10:12–14 |
| Reign of Jehu (Israel) | 22:7–9 | 9:1–10:36 |
| Reign of Athaliah (Judah) | 22:10–23:15 | 11:1–16 |
| Jehoiada’s reforms (Judah) | 23:16–21 | 11:17–20 |
| Evaluation of Joash (Judah) | 24:1–3 | 11:21–12:3 |
| Joash repairs the temple | 24:4–14 | 12:4–16 |
| Death of Jehoiada | 24:15–16 | |
| Jehoiada’s son killed | 24:17–22 | |
| Syria invades Judah | 24:23–24 | 12:17–18 |
| Death of Joash | 24:25–27 | 12:19–21 |
| Reign of Jehoahaz (Israel) | 13:1–9 | |
| Reign of Jehoash (Israel) | 13:10–13 | |
| Elisha’s final prophecy and death | 13:14–25 | |
| Reign of Amaziah (Judah) | 25:1–16 | 14:1–20 |
| Israel defeats Judah | 25:17–24 | 14:8–14 |
| Death of Amaziah | 25:25–28 | 14:17–20 |
| Evaluation of Uzziah (Judah) | 26:1–5 | 14:21–22; 15:1–5 |
| Reign of Jeroboam II (Israel) | 14:23–29 | |
| Victories of Uzziah | 26:6–15 | |
| Sinful offering of Uzziah | 26:16–21 | |
| Death of Uzziah | 26:22–23 | 15:6–7 |
| Reign of Zechariah (Israel) | 15:8–12 | |
| Reign of Shallum (Israel) | 15:13–16 | |
| Reign of Menahem (Israel) | 15:17–22 | |
| Reign of Pekahiah (Israel) | 15:23–26 | |
| Reign of Pekah (Israel) | 15:27–31 | |
| Reign of Jotham (Judah) | 27:1–9 | 15:32–38 |
| Evaluation of Ahaz (Judah) | 28:1–4 | 16:1–4 |
| Israel defeats Judah | 28:5–21 | 16:5–9 |
| Ahaz’s idolatry and death | 28:22–27 | 16:10–12 |
| Fall of Israel | 17:1–23 | |
| Resettlement of Israel | 17:24–41 | |
| Evaluation of Hezekiah (Judah) | 29:1–2 | 18:1–8 |
| Hezekiah cleanses the temple | 29:3–19 | |
| Hezekiah restores temple worship | 29:20–36 | |
| Hezekiah restores Passover | 30:1–27 | |
| Hezekiah destroys idols, organizes priests | 31:1–21 | |
| Fall of Israel (restated) | 18:9–12 | |
| Assyria invades Judah | 32:1–23 | 18:13–19:37 |
| Hezekiah’s illness and restoration | 32:24–26 | 20:1–11 |
| Hezekiah’s wealth and foolish pride | 32:27–31 | 20:12–19 |
| Death of Hezekiah | 32:32–33 | 20:20–21 |
| Reign of Manasseh (Judah) | 33:1–9 | 21:1–18 |
| Manasseh’s repentance | 33:10–20 | |
| Reign of Amon (Judah) | 33:21–25 | 21:19–26 |
| Evaluation of Josiah (Judah) | 34:1–2 | 22:1–2 |
| Josiah’s early reforms | 34:3–7 | |
| Josiah repairs the temple | 34:8–13 | 22:3–7 |
| Book of Law discovered; Josiah’s reforms | 34:14–33 | 22:8–23:20 |
| Passover celebrated | 35:1–19 | 23:21–27 |
| Death of Josiah | 35:20–27 | 23:28–30 |
| Reign of Jehoahaz (Judah) | 36:1–3 | 23:31–33 |
| Reign of Jehoiakim (Judah) | 36:4–8 | 23:34–24:7 |
| Reign of Jehoiachin (Judah); Babylonian captivity | 36:9–10 | 24:8–17 |
| Evaluation of Zedekiah (Judah) | 36:11–12 | 24:18–20 |
| Destruction of Jerusalem | 36:13–21 | 25:1–21 |
| Remnant flees to Egypt | 25:22–26 | |
| Jehoiachin released | 25:27–30 | |
| Proclamation by Cyrus | 36:22–23 |
Hannah
Hannah was one of Elkanah’s two wives. Although his other wife, Peninnah, had children, Hannah did not. While at the temple in Shiloh, Hannah wept bitterly because of her inability to have a child. Deeply distressed, she prayed to the Lord. She vowed that if he gave her a son, she would dedicate the child to God. Eli the priest observed Hannah praying and thought that she was drunk. When he realized that her display of emotion was genuine, however, he blessed Hannah. God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she gave birth to Samuel. When the child was weaned, she took him to Eli at the temple in fulfillment of her vow. Hannah’s song, praising God for her new son, is very similar to the prayer of Mary in Luke 1:46–55 as she looked forward to the birth of her son Jesus. (1 Samuel 1:9–11)
Eli
Eli was a priest at Shiloh and a judge of Israel. He became Samuel’s guardian after Hannah brought her son to the temple. When God spoke to Samuel, it was Eli who realized the voice was the Lord’s, and he told Samuel how to respond. Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who also served as priests. Both of them were wicked and blasphemed God. Although Eli rebuked his sons, they did not listen. A messenger from God announced to Eli that his household had been rejected by the Lord. Eli died after receiving news that both of his sons had been killed in battle and the ark of the Lord had been captured. (1 Samuel 4:12–18)
Samuel
Samuel’s birth was God’s answer to Hannah’s prayer for a son. Dedicated to the Lord as a small child, he lived and ministered at Shiloh. When he was a young man, the Lord spoke to him and established him as a prophet. Samuel called the people of Israel to repent and put aside idolatry. During Samuel’s lifetime, Israel changed from a collection of tribes ruled by various temporary “judges” to a nation ruled by a king. As the last judge of Israel, Samuel anointed Saul as Israel’s first king. When Saul disobeyed God and was rejected as king, Samuel anointed David as his successor. Samuel acted as a faithful judge, prophet, and priest, foreshadowing the work of Christ as king, prophet, and priest (Heb. 1:1–3). (1 Samuel 3:19–21)
1 Sam 1:1 Ramathaim-zophim is called Ramah in v. 19 and 2:11. Samuel later lived there (7:17; 8:4; 25:1). It is presumably the city in the land of Zuph where Saul meets him (9:5).
1 Sam 1:2 two wives. Probably Hannah was Elkanah’s first wife, since she is named first. He most likely married Peninnah because of Hannah’s inability to have children.
1 Sam 1:3 year by year. This may have been an annual family gathering, including women and children. the LORD of hosts. This is the first appearance in the Bible of the title “the LORD of hosts,” to whom Elkanah sacrifices and Hannah prays (v. 11) at Shiloh. The title is used in Samuel several times and very frequently in the Psalms and the Prophets. “Hosts” can refer to any large group of items such as heavenly bodies (Isa. 40:26), angelic beings (Josh. 5:14), the armies of Israel (1 Sam. 17:45), or all creatures (Gen. 2:1). Shiloh is 20 miles (32 km) north of Jerusalem. The tent of meeting was set up there in Josh. 18:1.
1 Sam 1:4 portions. Elkanah’s sacrifice is a peace offering. Parts of the sacrificial animal are burned, parts are given to the priest, and parts are eaten by the people who brought the sacrifice (Lev. 7:11–36; see also 1 Sam. 2:12–17).
1 Sam 1:8 Am I not more to you than ten sons? Elkanah tries to comfort Hannah because of her barrenness.
1 Sam 1:7, 9 house of the LORD . . . temple of the LORD. Was this a tent, or a building with solid walls? The word “house” refers to a dwelling without specifying the material it was made of. In 2 Sam. 7:2 David says, “the ark of God dwells in a tent,” and in 2 Sam. 7:6 the Lord says, “I have not lived in a house . . . to this day.” First Samuel 2:22 mentions the “tent of meeting.” On the other hand, “doorpost of the temple” (1:9) and “opened the doors” (3:15) suggest something more permanent. Perhaps there was a more solid structure surrounding a tent.
1 Sam 1:9 The seat was a symbol of Eli’s authority; normally, people sat on the ground.
1 Sam 1:11 I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life may mean that Hannah will dedicate her son as a Nazirite. According to Numbers 6, people could make a special vow to separate themselves to serve the Lord for a time. This involved letting no razor . . . touch one’s head, eating and drinking nothing from the grapevine, and not going near a dead body. Hannah mentions only the razor in the text, but that probably stood for the entire vow. According to Lev. 27:1–8, a person as young as a month old could be given to the Lord with such a vow.
Fact: Children
Children were of great importance in ancient times for several reasons. They carried on the family name and helped to care for the family’s flocks and herds. Women who could not have children were often looked down upon because children were considered a blessing from the Lord. It was common for children to die as infants, so couples would often have many children, knowing some would not survive.
Hannah
Hannah was one of Elkanah’s two wives. Although his other wife, Peninnah, had children, Hannah did not. While at the temple in Shiloh, Hannah wept bitterly because of her inability to have a child. Deeply distressed, she prayed to the Lord. She vowed that if he gave her a son, she would dedicate the child to God. Eli the priest observed Hannah praying and thought that she was drunk. When he realized that her display of emotion was genuine, however, he blessed Hannah. God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she gave birth to Samuel. When the child was weaned, she took him to Eli at the temple in fulfillment of her vow. Hannah’s song, praising God for her new son, is very similar to the prayer of Mary in Luke 1:46–55 as she looked forward to the birth of her son Jesus. (1 Samuel 1:9–11)
1 Sam 1:12–18 Eli assumes that Hannah is drunk and therefore rebukes her. This shows his devotion to the law, which forbade drunkenness in the sanctuary.
1 Sam 1:20 Samuel can mean “name of God” or “offspring of God.” Samuel bore the name of God, who gave him to Hannah.
1 Sam 1:24 Three-year-old bull could also be translated “three bulls” (ESV footnote). In either case, Elkanah apparently was a prosperous man, able to afford an expensive animal offering and large amounts of grain and wine. See Num. 15:9; 28:12, 20, 28.
1 Sam 1:26 As you live, or “as your soul lives,” is a common OT form of oath (2 Sam. 11:11), as is the phrase “as the LORD lives” (see 1 Sam. 14:39; 26:16). The two oaths were often combined (20:3; 25:26).
1 Sam 1:1–28 These verses record the birth and dedication of Samuel.
1 Sam 1:27–28 And the LORD has granted me my petition that I made to him repeats almost word for word Eli’s blessing in v. 17. The words “petition” (here and v. 17), “asked” (v. 20), and “lent” (v. 28 twice) are all from the same Hebrew word family.
1 Sam 2:1 my horn is exalted in the LORD. This is the theme of Hannah’s song. When Hannah speaks of my enemies, she is referring to the enemies of God.
1 Sam 2:2 there is none besides you. There is no holy being besides the Lord. Only the Lord is God (see Deut. 4:35; 32:39). The Lord is often described as a rock (compare Deut. 32:4, 15; 2 Sam. 22:2), which means that he provides shelter and protection for his people. In saying our God, Hannah is speaking as a member of the covenant community.
1 Sam 2:3 by him actions are weighed. God’s knowledge extends even to the motives behind human actions.
1 Sam 2:6–7 The Lord controls not only birth and death, but all of life in between.
1 Sam 2:8 the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s. The Lord is sovereign over life, for he created and owns the world (on them he has set the world). Compare “pillars” (Job 9:6; Ps. 75:3) and “foundations” (2 Sam. 22:16). The Lord upholds the physical place where his people live as well as the moral order of this world. He protects his faithful, while he destroys the wicked (1 Sam. 2:9).
1 Sam 2:1–10 Hannah’s song is very similar to the prayer of Mary in Luke 1:46–56. There are also many similarities to psalms and other passages of the OT—especially Psalm 113—as the numerous ESV cross-references show. The reference to the “king” in 1 Sam. 2:10 looks forward to the rest of 1 Samuel.
1 Sam 2:10 The LORD will judge. See Ps. 96:10. The ends of the earth describes God’s uniqueness, majesty, and authority (compare Ps. 67:7; 98:3; Prov. 30:4; Isa. 52:10; Mic. 5:4; Zech. 9:10). Since there was currently no king in Israel, it is possible that the last two lines of this verse are a comment by the writer of 1 Samuel rather than part of Hannah’s actual prayer. The law made provision for a king, however, and the idea of kingship was well known in Israel even before it was practiced (Judg. 9:6; 1 Samuel 8), so these could have been Hannah’s words. The phrase his anointed appears here for the first time in the Bible. In Samuel, it usually refers to a king. The Hebrew word for “anointed” can also be translated “Messiah.”
1 Sam 2:13–14 The priests were to be supported by portions of the sacrifices of the people (see, e.g., Lev. 7:31–32; Deut. 18:3). But the custom described in these verses seems to have been a serious deviation from the law.
1 Sam 2:15–16 These verses seem to suggest that Eli’s sons were guilty of a further deviation from the already degenerate custom described in vv. 13–14. This is an extraordinary situation: the priest, who was supposed to know the rules of sacrifice, was engaging in behavior that shocked even the ordinary worshiper.
1 Sam 2:12–17 These verses describe how the worthless . . . sons of Eli (v. 12) treated the tabernacle sacrifices with contempt (v. 17). They behaved in this way because they did not know the LORD (v. 12).
1 Sam 2:18–21 The story returns to Samuel. Before, Samuel was ministering “in the presence of Eli the priest” (v. 11), but now he is ministering simply before the LORD, in the garment of a priest. The linen ephod was probably a simple tunic or apron worn by priests (22:18).
1 Sam 2:22–23 Eli’s sons committed sexual immorality with women who worked with them in the sanctuary.
1 Sam 2:25 if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him? This shows the need for a mediator between man and God. Hophni and Phineas had rebelled against God, even ignoring their father’s warnings about their behavior. Because of Eli’s sons’ willful rejection of him, it was the will of the LORD to put them to death.
1 Sam 2:26 Similar language is used in Luke 2:52 to describe the physical and spiritual growth of the boy Jesus.
Fact: “Thus says the Lord.”
“Thus says the Lord.” Ancient messengers would begin their message by stating the sender’s name and saying, “[The sender’s name] has spoken thus.” The message would then be delivered in the first person as if the sender were saying it himself (2:27).
1 Sam 2:27–28 A man of God (a prophet) confronts Eli about the wicked behavior of his two sons. I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire. When an offering was made, part was burned as a “memorial portion.” The remaining part was normally eaten by the priests (Lev. 6:14–18; 7:1–38). But Eli’s sons have made a mockery of this law (1 Sam. 2:12–17).
1 Sam 2:30 Though the Lord had promised the priesthood (go in and out before me) to the descendants of Levi, the agreement can be broken if they are not obedient.
1 Sam 2:31–34 The man of God (see v. 27) declares a curse for Eli and all his descendants for their breaking of the covenant. Compare the punishments described in Deut. 28:15–68. Behold, the days are coming indicates that the prophesied events will happen during a future time of God’s judgment. The only one who would be spared from this judgment would be Abiathar, who escaped when the 85 priests of Nob were killed (1 Sam. 22:18–20). Solomon later banished him, and this was seen as the final fulfillment of the prophecy against Eli and his priestly descendants (1 Kings 2:26–27). Eli will not live to experience the punishment, but the death of his two sons on the same day (see 1 Sam. 4:11) will be a sign to him that the prophecy is true.
1 Sam 2:35 The faithful priest with a sure house is probably Zadok, a priest under David and a descendant of Ithamar’s brother Eleazar, son of Aaron (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Chron. 24:3; see also Judg. 20:28). The anointed is the king (see 2 Sam. 7:16).
1 Sam 2:11–36 At the same time that the boy Samuel is ministering to the Lord (vv. 11, 18; 3:1), Eli’s own two sons, Hophni and Phineas (see 1:3; 2:34), are hindering the worship there.
Hannah
Hannah was one of Elkanah’s two wives. Although his other wife, Peninnah, had children, Hannah did not. While at the temple in Shiloh, Hannah wept bitterly because of her inability to have a child. Deeply distressed, she prayed to the Lord. She vowed that if he gave her a son, she would dedicate the child to God. Eli the priest observed Hannah praying and thought that she was drunk. When he realized that her display of emotion was genuine, however, he blessed Hannah. God answered Hannah’s prayer, and she gave birth to Samuel. When the child was weaned, she took him to Eli at the temple in fulfillment of her vow. Hannah’s song, praising God for her new son, is very similar to the prayer of Mary in Luke 1:46–55 as she looked forward to the birth of her son Jesus. (1 Samuel 1:9–11)
1 Sam 3:3 The lamp of God was in the tent of meeting, in the Holy Place. It burned every day from evening to morning (Ex. 27:20–21; Lev. 24:1–3). It had not yet gone out, so the time was probably just before dawn. The ark of God was beyond the veil, in the Most Holy Place.
The Journey of the Ark of the Covenant
in 1–2 Samuel
| 1 Sam. 3:3 | The Lord calls to Samuel who is sleeping in the tent of meeting, “where the ark of God was” |
| 1 Samuel 4 | Philistines capture the ark (for seven months: 1 Sam. 6:1) |
| 1 Sam. 5:1–7 | Philistines bring the ark to Ashdod, setting it up next to the idol Dagon |
| 1 Sam. 5:8–9 | Philistines bring the ark to Gath |
| 1 Sam. 5:10–12 | Philistines send the ark to Ekron |
| 1 Sam. 6:10–15 | Philistines return the ark with guilt offering to Beth-shemesh |
| 1 Sam. 6:19–21 | The Lord strikes 70 men for looking into the ark |
| 1 Sam. 7:1–2 | Men of Kiriath-jearim take the ark to the house of Abinadab (where it stays for 20 years) |
| 1 Sam. 14:18 | Saul commands Ahijah to bring the ark to the war camp |
| 2 Sam. 6:2–5 | David begins to move the ark to Jerusalem on a cart |
| 2 Sam. 6:6–7 | The Lord strikes Uzzah dead for holding on to the ark |
| 2 Sam. 6:10–11 | David takes the ark to the house of Obed-edom, where it stays for three months |
| 2 Sam. 6:12–17 | David brings the ark to Jerusalem, and places it inside the tent he pitched for it |
| 2 Sam. 15:24–25 | Zadok brings the ark to David, who commands him to carry it back to Jerusalem |
| 2 Sam. 15:29 | Zadok and Abiathar carry the ark back to Jerusalem |
1 Sam 3:7 Samuel did not yet know the LORD in a personal relationship, though of course he knew about him.
1 Sam 3:10 Samuel! Samuel! The Lord called other people by uttering their name twice, e.g., Abraham (Gen. 22:11), Jacob (Gen. 46:2), and Moses (Ex. 3:4).
Fact: Samuel! Samuel!
Samuel! Samuel! When God called Samuel to his service, he called out his name twice (3:10). Abraham, Jacob, and Moses also heard the Lord speak their name twice at a crucial point in their lives.
1 Sam 3:12 all that I have spoken. See 2:27–36.
1 Sam 3:14 Though normal or unintentional sins of priests could be atoned for by offering (Lev. 4:3–12), Eli’s sons sinned defiantly. Their guilt could not be removed (see Num. 15:30 and note on Num. 15:30–31; see also Heb. 10:26–27), as Eli himself recognizes (1 Sam. 2:25).
1 Sam 3:17 May God do so to you and more also if is a form of solemn appeal to the Lord, a kind of oath. Compare Ruth 1:17; 2 Sam. 3:9; 19:13; 1 Kings 19:2.
1 Sam 3:18 It is the LORD. Eli accepts the judgment humbly.
1 Sam 3:19 the LORD . . . let none of his words fall to the ground. That is, all that Samuel spoke was fulfilled, and so he could be known as a prophet (see Deut. 18:21–22).
1 Sam 3:20 From Dan to Beersheba is the traditional limits of Israel to the north and south (Judg. 20:1; 2 Sam. 17:11).
Samuel
Samuel’s birth was God’s answer to Hannah’s prayer for a son. Dedicated to the Lord as a small child, he lived and ministered at Shiloh. When he was a young man, the Lord spoke to him and established him as a prophet. Samuel called the people of Israel to repent and put aside idolatry. During Samuel’s lifetime, Israel changed from a collection of tribes ruled by various temporary “judges” to a nation ruled by a king. As the last judge of Israel, Samuel anointed Saul as Israel’s first king. When Saul disobeyed God and was rejected as king, Samuel anointed David as his successor. Samuel acted as a faithful judge, prophet, and priest, foreshadowing the work of Christ as king, prophet, and priest (Heb. 1:1–3). (1 Samuel 3:19–21)
1 Sam 3:1–4:1a The word of the LORD was rare in those days in Israel (3:1), but that is about to change, as the Lord calls Samuel to serve him.
1 Sam 4:1b Aphek was 8 miles (13 km) east of Tel Aviv, north of the Philistia plain, and just to the west of the hill country of Ephraim. The location of Ebenezer is uncertain, but it may have been 2 miles (3.2 km) farther east.
1 Sam 4:3 The elders of Israel were senior tribal leaders entrusted with important decisions. They realize that the defeat was a punishment from the Lord, but there is no indication that they want to know how they have sinned.
1 Sam 4:3–4 from Shiloh. The ark of the covenant had been “in the temple of the LORD” in Shiloh (3:3). (On the details of the ark, see Ex. 25:10–22; 37:1–9; and illustration.) Moses was commanded by the Lord to put the tablets of the covenant, the “testimony,” into the ark (Ex. 25:16; Deut. 10:5; see 1 Kings 8:9). enthroned. The ark represented God’s actual presence among his people (Ex. 25:22). It showed that he was fighting for Israel. Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD . . . that it may come among us. The language here suggests that the people were treating the ark disrespectfully.
The Ark of the Covenant
The ark of the covenant (Ex. 25:10–22; 37:1–9) was the only piece of furniture in the Most Holy Place; the ark and its contents were kept hidden from view at all times. The ark itself was a wooden chest, overlaid with pure gold, measuring 3.75 feet long, 2.25 feet wide, and 2.25 feet high (1.1 m x 0.7 m x 0.7 m). It contained within it the two stone tablets of the Testimony (the Ten Commandments). The author of Hebrews adds that it also contained “a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded” (Heb. 9:4). The ark was not to be touched by human hands. Two wooden poles, overlaid with gold, were used to transport it and were not to be removed from the ark. The mercy seat, or atonement cover, was a solid golden slab that fitted perfectly on top of the ark. The golden cherubim, which were hammered out of the same piece of gold, had wings outstretched over the mercy seat and faces that looked downward (in reverent awe). It was here, from between the cherubim, that God spoke to Moses, the representative of the people of Israel. Ancient iconography often depicts cherubim as having a lion-like body, wings, and a human face.
1 Sam 4:5 a mighty shout. The Israelites are confident in the ark’s power, but the rest of the story will show that they have failed to approach God’s presence in faith and obedience.
1 Sam 4:6 The Philistines usually refer to the Israelites as Hebrews (e.g., 14:11; 29:3). The term apparently comes from the name Eber (Gen. 10:21–25). “Hebrew” is an ethnic term for the people (see Gen. 14:13), while “Israel” is a religious and political designation.
Fact: The term “Hebrews”
The term “Hebrews” is used in 4:6 by the Philistines to describe the Israelites as an ethnic group. The term literally means “descendants of Eber” (Gen. 10:21–25). After David established the monarchy, the nation was referred to as “Israel” rather than “the Hebrews.”
1 Sam 4:7–8 A god. The Philistines thought the ark was an image of Israel’s God. Because they believed in the existence of many gods, the Philistines assumed Israel did as well. Struck the Egyptians . . . in the wilderness probably shows the Philistines’ ignorance about the exact course of events during Israel’s wilderness wanderings.
1 Sam 4:10 Israel was defeated. In view of v. 3, one cannot give the Philistines all the credit for defeating Israel. The phrase every man to his home was a common way of describing the disbanding of an army, either intentionally (Judg. 20:8; 1 Sam. 13:2; 2 Sam. 20:1, 22) or because of defeat (2 Chron. 25:22).
1 Sam 4:17 Your two sons . . . are dead is the sign that Eli had been told to expect as a forewarning of the destruction of his priestly descendants (2:34), but it seems that he is even more concerned about the ark.
1 Sam 4:18 Besides being a priest at Shiloh, Eli had also judged Israel for forty years.
1 Sam 4:1b–22 After suffering defeat in battle, the Israelites try to use the ark of the covenant to ensure victory. Instead, the Philistines defeat them again, killing Eli’s two sons and taking the ark into exile. When Eli hears of it, he suddenly dies. For reflections on these events see Ps. 78:58–66 and Jer. 7:8–15.
1 Sam 4:21–22 Like Eli (see note on v. 17), Phinehas’s wife seems more concerned with the fate of the ark than with the death of her husband. Ichabod means “where is the glory?” She mourns for Israel because it is without the presence of God. She doesn’t know that the Lord is going to demonstrate his glory in the land of Philistia, as will be seen in ch. 5.
Eli
Eli was a priest at Shiloh and a judge of Israel. He became Samuel’s guardian after Hannah brought her son to the temple. When God spoke to Samuel, it was Eli who realized the voice was the Lord’s, and he told Samuel how to respond. Eli had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who also served as priests. Both of them were wicked and blasphemed God. Although Eli rebuked his sons, they did not listen. A messenger from God announced to Eli that his household had been rejected by the Lord. Eli died after receiving news that both of his sons had been killed in battle and the ark of the Lord had been captured. (1 Samuel 4:12–18)
How do we think about infertility as Christians?
Listen NowDive Deeper | 1 Samuel 1-4
The events of 1 Samuel 1–4 took place during a dark and confusing time in Israel's history. There was no king, word from God was rare, and there was sexual immorality at the center place of worship. Yet in the midst of this darkness, God provided a light: a young boy named Samuel. Unlike the priests of his day, Samuel knew the Lord. He found favor by serving Him, growing up in His presence, and listening for His words. The first time God spoke to Samuel, He revealed the judgment that would fall on Eli's house because of their sins. Samuel demonstrated his faithfulness by delivering God's word regardless of Eli's high status. As a result of his faithfulness, Samuel became renowned in Israel.
Samuel's faithfulness and reverence for God made him a great prophet and priest. However, an even greater prophet and priest would come later: Jesus Christ. Like Samuel, Jesus was brought up in favor with God (Luke 2:52), but unlike Samuel, He was the incarnate Word (John 1:14). He perfectly embodied and carried out God's Word (John 5:30), devoting Himself to prayer and communion with God (Luke 6:12). Jesus surpassed Samuel, proving Himself to be an even greater model of faithfulness and obedience to God's Word.
Hearing God's Word is essential for God's people today. It clarifies the meaning and purpose of our lives, which is to bring God glory. In contrast, not hearing God's Word can be spiritually detrimental, as shown in the judgment on Eli's house. As God's people, we need to be careful to listen to God's voice, which speaks through the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and the Church. Overcoming barriers such as inexperience, sin, or even an unwillingness to listen requires effort, but God's grace is with us every step of the way. As God's people, we must strive to hear God's Word by praying, reading Scripture diligently, meditating on God's Word, and being involved in a local church with fellow believers.
This month's memory verse
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
– 1 Samuel 16:7
Discussion Questions
1. How does Samuel's origin story help you understand God's love and work in your life?
2. When has God given you an opportunity, like Samuel, to show your faithfulness during a difficult time?
3. When has God spoken to you in your life? What barriers have you experienced, or might you be experiencing currently, that are preventing you from hearing God's Word? What can you do to minimize those barriers?
4. What are you doing in your life to hear God's Word? Consider ways you have devoted yourself to God in the past and write out some ways you can either continue or grow in your devotion.