samuel

1 Samuel

 1-3 Samuel at Shiloh—Samuel’s birth, the Song of Hannah, the sins of Eli’s sons, the

call of Samuel

 2:27-36 and 3:11-14 Deuteronomistic notices (the house of Eli will be replaced by a

faithful priest = Zadok)



The Ark Narrative

 4:1-7:1 Ark Narrative—ark lost to Philistines, but Yahweh defeats

Philistines through the ark. Ark returned to Israelite territory.

 Cf. 2 Samuel 6





Prophets in 1-2 Samuel

 Samuel (makes and breaks Saul as king; anoints David; announces Saul’s death)

 Saul meets a band of ecstatic prophets and goes into prophetic frenzy—Is Saul among the prophets?

Ch. 10

 Saul and ecstatic prophets—this time he strips naked—Is Saul among the prophets? 19:24



Prophets in Samuel (cont.)

 Gad the prophet 1 Sam 22:5

 Saul receives no answer from prophets 1 Sam 28:6, 15

 Nathan the prophet 2 Sam 7:2; 12:25

 Gad the prophet offers David three alternate punishments 2 Sam 24:11



Other prophetic figures

 Man of God came to Eli 1 Sam 2:27

 Samuel as man of God 1 Sam 9:6-10

 Samuel as seer (ro’eh) 1 Samuel 9

 Gad the seer (hozeh) 2 Sam 24:11

Pro Monarchical Texts

 Rise of Kingship 9:1-10:16 Saul anointed by Samuel; 10:17-27a Saul

chosen by lot; 10:27b-11:15 Saul acclaimed by people after a victory

over the Ammonites who were poking out people’s eyes.





Kingship in the balance

 7 Samuel defeats Philistines—why do we need a king?; 8:1-22 the potential abuses

of kingship; 10:18-19 Israel rejected Yahweh by asking for a king

 12 Samuel’s farewell address—conditions under which kingship would be possible

 W orship of Yahweh alone

 Yahweh promises not to forsake people because of his great name

 Samuel and other prophets to pray for Israel

 Samuel to teach the good and right way

 Threat of exile in case of unfaithfulness





1 Samuel

 13-15 Saul’s battles. Saul performs sacrifice without Samuel 13:7b-15a;

fails to carry out provisions of Holy War ch. 15

 16:1-13 Anointing of David

Unanimous support for David

 16:14-2 Samuel 5 the History of David’s Rise

 Women: Saul has slain thousands, David ten thousands 18:7; 21:11; 29:5

 Michal, Saul’s daughter, in love with David 18:20

 Jonathan supports David 23:17

 Saul supports David 24:21

 Abigail supports David 25:28, 39

 Samuel supports David 28:17-18

 Abner supports David 2 Sam 3:9-10, 18

 Tribes of (North) Israel support David 2 Sam 5:1-2





Saul vs. David

 16:14-23 David plays harp

 17:1-18:5 David and Goliath









Saul, Samuel, and the Witch of En Dor

1 Sam 28

Death of Saul

 A suicide 1 Samuel 31

 Killed by an Amalekite 2 Samuel 1









2 Samuel

 6 Conclusion or Ark Narrative—David brings ark to Jerusalem

 7 Oracle of Nathan

 9-20 + 1 Kings 1-2 Succession Narrative

 9 David hosts Mephibosheth

 11-12 David, Bathsheba, Uriah

 13 Amnon rapes Tamar, sister of Absalom; Amnon killed on orders from Absalom

 14-18 Civil strife between David and Absalom

 19-20 Shimei, Mephibosheth, Sheba

 1 Kgs 1-2 Adonijah and Solomon contest for kingship







The History of 2 Samuel 7

 1a, 2-3, 11b-12, 13b-15a Time of Solomon. You, David, have

promised to build me a house (temple); therefore, I shall build

you a house (dynasty). (Red)

 4-9a, 15b The temple is unnecessary and unwanted. You will

not build a temple (house); instead I will build you a house

(dynasty) (Purple)

History of 2 Samuel 7 (continued)

 1b, 9b-11a, 13a, 16. You will not build a temple (house), but your son

will. (Green)





Importance of 2 Samuel 7

 Davidic dynasty lasted 400 years

 Royal ideology/theology Psalms 2, 45, 72, 89, 110

 Promise to David is a positive motif in Deuteronomistic

history—delays judgment; Jehoiachin

 Basis for messianic hope when kings fail

David and Bathsheba

 David violates rules of Holy War

 Role of Bathsheba?

 Uriah the Hittite—model husband and soldier

 Murder of Uriah

 Death of David and Bathsheba’s child

Amnon rapes Tamar



Tamar-Amnon-Absalom

 Amnon was David’s firstborn

 David refused to discipline Amnon

 A m n o n k i l l e d a t a fe a s t h o s te d b y A b s a l o m

 Absalom exiled; returns with help of Joab

 Absalom curries favor at Hebron

2 Samuel

 14 Absalom returns after three-year exile

 15 Absalom usurps the throne

 16-17 Shimei curses David; Absalom sleeps with David’s concubines; Hushai bests Ahithophel

 18 Absalom defeated and killed

 19 David returns to Jerusalem, pardons Shimei, reconciliation with Mephibosheth

 20 Sheba’s rebellion; David’s cabinet





2 Samuel Appendix

 21 David gives seven sons of Saul to the Gibeonites

 22 = Psalm 18

 23 Last words of David—covenant with David

 24 David’s census