1 SAMUEL
and stood, and called as at other times,
Chapter 1:
 Elkanah, son of Jeroham, from
Ramathaimzophim, an Ephrathite
 Two wives: Hannah and Peninnah
 Eli (high priest) has two sons: Hophni
and Phinehas
 Hannah vowed to give her son to the
Lord if He blesses her with one
 Samuel: because I have asked him of
the Lord
 Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah
brought him to the temple along with
3 bullocks, 1 ephah of flour, and a
bottle of wine
Chapter 2:
 1 Samuel 2:1 – And Hannah prayed,
and said, My heart rejoiceth in the
Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord;
my mouth is enlarged over mine
enemies; because I rejoice in thy
salvation
 Hophni and Phinehas stole sacrifices
from the Lord and engaged in immoral
acts with the women assembled at the
door of the tabernacle
 Samuel ministered before the Lord
and wore a linen ephod; Hannah also
gave him a coat yearly when the family
goes to offer sacrifice; the Lord blessed
the couple with 3 sons and 2 daughters
 God cursed Eli and his descendants
because he honored his sons above the
Lord. No old man would come out of
their lineage, and they will be no
longer allowed to serve as priests
 1 Samuel 2:35 – And I will raise me up
a faithful priest, that shall do according
to that which is in mine heart and in
my mind: and I will build him a sure
house; and he shall walk before mine
anointed for ever
Chapter 3:
 A vision from God was rare in those
days
 1 Samuel 3:10 – And the Lord came,
Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel
answered, Speak; for thy servant
heareth
 God revealed to Samuel that his curse
againt Eli’s house will soon come to
fulfillment
 Samuel was known as a prophet of God
Chapter 4:
 War between Israelites and
Philistines; Israelites pitched beside
Eben-ezer and Philistines pitched in
Aphek
 4,000 men were killed in battle
 The elders wanted to fetch the ark of
the covenant out of Shiloh
 The Philistines were afraid, but they
defeated Israel; 30,000 footmen died;
the ark was taken; Hophni and
Phinehas were killed
 A messenger from the tribe of
Benjamin told Eli of the news; Eli fell
down and broke his neck. He judged
Israel for 40 years
 The wife of Phinehas gave birth to a
son, named him Ichabod: the glory is
departed from Israel, because the ark
of God was taken; she died of
childbirth
Chapter 5
 The Philistines brought the ark of the
covenant to Ashdod and set it inside
the temple of their god, Dagon
 The first night, they found Dagon’s
statue on the ground; the second night,
it was on the ground again but the
hands and head were cut off
 God punished the people of Ashdod
with emerods
 Their lords sent the ark to Gath; the
same fate befell the people there
 Then they sent it to Ekron, and the
Ekronites complained
 They decided to send the ark back to
Israel
Chapter 6
 The Philistines had the ark for 7
months
 Trespass offering: five golden
emerods, five golden mice, according
to the number of the lords of the
Philistines (Ashdod, Gaza, Askelon,
Gath, Ekron)
 The ark will be carried on a cart by two
milch kine on which there hath come
no yoke; the offering will be placed in
a coffer beside the cart
 The kine took the straight way to Beth-
shemesh; the people who were
harvesting wheat saw the ark and
rejoiced
 The kine stopped at the field of Joshua
the Beth-shemite, and they offered the
kine on an altar for the Lord
 God killed fifty thousand and three
score and ten men, because they
looked into the ark of God
 1 Samuel 6:20 – And the men of Beth-
shemesh said, Who is able to stand
before this holy Lord God? and to
whom shall he go up from us?
 They sent messengers to Kirjath-
jearim asking them to take the ark
Chapter 7
 The ark was brought to the house of
Abinadab, and his son Eleazar was
sanctified to keep the ark
 The ark was in Kirjath-jearim for 20
years
 1 Samuel 7:3 – And Samuel spake unto
all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do
return unto the LORD with all your
hearts, then put away the strange gods
and Ashtaroth from among you, and
prepare your hearts unto the LORD,
and serve him only: and he will deliver
you out of the hand of the Philistines
 Samuel gathered the Israelites to
Mizpeh so he can pray for them there
 The Philistines decided to attack Israel
when they were gathered in Mizpeh
 Samuel offered a whole sucking lamb
continued praying to the Lord, and he
heard his prayers
 God sent a great thunder to the
Philistines, and they were discomfited
 The Lord smote the Philistines before
Israel, and the Israelites chased the
remaining men and killed them until
Bethcar
 Samuel set a stone between Mizpeh
and Shen, and called it Ebenezer:
Hitherto hath the Lord saved us
 1 Samuel 7:15 – And Samuel judged
Israel all the days of his life
 Bethel -> Gilgal -> Mizpeh
 He built an altar to the Lord in Ramah,
his birthplace
Chapter 8
 Samuel has 2 sons: Joel and Abiah.
They were judges over Beersheba, but
they were unlike Samuel in manner
 Israel requested for a king. Samuel did
not agree, and he prayed to God about
it. God was displeased but allows it,
since Israel does not listen
 Sons: for his chariots, to be horsemen
or runners; captains over thousands or
over fifties; ear his ground, reap his
harvest, make instruments of war, and
instruments of chariots
 Daughters: confectionaries, cooks,
bakers
 Best of fields, vineyards, oliveyards
given to servants; tenth of the seed and
vineyards given to officers and
servants
 Menservants, maidservants, goodliest
young men, and asses
 Tenth of the sheep, and they will
become servants
Chapter 9
 Saul, a choice young man. Son of Kish
of the tribe of Benjamin
 Kish’s asses got lost, and he instructed
Saul to take a servant and find them.
They failed, and the servant suggested
that they ask the man of God where to
 find the asses. They planned on giving
him a fourth part of a shekel of silver
 God told Samuel that he would meet a
young man. He would be appointed as
captain of Israel to save them out of the
hands of the Philistines
 Samuel invited Saul to stay with him
for a day, told him that he is the answer
to Israel’s desire and not worry about
the asses, because they have been
found
 Samuel made Saul sit on the seat of
honor, among thirty men. He also gave
him the special portion (shoulder) set
apart for Saul
 Samuel talked with Saul after eating
Chapter 10
 1 Samuel 10:1 – Then Samuel took a
vial of oil, and poured it upon his head,
and kissed him, and said, Is it not
because the Lord hath anointed thee to
be captain over his inheritance?
 God’s signs: two men at Rachel’s
sepulchre at the border of Benjamin in
Zelzah will tell him that the asses were
found but his father is mourning for
him; at the plain of Tabor, he will meet
three men going up to Bethel. One is
carrying 3 kids, another carrying 3
loaves of bread, and another carrying a
bottle of wine, they will salute him and
give him 2 loaves of bread; at the hill of
God, he will meet a company of
prophets carrying a psaltery, a tabret,
a pipe, and a harp. They will prophesy
before him and Saul will prophesy
with them
 When all the signs are fulfilled, Saul
will go to Gilgal and wait 7 days for
Samuel where he will offer burnt
offerings and sacrifice sacrifices of
peace offerings
 The signs happened, and Saul
prophesied. The people were
astounded. Saul did not tell his uncle
what Samuel said to him regarding his
kingship
 Saul was chosen king by draw lots.
When it was time to present him to the
people, he was found hiding among the
stuff
 God touched the hearts of some men,
and these men followed Saul. But there
were also men who despised him, sons
of Belial
Chapter 11
 Nahash the Ammonite surrounded the
city of Jabesh-Gilead. The men tried to
make a covenant with Nahash, but he
will only agree to it if he can gouge the
right eyes of every man in the city
 The elders pleaded for a 7-day period
to send messengers to find someone
who can save them
 Saul found out about the situation at
Jabesh-gilead, so he cut up oxen and
sent them to all of Israel with the
message: whoever does not respond to
this call to arms with Saul and Samuel
will be cut up like the oxen
 Israel: three hundred thousand; Judah:
thirty thousand
 By the time the sun be hot, the army
will come to help Jabesh-gilead
 Saul divided the people into three
companies
 Saul is accepted as Israel’s king
Chapter 12
 Samuel transfers the leadership to
Saul
 Israel witnessed that Samuel led them
in a Godly way
 Samuel reminded them of God’s
sovereignity. He also reminded them
that it was their idea to have a king
 Samuel told Israel of that the hand of
God will be against them if them or
their king stray from God
 God demonstrated his power through
Samuel, he sent thunder and rain on
the wheat harvest day. This shows
God’s anger because of Israel’s desire
for a king
  Samuel promised Israel that God will
not forsake his people, and Samuel will
continue praying for them and
teaching them God’s way
 1 Samuel 12:24 – Only fear the Lord,
and serve him in truth with all your
heart: for consider how great things he
hath done for you
Chapter 13
 During his 2nd year as king, Saul chose
3 thousand men; 2 thousand was with
him in Michmash and in Mount Bethel,
while 1 thousand were with Jonathan
in Gibeah. Jonathan smote the
garrison of the Philistines in Geba
 The Philistines gathered their army:
30 thousand chariots, six thousand
horsemen, and people as the sand
 Saul waited for Samuel for 7 days, but
he did not come, so he made offerings
to the Lord himself
 Samuel reproached him, and told him
that his reign will not continue
because of his disobedience and
impatience
 Philistines had 3 companies: one on
the way that lead to Ophrah unto the
land of Shual, one on the way to Beth-
horon, and one on the way of the
border overlooking the valley of Ze-
boim. Israel’s army was down to 600
men
 Israel’s army had no weapons
Chapter 14
