1–2 Samuel Study Notes

by David Gooding

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Study Notes

Introduction

Historical Setting

1. First Samuel records the change-over in Israel.

   From: Rule by judges (raised up by God from time to time to meet emergencies in particular tribes). To: Rule by permanently established, hereditary monarchs.

2. The people's demand for an hereditary monarchy was occasioned by:

   • The failure of the judges.
   • The failure of the Levites.
   • The failure of the all-tribal assembly.
   • The failure of the priesthood.
3. The hereditary monarchs also turned out in the end to be failures.
4. These failures cry out for the coming of God's perfect Judge, Levite, Counsellor, Priest and King.

The Scope

1. The first king was a disaster and God rejected him. But First Samuel ends with 'the king after God's heart'; though anointed by God, still rejected by Israel as a whole, and in exile among the Gentiles. The major theme of First Samuel therefore is: the problems involved in becoming king.
2. Second Samuel tells how David eventually returned from the Gentiles and became king, first of Judah, and then of all Israel. The major theme of Second Samuel therefore is: the problems involved in being king.

Points for Special Notice

1. • Near the beginning of 1 Samuel, Israel, through the sin of the priests, lose the ark to the Gentiles.
   • Near the end, Israel, through the envy of the king, lose the 'messiah' to the Gentiles.
2. • The central chapters of 1 Samuel record Saul's sin against God in regard to Amalek.
   • The central chapters of 2 Samuel record David's failures and sin with Bathsheba.
3. • The central chapters of 1 Samuel record certain love stories (e.g. 1 Sam 18:16, 20).
     • The central chapters of 2 Samuel similarly record certain love stories, e.g. Ammon for his sister (2 Sam 13), David for Bathsheba (2 Sam 11–12).

Synopsis of 1 Samuel's Contents and Themes

1 Samuel 1:1–7:17

General Theme (1)

The corruption of the priesthood under Eli and his sons, viewed against the background of the true 'priestly' attitude of Hannah and Samuel.

1. Hannah's motivation in praying for a child.
2. Hannah's song, expressing God's principles of government.
3. The denunciation of the sins of Eli's house by a man of God.
4. Voices in the night: God announces to Samuel his judgment on Eli's house.

General Theme (2)

Two contrasting battles with the Philistines: one leading to defeat, the other to victory.

1. Israel's superstitious attempt to use the ark in the first battle as a means of religious magic is disowned by God. Israel loses the ark to the Gentiles.
2. The nature of Philistine religion and the power of the God of the ark among the Gentiles.
3. The miraculous return of the ark.
4. In the second battle, repentance, self-judgment and utter dependence on God, lead to Israel's victory.

Something to Ponder—Remarkable Females

• Hannah leaves her son in the tabernacle at Shiloh.
• Phinehas' wife leaves her son and 'goes home'.
• The two milk cows leave their 'sons' and take the ark back.

1 Samuel 8:1–15:35

General Theme

The problem of hereditary evil. Israel's false solution: the appointment of a big man who should set up an hereditary monarchy, and put down evil by sheer force. the falsity of this solution demonstrated. God rejects their king.

1. Israel's demand for a king: the rights and the wrongs of it. God's selection and training of Saul, and presentation to the people.
2. Saul's apparent vindication as king. Samuel's representation of the true situation. Thunder by day.
3. Saul fails his first and second tests.
4. Saul fails to destroy Amalek and is finally rejected by God. Voices in the night.

1 Samuel 16:1–22:2

General Theme

The problem of evil. The problem of the big man, rebellious and God-defying. God's solution is to anoint as king a man whose deliberate choice of weak weapons allows God's power to overcome the enemy. But Saul rejects and tries to kill God's king; who then falls into the hands of the gentiles, and goes into a cave.

1. God's strategy for replacing Saul with David. David's victory over Goliath and its result.
2. Saul determines to kill David. Saul's sin against the Holy Spirit. 'Messiah must go'. Messiah and the showbread. Messiah allows himself to fall into the hands off the Philistines. Messiah goes down into a cave.

1 Samuel 22:3–31:13

General Theme

David reappears to Israel and offers himself as saviour. Saul's opposition involves sacrilege against priesthood. David's 'justification' of himself. Under persecution from Saul, God's messiah eventually 'goes to the gentiles' and is largely lost to Israel, though a remnant is faithful to him. God's judgment descends on Saul and Israel.

1. David's 're-appearance' to Israel and his 'justification'.
2. Israel lose their messiah to the Gentiles. But he remains loyal to Israel and successfully deals with Amalek; while, for refusal to destroy Amalek, Saul is himself destroyed, by an Amalekite (2 Sam 1:1–16).

Synopsis of 2 Samuel's Contents and Themes

2 Samuel 1:1–8:18

General Theme

The return of God's anointed messiah to Israel as king, first in Hebron and then in Jerusalem. Principles in the takeover of power. The establishment of his kingdom and God's promise to build a dynasty (house) that should include the messiah (2 Sam 2:14; Heb 1:5).

1. David's attitude to the house of Saul and to the sanctities of life.
2. David's unification of Israel and his capture of Jerusalem: its significance in history, in theology (e.g. Gal 4; Heb 12), and in prophecy.
3. The bringing up of the ark to Jerusalem.
4. David's desire to build God a house and God's promise to build him one.

2 Samuel 9:1–14:33

General Theme

The problems of government (1): in this section and the next David suffers, through his own fault, a grievous rebellion, which nevertheless brings him nearer to understanding the heart of God, who also has suffered a vast rebellion.

1. Kindness, true and false; love, true and false.
2. Forgiveness of the penalty of sin, but not of its consequences.
3. Is punishment inconsistent with love? What is the purpose of punishment?
4. David's failure to deal properly with Absalom's crime, leads to Absalom's rebellion against David.

2 Samuel 15:1–19:8

General Theme

The problem of governing (2): David's reaction to the rebellion of the people, contrasted with Absalom's motives and methods in serving power, helps us to see who has the better claim to be the true king.

1. Absalom's false attitude to justice.
2. David takes practical steps but meekly leaves the verdict to God.
3. Absalom's vanity leads to his own defeat.

2 Samuel 19:8–20:26

General Theme

The return of the king from exile. David's questionable methods used to pacify the rebels and regain their loyalty.

1. Was David right:
   • To appoint Amasa to replace Joab?
   • In favouring the Judahites more than the Israelites?
   • In refusing to execute Shimei?
   • In his treatment of Mephibosheth and Ziba?
   • In the method used to end Sheba's revolt?
2. David's uneasy conscience over some of these issues is shown in 1 Kings 1–2, which many scholars think was originally a part of 2 Samuel.

2 Samuel 21:1–24:25

General Theme

The secret of David's power to command the love, loyalty and obedience of his nation, of his mighty men, and of his widespread gentile empire. A prototype of Christ's universal reign.

1. Saul and David contrasted their attitude towards Gentiles in Israel.
2. David's last words.
3. David's sin in numbering the people, and his offer to bear the judgment.

A Point for Discussion

1. Would you agree that:
   • David often disapproved of Joab's behaviour?
   • David seems to have been helplessly dominated by Joab?
2. What conclusions do you draw from the facts?
3. Is God responsible for all the sins and scandals committed by his servants?

1–2 Samuel Parallel Structure

Note: Due to the largeness of this chart, we cannot include it on this page. You can download the complete chart on the menu beside these study notes.

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