The book of 1 Samuel revolves around three men — Samuel, Saul and David. The first seven chapters of the book focus on Samuel, recounting his birth, his youth, and his calling as the last of the great judges of Israel. The next eight chapters focus on Saul, who was appointed the first king of Israel but who abused his power — a problem common to many leaders who are not submissive to God.
The final and longest section of 1 Samuel, chapters 16-31, focuses on David. David was anointed king long before he began his reign but he waited for many years for God to place him on the throne. David served King Saul as a loyal servant, but then had to flee for his life because Saul became jealous of David. At the close of 1 Samuel, Saul and his sons die in battle against the Philistine army. As 2 Samuel opens, David finally starts his reign as king.
What does it say?
The book of Judges ends with these words: "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." First Samuel, which continues on the record of Israel's history, is about the establishment of the kingship in Israel. It begins with the life of Samuel, who would not become a king, but would become God's emissary to anoint Israel's first king, Saul, and second king, David.
It is interesting that only the birth of Samuel is recounted, not those of Saul and David, especially since the companion volumes of 1 and 2 Samuel are primarily about the life and reign of these two kings. Samuel was God's spokemen to guide the kingship until his death in chapter 25.
Chapters 1-7 is about Samuel's early life. We also read about the havoc God brought upon the Philistines when they invaded Israel and stole the ark of God. Samuel emerged as judge, leading Israel to repentance and deliverance from their Philistine neighbors.
In chapters 8-15, Israel has rejected God as their sovereign and chooses instead to have a human king. They want to be like the other nations. God instructs Samuel to anoint Saul as king and warns the people what will happen when Saul ceases to rule for God and begins to rule for himself, which he will certainly do.
Chapters 16-31 focus on David, who is anointed king by Samuel some 15 years before he will actually begin to reign. David lives and serves in Saul's household and must run for his life as Saul's jealousy and paranoid fear continue to grow. First Samuel closes with the death of Saul and all his sons in battle with the Philistines.
Faces & Places
It should be no surprise that the first significant character in 1 Samuel is Samuel himself. Samuel was the last great judge of Israel and one of its first prophets. Samuel's birth (see 1:20) was an answer to the heartfelt prayers of his mother Hannah.
Saul was the first human king of Israel. Though he began his reign with humility, he soon became proud and deliberately disobeyed God. When God removed him form the throne, David became the second king of Israel. First Samuel tells of David's life before his reign began.
An additional character of note is Eli the priest who raised Samuel as a young child in the temple of God.
Among the important places mentioned in 1 Samuel are Ashdod, Gath, and Ekron. These Philistine cities had the misfortune of being hiding places for the ark of God when it was stolen from Israel. God wreaked havoc on each city as long as the ark was there. The Philistines finally returned the ark, and the men of Israel brought it to Kiriath Jearim, where it remained until David delivered it to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6:2-3.
Key Verses & Themes
Kingship:
1 Samuel 8:7 "And the Lord told him [Samuel]: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king."
Obedience:
1 Samuel 13:14 "But now your kingship will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command."
1 Samuel 15:22 "But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams."
Covenant:
While the term "covenant" does not appear in the passage, 1 Samuel 11:12-12:25 is an impassioned exhortation to the people by Samuel to keep their covenant with God.
So what?
1 Samuel tells us much about what God had in mind when he instituted human leadership. Leadership is always to be leadership "under God," and not "under the leader." Saul led Israel for himself, while David led Israel for God. That was the difference. Leadership is a stewardship not an ownership.
As you read this book, also notice God's plan for David. He chose and anointed young David long before his reign would ever begin. He chose the most unassuming son of Jesse to become Israel's greatest king. He protected David through all of Saul's hatred and threats. To every Christian, God tells us we were chosen before the creation of the world (see Ephesians 1:4) and that every crash and turn in our life is under his watchful care (see Romans 8:28). David's unusual looking life is really a picture of ours, laid out for us to learn from.
