BIBLE STUDY --- BOOKS OF THE TANAKH {NEVI’IM}

BOOKS OF 1 & 2 SAMUEL --- PART 2

SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE {1 SAMUEL 13:1-22}

When Saul was threatened with an imminent attack from the Philistines, he gathered troops at Gilgal and awaited Samuel, as he had been instructed {10:8; 13:8}. When it appeared that Samuel would not come within the prearranged time, Saul became impatient and offered a sacrifice himself {13:9}. Just as the sacrifice was completed, Samuel appeared and rebuked Saul for not keeping the Commandment of Adonai. In disobeying Samuel’s previous instructions, Saul had violated a fundamental requirement of his office. He was seriously mistaken in thinking he could strengthen Israel’s hand against the Philistines by sacrifice to Adonai when this was done in violation of Adonai’s specific command. Samuel told Saul that because of his disobedience his dynasty would not endure {verse 14}.

JONATHAN’S VICTORY {1 SAMUEL 13:23–14:52}

Saul’s son Jonathan and Jonathan’s armour bearer skilfully and courageously attacked a Philistine outpost, killing about 20 men {14:8-14}. Adonai used this defeat, along with an earthquake, to bring panic to the entire Philistine force. In the meantime, Saul sought divine guidance on whether to join the fray with his own forces. When Adonai’s answer did not come immediately, Saul concluded that waiting for Adonai’s word might jeopardize his military advantage. Here again he demonstrated that he trusted more in his own insight than in waiting upon Adonai. Saul further damaged his own stature in the eyes of his troops by pronouncing a foolish curse on any who would eat food before the battle was won. This nearly cost Jonathan his life; he was spared only because of the intervention of the troops in his defence.

SAUL REJECTED AS KING {1 SAMUEL 15:1-35}

Saul was Commanded by Adonai through Samuel to attack the Amalekites and totally destroy them, sparing neither human nor animal life. The Amalekites had previously attempted to destroy Israel shortly after their exodus from Egypt while journeying to Sinai {Exodus 17:8-16}. Saul disobeyed Adonai in sparing the best of the animals for sacrifice and in sparing Agag, the Amalekite king. Adonai sent Samuel again to rebuke Saul for his disobedience. Samuel charged Saul with rebellion against Adonai and told him that, because he had rejected the Word of Adonai, Adonai had rejected him as king.

SAUL AND DAVID {1 SAMUEL 16:1—2 SAMUEL 1:27}

SAMUEL ANOINTS DAVID {1 SAMUEL 16:1-13}

Adonai instructed Samuel to go to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint one of his sons to be king in place of Saul. By divine leading, Jesse’s youngest son David, was shown to be the one whom Adonai had chosen. When Samuel anointed him as king, the Spirit of Adonai came upon him with power.

DAVID IN THE SERVICE OF SAUL {1 SAMUEL 16:14–17:58}

When Saul became plagued by an evil spirit, his attendants sought a harpist whose music would soothe him. David was the one chosen for this purpose. The position at the court however, was not permanent, and David divided his time between the court and his home duties. In due time, the Philistines, led by the giant Goliath, encamped against the Israelites. Goliath challenged any Israelite who dared to meet him in individual combat. No Israelite ventured to accept his challenge until David, who was visiting the camp of the Israelite forces to bring food to his brothers, heard the challenge and responded in the strength and power of Adonai. Adonai gave David a great victory because he acknowledged that “the battle is Adonai’s” {17:47}.

SAUL’S HATRED TOWARD DAVID {1 SAMUEL 18:1–19:24}

In the aftermath of David’s victory over Goliath, Saul’s son Jonathan pledged loyalty to David in a Covenant of friendship. As David achieved further successes in leading Israel’s armies, and as his public acclaim grew, Saul began to fear that David was a threat to his throne {18:14-16, 28-30}. Saul, hating David, made several attempts to kill him {18:17, 25; 19:1, 10}. David was finally forced to flee and sought refuge with Samuel at Ramah. When Saul and three of his messengers went to Ramah to arrest David, they were so overcome by the Spirit of YHVH that they were incapable of fulfilling their mission.

DAVID AND JONATHAN {1 SAMUEL 20:1-42}

David’s absence from the royal table at the new moon festival provoked Saul to again threaten David’s life. Jonathan met with David at a prearranged place to inform him of the danger and say good-bye. Jonathan and David again pledged themselves to mutual loyalty and kindness. In the encounter it is clear that both men knew that David, not Jonathan, would be the successor to Saul on the throne of Israel.

DAVID AT NOB {1 SAMUEL 21:1-9}

David went to the priest Ahimelech at Nob and, indicating he was on a secret mission for Saul, asked for bread and for the sword of Goliath, both of which were given to him. One of Saul’s servants, Doeg the Edomite, who was at Nob, observed the transaction.

DAVID AT GATH {1 SAMUEL 21:10-15}

David then went into Philistine territory to King Achish at Gath. When his identity was discovered, he feigned insanity in order to escape.

DAVID AT ADULLAM {1 SAMUEL 22:1-5}

From Gath David went to the cave of Adullam where he was joined by about 400 supporters. He took his parents to Moab for their own protection and then returned to the Forest of Hereth in Judah.

SAUL KILLS THE PRIESTS AT NOB {1 SAMUEL 22:6-23}

Doeg the Edomite reported to Saul that Ahimelech the priest had given assistance to David. At Saul’s command Doeg massacred all the priests at Nob except Abiathar, who escaped with the ephod and joined David.

DAVID AT KEILAH {1 SAMUEL 23:1-13}

David and his men delivered the citizens of Keilah from Philistine raiders but were forced to leave the city when it was apparent that its unthankful inhabitants were prepared to hand David over to Saul.

DAVID IN THE DESERT OF ZIPH {1 SAMUEL 23:14-29}

While David was in the desert of Ziph, he was encouraged by a visit from Jonathan, who again pledged to him his loyalty. Although the Ziphites promised to aid Saul in capturing David, a Philistine attack forced Saul to abandon his attempt to apprehend him.

DAVID SPARES SAUL’S LIFE {1 SAMUEL 24:1-22}

While hiding deep in a cave at En-gedi, David was unexpectedly provided the opportunity to take Saul’s life when Saul relieved himself at the entrance to the cave. Nevertheless, because Saul was “the anointed of Adonai,” David spared his life and shamed him into confessing his own wickedness. David did this by showing Saul a piece of his robe that he had cut off while Saul was in the entrance to the cave.

DAVID, NABAL, AND ABIGAIL {1 SAMUEL 25:1-44}

David was badly mistreated by a sheepherder named Nabal. David was deterred however, from foolishly taking the man’s life by the discerning words of Nabal’s wife, Abigail. Shortly after this incident, Nabal died and David took Abigail as his wife.

DAVID SPARES SAUL’S LIFE A SECOND TIME {1 SAMUEL 26:1-25}

For a second time, the Ziphites joined Saul in attempting to capture David. While Saul and his men were sleeping, David and Abishai crept into their camp and took Saul’s spear and water jug. On the next day, David was again able to demonstrate to Saul that he did not seek to steal the kingship from his hands.

DAVID AMONG THE PHILISTINES {1 SAMUEL 27:1-12}

David eventually became weary of hiding from Saul in Israelite territory; in a time of discouragement, he went again to Philistia to seek refuge beyond Saul’s reach. Ingratiating himself with Achish, a Philistine ruler, he was given the town of Ziklag as a place for himself and his men to reside. From Ziklag, David raided various tribes inhabiting the area south of Philistia, but deceived Achish into thinking he was raiding the territory of Judah.

SAUL AND THE MEDIUM OF ENDOR {1 SAMUEL 28:1-25}

The Philistines again gathered an army to fight Israel, and Saul, terrified and seemingly anticipating an imminent defeat, vainly sought for some word from Adonai concerning the outcome of the battle. When this was denied, he went in disguise to a medium at Endor and requested her to bring up to him the spirit of Samuel. Saul was told by this spirit that Israel would be defeated and that he and his sons would die in the upcoming battle.

THE PHILISTINES MISTRUST DAVID {1 SAMUEL 29:1-11}

Although Achish desired David to join the Philistine army in its battle with Israel, the other Philistine commanders mistrusted him and forced Achish to send David and his men back to Ziklag. This turn of events rescued David from a serious dilemma created by his apparent friendship with Achish.

DAVID DEFEATS THE AMALEKITES {1 SAMUEL 30:1-31}

Upon returning to Ziklag, David discovered that in his absence the city had been raided and burned by the Amalekites and that their wives, children, and cattle had been taken captive. After inquiring of Adonai through Abiathar the priest, David and his men went in pursuit of the Amalekites and recovered all they had taken and more. He divided the plunder among his troops and sent gifts from it to various towns in Judah.

THE DEATH OF SAUL AND HIS SONS {1 SAMUEL 31:1—2 SAMUEL 1:27}

As had been predicted, the battle with the Philistines ended in a disastrous defeat for Israel, in which Saul took his own life after being seriously wounded. Jonathan and two other sons of Saul were killed. David mourned for Saul and Jonathan and exalted their memory in his tribute to them recorded in 2 Samuel 1:19-27.