Books of Samuel: Difference between revisions

{{short description|Books of the Bible}}

{{Tanakh OT|Nevi'im|historical}}

The '''Book of Samuel''' ({{Lang-he|ספר שמואל}}, ''Sefer Shmuel'') is a book in the [[Hebrew Bible]], found as two books ('''1–2 Samuel''') in the [[Old Testament]]. The book is part of the [[Deuteronomistic history]], a series of books ([[Book of Joshua|Joshua]], [[Book of Judges|Judges]], Samuel, and [[Books of Kings|Kings]]) that constitute a theological history of the [[Israelites]] and that aim to explain [[Torah|God's law for Israel]] under the guidance of the prophets.{{sfn|Gordon|1986|p=18}}

 

The Jerusalem Bible divides the two Books of Samuel into five sections. Further subheadings are also based on subdivisions in that version:

 

 

===1 Samuel===

 

 

 

Eli's sons, [[Hophni and Phinehas]], sin against God's laws and the people, specifically by demanding raw rather than boiled meat for sacrifice and having sex with the tabernacle's serving women. But the child Samuel grows up "in the presence of the Lord": his family visits him each year, bringing a new coat for him, and Hannah has five more children. Eli tries to persuade his sons to stop their wickedness, but fails. As punishment for this, a holy man arrives, prophesying that Eli's family will be cut off and none of his descendants will see old age.

One night, God calls Samuel and, thinking Eli is calling him three times, he rushes to Eli. Eli informs him that God wishes to speak to him, and God informs Samuel that the earlier prophecy about Eli's family is correct. He is at first afraid to inform Eli of this, but Eli tells him not to be, and that God will do what is good in His sight. Over time, Samuel grows up and is recognised as a prophet.

 

The [[Philistines]], despite their initial worries when hearing the Israelite ritual of the entrance of the [[Ark of the Covenant]], defeat the Israelites at the [[Battle of Aphek]], [[Philistine captivity of the Ark|capturing the Ark]] and killing Hophni and Phinehas, thus fulfilling the earlier prophecy. When Eli hears of these two events, particularly the capture of the Ark, he falls off his chair and dies. His daughter-in-law, in turn, goes into labour at this, and names her son [[Ichabod]] ('without glory') in commemoration of the capture of the Ark.

 

Meanwhile, the Philistines take the Ark to the temple of their god [[Dagon]], who recognizes the supremacy of Yahweh. The Philistines are afflicted with plagues, are unable to take the Ark into any city on account of the fear of the populations of those cities, and return the ark to the Israelites, but to the territory of the [[tribe of Benjamin]], to the city of [[Beit Shemesh|Beth Shemesh]], rather than to Shiloh, from where it is passed to the city of [[Kiriath-Jearim|Kiriath Jearim]], where a new priest, [[Eleazar, son of Abinadab]], is appointed to guard the ark for the twenty years it is there. The Philistines attack the Israelites gathered at [[Mizpah in Gilead (Judges)|Mizpah]] in Benjamin. Samuel appeals to God, the Philistines are decisively beaten, and the Israelites reclaim their lost territory. Samuel sets up the [[Eben-Ezer]] (the stone of help) in remembrance of the battle, and takes his place as judge of Israel.

 

 

In Samuel's old age, he appoints his sons [[Joel (son of Samuel)|Joel]] and [[Abijah]] as judges but, because of their corruption, the people ask for a king to rule over them. God directs Samuel to grant the people their wish despite his concerns: God gives them [[Saul]] from the tribe of Benjamin, whom Samuel anoints during an attempt by Saul to locate his father's lost donkeys. He then invites Saul to a feast, where he gives him the best piece of meat, and they talk through the night on the roof of Samuel's house. Samuel tells Saul to return home, telling him the donkeys have been found and his father is now worrying about him, as well as describing a series of signs Saul will see on the way home. Saul begins to prophesy when he meets some prophets, confusing his neighbours. Eventually, Samuel publicly announces Saul as king, although not without controversy.

 

Shortly after, [[Nahash of Ammon]] lays siege to [[Jabesh-Gilead|Jabesh Gilead]] and demands that everyone in the city have their right eye gouged out as part of the peace treaty. The Jabeshites send out messengers, looking for a saviour. When Saul hears of the situation, he gathers a 330,000-strong army and launches a surprise attack at night, leading Israel to victory and saving Jabesh, thus proving those who doubted him wrong. Saul's kingship is renewed.

 

 

Despite his numerous military victories, Saul disobeys Yahweh's instructions. First of all, after a battle against the Philistines, he does not wait for Samuel to arrive before he offers sacrifices. Meanwhile, it turns out that the Philistines have been killing and capturing blacksmiths in order to ensure the Israelites do not have weapons, and so the Israelites go to war essentially with sharpened farm instruments. Saul's son [[Jonathan (1 Samuel)|Jonathan]] launches a secret attack by climbing a pass into the Philistine camp and kills twenty people in the process. The panic this creates leads to a victory for the Israelites. Jonathan finds some honey and eats it, despite a royal decree not to eat until evening.

 

Over time, Saul fights the [[Moab|Moabites]], the [[Ammon|Ammonites]], the [[Edom|Edomites]], the [[Zobah|Zobahites]], the Philistines and the [[Amalek|Amalekites]], winning victory over them all. His kingdom is in a constant state of war, and he constantly recruits new heroes to his army. However, he disobeys God's instruction to destroy Amalek: Saul spares [[Agag]], the Amalekite ruler, and the best portion of the Amalekite flocks to present them as sacrifices. Samuel rebukes Saul and tells him that God has now chosen another man to be king of Israel. Samuel then kills Agag himself.

 

 

Samuel travels to [[Bethlehem]] to visit a man named [[Jesse (biblical figure)|Jesse]], with God promising Samuel can anoint one of his sons as king. However, while inspecting Jesse's sons, God tells Samuel that none of them are to be king. God tells Samuel to anoint [[David]], the youngest brother, as king. Saul becomes ill and David comes to play the harp to him. Saul takes a liking to David and David enters Saul's court as his [[Squire|armor-bearer]] and [[harp]]ist.

 

Saul then plots David's death, but Jonathan talks him out of it.

 

Once again Saul tries to kill David with his spear, and so David decides to escape, lowered out of a window by Michal, who then takes an idol, covers it in clothes and places goat's hair on its head to cover David's escape. David visits Samuel. When Saul finds this out, he sends men to capture David, but when they see Samuel they begin prophesying, as does Saul when he tries to capture David himself.

 

David arrives at [[Nob, Israel|Nob]], where he meets [[Ahimelech]] the priest, a great-grandson of Eli. Pretending he is on a mission from the king and is going to meet his men, he asks for supplies. He is given the [[showbread]] and Goliath's sword. He then flees to [[Gath (city)|Gath]] and seeks refuge at the court of King [[Achish]], but feigns insanity since he is afraid of what the Philistines might do to him.

 

David travels to the cave of [[Adullam]] near his home, where his family visit him, until he finds refuge for them at the court of the king of Moab in [[Mizpah (Moab)|Mizpah]].

 

Saul decides to return to pursuing David, and the Ziphites alert him as to David's whereabouts. Saul returns to the desert of Ziph and sets up camp. One night, David and two companions, [[Achimelech]] the [[Biblical Hittites|Hittite]] and [[Abishai (biblical figure)|Abishai]] son of [[Zeruiah]] (his nephew), go to Saul's camp and find him asleep on the ground. Abishai advocates killing him, but David once again resists, content with taking a spear and water jug lying by Saul's head. The next morning, David advises [[Abner]], Saul's captain, to put the soldiers to death for not protecting Saul, citing the absence of the spear and water jug as evidence. Saul interrupts, and once again repents of his hunt. He blesses David, David returns his spear and Saul returns home.

 

David joins the Philistines out of fear of Saul, taking his wives with him and brutally destroying his enemies, largely the [[Geshurites]], the Girzites and the Amalekites, but makes the Philistines believe he is attacking the Israelites, the [[Jerahmeelite]]s and the [[Kenite]]s instead. King Achish is pleased with him, and supposes he will continue to serve him. Eventually, the Philistines go to war with the Israelites, and David goes with them.

 

===2 Samuel===

 

 

Back in Ziklag, three days after Saul's death, David receives news that Saul and his sons are dead. It transpires that the messenger is an Amalekite who, at Saul's insistence, had killed Saul to speed his death along, and brought his crown to David. David orders his death for having killed God's anointed. At this point, David offers a majestic eulogy, where he praises the bravery and magnificence of both his friend Jonathan and King Saul.<ref>{{bibleverse|2 Samuel|1:17–27|KJV}}</ref>

 

 

David returns to [[Hebron]] at God's instruction. The elders of Judah anoint David as king, and as his first act he offers a reward to the people of Jabesh Gilead for performing Saul's funerary rites. Meanwhile, in the north, Saul's son [[Ish-bosheth]], supported by Abner, has taken control of the northern tribes. David and Ish-bosheth's armies meet at the [[Pool of Gibeon]], and Abner and [[Joab]], another son of Zeruiah and David's general, agree to have soldiers fight in one-on-one combat. All this achieves is twelve men on each side killing each other, but a battle follows and David wins. During the Benjaminites' retreat, Joab's brother [[Asahel]] chases Abner and Abner kills him, shocking everyone. Joab and Abishai continue Asahel's pursuit. A truce is declared when they reach a hill to avoid further bloodshed, and Abner and his men are able to cross the [[Jordan River|Jordan]].

 

By this point, the only other surviving member of Ish-bosheth's family is [[Mephibosheth]], Jonathan's disabled son, who was dropped by his nurse as she attempted to escape the palace after the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. Ish-bosheth is murdered by [[Rechab]] and [[Baanah]], two of his captains who hope for a reward from David, who stab him and cut off his head. They bring his head to David, but David has them killed for killing an innocent man. They are hanged by the pool of Hebron and Ish-bosheth's head is buried in Abner's tomb.

 

David is anointed king of all Israel.

 

David wishes to build a temple, arguing that he should not be living in a palace while God lives in a tent. [[Nathan (Prophet)|Nathan]], a prophet, agrees. However, that night Nathan has a dream in which God informs him that David should not build him a temple for three reasons. Firstly, God has not commanded it, and has never complained about living in a tent before. Secondly, God is still working to build David and his house up and establish the Israelites in the [[Promised Land]]. Thirdly, God will establish one of David's sons as king. He will build the temple, and his house will never be out of power. When Nathan reports this to David, David prays to God, thanking him for these revelations. David defeats the enemies of Israel, slaughtering Philistines, [[Moab]]ites, [[Edom]]ites, Syrians, and [[Arameans]]. He then appoints a cabinet.

 

 

David asks if anyone from the House of Saul is still alive so that he can show kindness to them in memory of Jonathan. [[Ziba (biblical figure)|Ziba]], one of Saul's servants, tells him about Mephibosheth. David informs Mephibosheth that he will live in his household and eat at his table, and Mephibosheth moves to Jerusalem.

 

Nahash, king of Ammon dies and his son [[Hanun]] succeeds him. David sends condolences, but the Ammonites suspect his ambassadors are spies and humiliate them before sending them back to David. When they realise their mistake, they fear retaliation from David and amass an army from the surrounding tribes. When he hears that they are doing this, he sends Joab to lead his own army to their city gates, where the Ammonites are in battle formation. Joab decides to split the army in two: he will lead an elite force to attack the Aramean faction, while the rest of the army, led by Abisai, will focus on the Ammonites.

 

Back on the front line, in the city of [[Amman|Rabbah]], Joab has gained control of the water supply. Joab invites David to finish capturing the city so that it may be named after himself. David gathers an army and travels up himself. He wins a victory, crowns himself king of the Ammonites, takes a large amount of plunder and puts the Ammonites into forced labour before returning to Jerusalem.

 

A complicated controversy begins to develop within the palace. [[Amnon]], David's son by Ahinoam, becomes lovesick for [[Tamar (daughter of David)|Tamar]], David's daughter by [[Maacah]], daughter of [[Talmai]], king of [[Geshur]]. Amnon's advisor and cousin [[Jonadab]] suggests he pretend to be ill and ask Tamar to come and prepare bread for him so he can eat out of her hand. When she comes to his house, Amnon tells her to come to his bedroom. Here, after she refuses to have sex with him, Amnon rapes her. He then forces her to leave the house. She rips the gown which symbolises she is a virgin, puts ashes on her hand and walks around wailing. Tamar's brother, [[Absalom]], and David learn about this and become angry.

 

David is told of the increasing support for Absalom and decides to flee Jerusalem. He takes with him his wives and concubines, with the exception of ten, and a number of [[Cherethites and Pelethites|Cerethites, Pelethites]] and Gittites, led by a general named Ittai, who comes with David only after insisting on it. Abiathar and another priest named [[Zadok]], together with a number of [[Tribe of Levi|Levites]] who are guarding the Ark, also come, but go back when David tells them to return the Ark to Jerusalem. The procession climbs the [[Mount of Olives]], where he meets his confidant [[Hushai]] the [[Arqa|Arkite]], who he sends back to Jerusalem to act as a spy, seeking to disrupt Ahitophel's plans.

 

 

Back in Jerusalem, Ahitophel and Hushai arrive at Absalom's court. Absalom is at first suspicious of Hushai's presence, but ultimately accepts him. Ahitophel suggests Absalom sleeps with David's concubines who he left to take care of the palace in order to entrench the division between David and Absalom, so Absalom pitches a tent on the palace roof and does this in the view of all the Israelites. Ahitophel then suggests launching a sneak attack on David with 12,000 men. Hushai points out that David and his men are fighters, and that they could defeat the men, reducing morale. He suggests Absalom form a much larger army and lead it into battle himself.

Amasa meets Abishai and Joab at [[Gibeon (ancient city)|Gibeon]]. Amasa goes to meet Joab, but Joab's dagger falls out of his tunic, stabbing Amasa in the stomach, killing him. He is covered with a cloth and placed in a field, and the army continues pursuing Sheba. They meet him at [[Abel-beth-maachah|Abel Beth Maakah]], a stronghold of Sheba's rebellion, and begin to lay siege to it. A wise woman asks them why they want to destroy the city, and Joab responds they don't want to destroy it, but merely end Sheba's rebellion. The wise woman cuts off Sheba's head and throws it to Joab from the city walls, thus ending the siege.

 

2 Samuel concludes with four chapters, chapters 21 to 24, that lie outside the chronological succession narrative of Saul and David, a narrative that will continue in The Book of Kings. Chapter 21 tells the story of a three-year long famine which takes place at the start of David's reign. God explains this is a punishment for Saul's genocide of the Gibeonites, a people group who are the remnants of the [[Amorites]], whom Israel had promised to spare but Saul has massacred. David calls the Gibeonites and asks what he can do to make amends, hoping this will end the famine.

 

{{Refbegin|2|indent=yes}}

* {{Cite book|last=Auld|first=Graeme|chapter=1 & 2 Samuel|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Vo-11umIZQC&q=There+are+two+common+types+of+strategy+for+reading+the+books+of+Samuel&pg=PA213|editor=James D. G. Dunn and John William Rogerson|title=Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837110}}

*{{cite CE1913|last=Bechtel|first= Florentine Stanislaus|wstitle=First and Second Books of Kings|volume=8}}

* {{Cite book|last=Bergen|first=David T.|title=1, 2 Samuel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eGT6fWsajqcC&q=I+%26+II+Samuel%3A+a+commentary+Gordon&pg=PA49|publisher=B&H Publishing Group|year=1996|isbn=9780805401073}}

* {{Cite book|last=Gordon|first=Robert|title=I & II Samuel, A Commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JMJ1ZAnswuUC&q=I+%26+II+Samuel:+a+commentary+Gordon&pg=PA338|publisher=Paternoster Press|year=1986|isbn=9780310230229}}

* {{Cite book|last=Halpern|first=Baruch|title=David's Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tn8PG4XfuBAC&q=lahmi+bethlehemite&pg=PA8|isbn=9780802827975}}

* {{Cite book|last=Jones|first=Gwilym H|chapter=1 and 2 Samuel|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wCRYl9Ikk6EC&q=Gwilym+Jones+1+and+2+Samuel&pg=PA196|editor=John Barton and John Muddiman|title=The Oxford Bible Commentary|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2001|isbn=9780198755005}}

* {{Cite book|last=Klein|first=R.W.|chapter=Samuel, books of|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6OJvO2jMCr8C&q=narrative+sources+books+of+samuel&pg=PA314|editor=Bromiley, Geoffrey W|title=The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia|publisher=Eerdmans|year=2003|isbn=9780802837844}}

* {{Cite book|last=Knight|first=Douglas A|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNLN1nEEys0C&q=630+BCE&pg=PA62|editor=James Luther Mays, David L. Petersen and Kent Harold Richards|chapter=Chapter 4 Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomists|title=Old Testament Interpretation|publisher=T&T Clark|year=1995|isbn=9780567292896|page=62}}

* {{Cite book|last=Knight|first=Douglas A|chapter=Sources|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=goq0VWw9rGIC|editor1=Watson E. Mills|editor2= Roger Aubrey Bullard|editor3=Edgar V. McKnight|title=Mercer Dictionary of the Bible|publisher=Mercer University Press|year=1991|isbn=9780865543737}}

*{{cite book |last1=Lawee |first1=Eric |title=Isaac Abarbanel's Stance Toward Tradition: Defense, Dissent, and Dialogue |date=2012 |publisher=SUNY Press |isbn=978-0-7914-8988-8 |pages=180–181 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZmvO5K43Kv8C&pg=PA180 |language=en}}

* McCarter Jr., P. Kyle (1984). ''II Samuel: A New Translation With Introduction and Commentary By''. Anchor Bible. {{ISBN|9780385068086}}.

[[Category:6th-century BC books]]

[[Category:Kingdom of Israel (united monarchy)]]

[[Category:Works set in the 11th century BC]]

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[[Category:Phoenicians in the Hebrew Bible]]

[[Category:Historical books]]