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}}

 

====Samuel (1:1–7:17)====

 

A man named [[Elkanah]], an [[Tribe of Ephraim|Ephraimite]] from the city of [[Ramathaim-Zophim]], has two wives, [[Peninnah]] and [[Hannah (biblical figure)|Hannah]], the latter of whom is his favourite wife, and a rivalry between the two develops based on the fact that Peninnah has children and Hannah does not. The childless Hannah vows to [[Yahweh|Yahweh lord of hosts]] that, if she has a son, he will be dedicated to God. [[Eli (Bible)|Eli]], the priest of [[Shiloh (biblical city)|Shiloh]], where the [[Ark of the Covenant]] is located, thinks she is drunk, but when he realises she is praying, he blesses her. A child named [[Samuel (Bible)|Samuel]] is born, and Samuel is dedicated to the Lord as a [[Nazirite]]{{snd}}the only one besides [[Samson]] to be identified in the Bible. Hannah sings a [[Song of Hannah|song of praise]] upon the fulfilment of her vow.

 

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]].

 

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.

 

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.

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

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

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

[[Category:Works set in the 10th century BC]]

[[Category:Phoenicians in the Hebrew Bible]]

[[Category:Historical books]]