1 Samuel - His Glory

1 Samuel 1

1 Samuel Chapter 1 begins with the brief genealogy of a man called Elkanah, who had two wives. The name of one wife was Peninnah and the other’s name was Hannah.

1 Samuel 2

In 1 Samuel Chapter 2, Samuel’s mother, Hannah, praises the Lord for allowing her to have Samuel and dedicate him to the temple. She warns the people to not be arrogant for God weighs their actions. He can make the rich poor and the poor rich. She says that He can also bring up a lowly man and cast down a man who is too full of himself. God will also destroy His enemies and exalt those who believe in Him.

1 Samuel 3

1 Samuel Chapter 3 centers on the Lord calling on Samuel, but Samuel thinks it is Eli calling him instead. Samuel was an apprentice minister of the Lord and he worked under the tutelage of Eli. He did so at a time when the Lord rarely spoke to His people and imparting visions was equally rare.

1 Samuel 4

1 Samuel Chapter 4, recalls how the Philistines conquer Israel and the death of Eli the priest. Samuel has become known throughout Israel as a prophet to whom the Lord has spoken.

1 Samuel 5

The Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant and carried it from Ebenezer to Ashdod where they put it into Dagon’s temple next to the statue of Dagon.

1 Samuel 6

In 1 Samuel Chapter 6, the Ark of the Covenant has been in Philistine hands for seven months and they are suffering from it being in their presence. They wish to send it back. Their priests tell them if they send the Ark back to the Israelites, they should not send it empty but send a guilt offering along with it.

1 Samuel 7

The events in 1 Samuel Chapter 7 happen immediately after the Philistines have returned the Ark of the Covenant to the Israelites. The men of Kiriath Jearim come to the town where the Ark was sent and bring it to the home of a man called Abinadab.

1 Samuel 8

In 1 Samuel Chapter 8, Samuel is now old. He names his sons to replace him as judge of the Israelites. His firstborn son is called Joel, and his second son is called Abijah.

1 Samuel 9

1 Samuel 1

1 Samuel Chapter 9 chronicles the incident of when Samuel was told to anoint Saul.

1 Samuel 10

In 1 Samuel Chapter 10, Samuel anoints Saul with oil, kisses him, and tells him that God has made him the king. Samuel tells Saul that when he leaves that day, he will meet two men near the tomb of Rachel. They will tell Saul that they found the donkeys that Saul is looking for and that Saul’s father is worried about him.

1 Samuel 11

An Ammonite named Nahash went to Jabesh Gilead and besieged the city. The men of the city offered a treaty and said they would become Nahash’s subjects. However, Nahash said that he would only agree to this if he could disgrace all of Israel by gouging out the right eye of each of the men.

1 Samuel 12

1 Samuel Chapter 12 presents Samuel’s farewell speech. The speech is issued after Samuel invested a long life as a prophet of the Lord.

1 Samuel 13

In 1 Samuel Chapter 13, the reader is told that Saul became the king when he was 30 years old and his reign lasted 42 years. Saul picks 3,000 Israelite men, 2,000 of which stayed with him in Mikmash and the rest stayed with his son Jonathan, who was in Gibeah. Saul sends the rest of the men home.

1 Samuel 14

At the conclusion of the previous chapter, the host of Israel was left in a very bad predicament. There was no goodness, strength or wisdom to acknowledge. The expectation was more that they should be taken out by the Philistine army. Still, Samuel’s words were made good as he said, “The Lord will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake.”

1 Samuel 15

Samuel told Saul that the Lord had sent him to anoint Saul as the king over the people of Israel. He said that the Lord had a message for Saul. The message was that Saul was to destroy the Amalekites right down to the last living creature because of the way they had destroyed the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.