1 Samuel

From Commontary

The Book of 1 Samuel

Contents 1 Author 2 Date 3 Occasion & Purpose 4 Themes 5 Outline 6 Chiasms 6.1 1 Samuel 22-24 6.2 Saul to David [1]: 1 Samuel 11-31

Author

Date

Occasion & Purpose

Themes

Outline

I. 1 Samuel 1-7: Fall of the House of Eli and the Rise of Samuel

1 Samuel 1:1-28 Birth and Dedication of Samuel

1 Samuel 2:1-11 The House of Eli

1 Samuel 3:1-21 YHWH Calls Samuel

1 Samuel 4:1-22 Philistines Capture the Ark and Judgment on the House of Eli

1 Samuel 5:1-12 The Ark in Philistine Territory

1 Samuel 6:1-7:1 The Ark Returned to Israel

1 Samuel 7:2-17 Samuel Leads Covenant Renewal, Defeats Philistines, Sets Up Ebenezer

II. 1 Samuel 8-15: The Rise and Fall of Saul

1 Samuel 8:1-22 Israel Asks for a King

1 Samuel 9:1-10:8 Samuel Meets and Anoints Saul

1 Samuel 10:9-27 Saul Made King

1 Samuel 11:1-15 Saul Victorious; Reaffirmed as King

1 Samuel 12:1-25 Samuel's Sermon: Israel's Sin in Seeking a King

1 Samuel 13:1-23 Saul Disobeys and is Rebuked by Samuel

1 Samuel 14:1-52 Victories Over the Philistines

1 Samuel 15:1-35 YHWH Rejects Saul as King

III. 1 Samuel 16-31: Transfer of YHWH's Blessing from Saul to David

1 Samuel 16:1-23 Samuel Anoints David; David Plays for Saul

1 Samuel 17:1-58 David and Goliath

1 Samuel 18:1-30 Saul Jealous of David

1 Samuel 19:1-24 Saul Tries to Kill David

1 Samuel 20:1-42 David and Jonathan

1 Samuel 21:1-15 David on the Run: Eating Showbread, Acting Crazy

1 Samuel 22:1-23 Saul Kills Priests of Nob

1 Samuel 23:1-29 Saul Pursues David

1 Samuel 24:1-22 David Spares Saul's Life

1 Samuel 25:1-44 David, Abigail, and Nabal

1 Samuel 26:1-25 David Spares Saul's Life Again

1 Samuel 27:1-12 David Among the Philistines

1 Samuel 28:1-25 Saul and the Witch of Endor

1 Samuel 29:1-11 David Cannot Fight With Achish

1 Samuel 30:1-31 David Destroys the Amalekites

1 Samuel 31:1-13 Saul is Defeated and Commits Suicide

Chiasms

1 Samuel 22-24

A Saul's guard will not obey him to kill Ahimelech (anointed priest) (1 Sam 22:17)

B David fights Philistines (1 Sam 23:1-5)

C Saul tries to corner David at Keilah (1 Sam 23:7-8)

D men of Keilah would have surrendered David to Saul (1 Sam 23:12)

E Jonathan strengthens and encourages David (1 Sam 23:15-18)

D' Ziphites try to surrender David to Saul (1 Sam 23:19-24)

C' Saul tries to corner David at the Rock of Escape (1 Sam 23:25-26)

B' Saul fights Philistines (1 Sam 23:27-28)

A' David will not obey his men to kill Saul (God's “anointed”) (1 Sam 24:4-7)

Saul to David ^[1]: 1 Samuel 11-31

A: Saul saves Jabesh-gilead (1 Sam 11:5-11)

B: Jonathan curse to death because of Saul's oath (1 Sam 14:39-44)

C: Saul defeated Amalek (did not correct the army's sin) (1 Sam 15:7-8)

D: Judgment for not destroying Amalek (1 Sam 15:17-19)

E: Saul's kingdom torn & given to David (1 Sam 15:28-16:13)

F: Saul greatly afraid of Philistines (1 Sam 17:11)

G: David fights man of Gath (1 Sam 17:48-48)

H: Saul asks David who he is (1 Sam 17:55-58)

I: Saul tries to pin David with his spear (1 Sam 18:10-11)

J: David marries Michal (1 Sam 18:27)

K: Saul convinced not to kill David (1 Sam 19:6)

L: Saul tries to kill David (1 Sam 19:8-24)

M: Jonathan and David make covenant (1 Sam 20:1-42)

N: Ahimelech helps David (1 Sam 21:1-6)

O: Doeg at Nob (1 Sam 21:7)

P: David goes to king of Gath (1 Sam 21:10-15)

Q: David is captain of band (1 Sam 22:1-2)

P': David goes to king of Moab (1 Sam 22:3-4)

O': Doeg kills all the priests of Nob (1 Sam 22:9-19)

N': son of Ahimelech helps David (1 Sam 23:6-12)

M': Jonathan and David make covenant (1 Sam 23:16-18)

L': Saul hunts for David to kill him (1 Sam 23:19-29)

K': Saul convinced not to kill David (1 Sam 24:1-22)

J': David marries Abigail and Ahinoam (Michal marries another man) (1 Sam 25:42-44)

I': David refuses to use Saul's spear to kill him (1 Sam 26:8-12)

H': Saul asks David who he is (1 Sam 26:17)

G': David in Gath (1 Sam 27:1-4)

F': Saul greatly afraid of the Philistines (1 Sam 28:5)

E': Saul's kingdom torn & given to David (1 Sam 28:17)

D': Because Saul did not carry out wrath on Amalek (1 Sam 28:18)

C': David defeated Amalek (corrected the army's sin) (1 Sam 30:16-17)

B': Saul and sons die (1 Sam 31:6)

A': men of Jabesh-gilead honor Saul (1 Sam 31:11-13)