The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 16-25

S3E54: Introduction to the David story (1 Samuel 16 - 1 Kings 3)

Issues to consider when engaging the David story (PDF)

David’s introduction in three stories (PDF)

Structure of 1 Samuel 15-31 (PDF)

S3E55: Seeking a replacement for Saul (1 Samuel 16.1-7)

Scenes in 1 Samuel 16 (PDF)

Comings and goings in 1 Samuel 16 (PDF)

Seeing in 1 Samuel 16 (PDF)

S3E56: "Rise and anoint, for this is the one" (1 Samuel 16.8-13)

How David is described in 1 Samuel 16 (PDF)

S3E57: David becomes a servant of Saul (1 Samuel 16.14-18)

1 Samuel 16.14-23 chiasm (PDF)

S3E58: And David stood before Saul (1 Samuel 16.19-23)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E59: Introduction to the David and Goliath story (1 Samuel 17)

Some issues to consider when engaging the David and Goliath story (PDF)

1 Samuel 17 in both Masoretic and Septuagint, along with keywords (PDF)

1 Samuel 17 chiastic shape (PDF)

S3E60: Goliath steps up to threaten Israel
(1 Samuel 17.1-7)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E61: The Philistine trash-talks Israel (1 Samuel 17.8-11)

[No links for this episode.]

S3E62: David is sent to the battle line (1 Samuel 17.12-20)

Jesse’s sons introduced twice (PDF)

S3E63: David speaks his way into the action
(1 Samuel 17.21-30)

Verbal encounters in 1 Samuel 17.21-37 (PDF)

S3E64: David and Saul talk about bears and lions (1 Samuel 17.31-37)

1 Samuel 17.31-37 dialogue (PDF)

S3E65: David and the Philistine face off in words (1 Samuel 17.38-47)

1 Samuel 17.37-50: “hands” and chiasm (PDF)

S3E66: David defeats the Philistine ( 1 Samuel 17.48-54)

1 Samuel 17.48-52 chiasm (PDF)

S3E67: "Whose son are you, young man?" (1 Samuel 17.55-58)

Sons and “young men” in 1 Samuel 16-17 (PDF)

S3E68: Jonathan's life is bound with David's life (1 Samuel 18.1-4)

Jonathan in the books of Samuel (PDF)

Jonathan and David as “sons” in 1 Samuel 18-31 (PDF)

1 Samuel 18 key words (PDF)

“Love” in the monarchy narrative (1 Samuel -2 Kings) (PDF)

Jonathan/Michal meeting with David parallels (PDF)

S3E69: Saul eyed David from that day on
(1 Samuel 18.5-9)

Singing and dancing in the streets in Samuel (PDF)

S3E70: The power of David's face
(1 Samuel 18.6-10)

1 Samuel 18-19 interlocking themes (PDF)

Saul’s evil spirit and spearing David (PDF)

S3E71: Merab, daughter of Saul, victim of patriarchy (1 Samuel 18.17-19)

Royal women in the books of Samuel (PDF)

S3E72: David fetches foreskins for Saul
(1 Samuel 18.20-30)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E73: Jonathan pleads for David's life with his father Saul (1 Samuel 19.1-7)

1 Samuel 19 key words (PDF)

Jonathan and Michal plot to deceive their father (chart from Jonathan Jacobs, JPG)
[source: Bodner, Keith and Benjamin JM Johnson, eds. Characters and Characterization on the Book of Samuel (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020)]

S3E74: Michal saves David from her father Saul
(1 Samuel 19.8-18)

Saul’s evil spirit and his spear (PDF)

Laban and his daughters: an allegory of the monarchy (PDF)

S3E75: Is Saul also among the prophets?" (1 Samuel 19.18-24)

“Is Saul among the prophets?” 1 Samuel 10.9-13 and 19.20-24 (PDF)

S3E76: Jonathan and David conspire against Saul, part 1 (1 Samuel 20.1-10)

1 Samuel 20 key words (PDF)

David’s “What have I done?” throughout 1 Samuel (PDF)

S3E77: Jonathan vows to side with David against his father (1 Samuel 20.11-17)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E78: Jonathan's pointed plan to save David from Saul (1 Samuel 20.18-24a)

[No new links for this episode, but a new version of “1 Samuel 20 key words” has been posted above.]

S3E79: Jonathan's face off with his father the king (1 Samuel 20.24b-34)

“Establishing the kingdom” in Samuel/Kings

S3E80: the slings and arrows of shifting monarchy (1 Samuel 20.35-42)

Arrows in the Deuternomistic History (PDF)

1 Samuel 20.19-22 and 20.35-38 compared (PDF)

S3E81: David comes to Nob, to the priest, Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21.1-2)

1 Samuel 21-23 scenes (PDF)

Some questions in interpreting 1 Samuel 21-22 (PDF)

Rumors and indirect communication in 1 Samuel 21-26 (PDF)

S3E82: Bread and sword (1 Samuel 21.3-10)

“Under the hand”: some examples in the Hebrew Bible (PDF)

1 Samuel 21.3-9 key words (PDF)

S3E83: David plays the madman (1 Samuel 21.10-15)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E84: David gathers the marginalized
(1 Samuel 22.1-5)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E85: Royal paranoia, royal treachery
(1 Samuel 22.6-10)

1 Samuel 22 key words (PDF)

1 Samuel 22 chiasms (PDF)

S3E86: Ahimelech's brave, bold witness
(1 Samuel 22.11-16)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E87: The Priest Martyrs of Nob
(1 Samuel 22.17-23)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E88: Saving Keilah from Philistines, saving David from Saul (1 Samuel 23.1-13)

1 Samuel 23 key words (PDF)

S3E89: David's and Jonathan's final encounter
(1 Samuel 23.14-18)

1 Samuel 23.14-18 chiasms and Jonathan’s bond with David (PDF)

S3E90: Saul chases David into the desert
(1 Samuel 23.19-29)

Hebrew chml (“to spare” or “to have compassion”) in Samuel (PDF)

S3E91: Introduction to 1 Samuel 24-26

1 Samuel 24 and 26 compared (PDF)

Verbal links between 1 Samuel 25 and 1 Samuel 24/26 (PDF)

C. Edenburg chart on similarities between 1 Samuel 24 and 26 (PDF).

from Cynthia Edenburg (1998): “How (not ) to murder a king:
Variations on a theme in 1 Sam 24; 26,” Scandinavian Journal of t he Old
Testament : An International Journal of Nordic Theology, 12:1, 64-85

Verbal links between 1 Samuel 25 and the Jacob/Laban story (PDF)

S3E92: Cutting the king's cloak corner (1 Samuel 24.1-4)

1 Samuel 24 keywords (PDF)

S3E93: "I will not raise my hand against YHWH's anointed!" (1 Samuel 24.5-12)

Little chiasms in 1 Samuel 24 (PDF)

“Far be it from me” in Samuel (PDF)

S3E94: "Now I know that you shall rule, yes, rule!" (1 Samuel 24.13-22)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E95: A man named "Fool" (1 Samuel 25.1-3)

1 Samuel 25 keywords (PDF)

Verbal links between 1 Samuel 25 and the Jacob/Laban story (PDF)

Sheepshearing scenes (PDF)

“Beautiful” people in the Bible (PDF)

S3E96: "Please give whatever you have...to your son David" (1 Samuel 25.4-9)

Triplets in 1 Samuel 25 (PDF)

1 Samuel 25.6-17 chiasm (PDF)

S3E97: "Shall I take my bread...and give to men who come from I do not know where?" (1 Samuel 25.10-17)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E98: Abigail prepares to meet David (1 Samuel 25.18-22)

Abigail: echoes of other characters (PDF)

Loads of food as gift in Samuel (PDF)

S3E99: "YHWH has restrained you...." (1 Samuel 25.23-27)

1 Samuel 25.22-34 chiasm (PDF)

S3E100: ...evil shall not be found in you" (1 Samuel 25.28-31)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E101: Blessed be you...who have kept me today from blood" (1 Samuel 25.32-35)

[No new links for this episode.]

S3E102: David sent and took Abigail (1 Samuel 25.36-44)

[No new links for this episode.]