The Books of Samuel: 1 Samuel 1-15

S3E1: Introduction

Some of the scholarly issues about the David story (PDF)

The “historical narrative” in the Hebrew Bible

David Jobling, 1 Samuel (publisher link)

Baruch Halpern, David’s Secret Demons: Messiah, Murderer, Traitor, King (publisher link)

Joel Baden, The Historical David: The Real Life of an Invented Hero (publisher link)

Michael Walzer, In God’s Shadow: Politics in the Hebrew Bible (publisher link)

Moshe Halbertal and Stephen Holmes, The Beginning of Politics: Power in the Biblical Book of Samuel (publisher link)

Robert Polzin, Samuel and the Deuteronomist: A Literary Study of the Deuteronomic History Part Two: 1 Samuel (publisher link)

Meir Sternberg, The Poetics of Biblical Narrative: Ideological Literature and the Drama of Reading (publisher link)

The David Story: table of contents and plot summary (PDF)

Cast of characters (PDF)

Timeline of the monarchy (PDF)

Some links between Judges and First Samuel (PDF)

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

S3E2: "more than ten sons?" (1 Sam 1.1-8)

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S3E3: "pouring out my life before YHWH" (1 Sam 9-18)

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S3E4: "She named him Samuel" (1 Sam 1.19-28)

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S3E5: Hannah's song (1 Sam 2.1-10)

Hannah, Mary, and David prayers (PDF)

S3E6: Eli's corrupt sons (1 Sam 2.11-17)

Plot sequence in 1 Samuel 2-4 (PDF)

S3E7: Contrasting sons (1 Sam 2.18-26)

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S3E8: a man of God comes to Eli (1 Sam 2.27-36)

Units of biblical social order (PDF)

S3E9: YHWH calls Samuel (1 Sam 3.1-14)

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S3E10: Samuel gives Eli the word of YHWH

Bible atlas (public domain PDF)

S3E11: themes and threads in 1 Samuel 4-7

Themes and threads in 1 Samuel 1-7 (PDF)

Samson/Samuel parallels (PDF)

S3E12: not listening to YHWH (1 Sam 4.1-11)

Scenes and themes in 1 Samuel 4-7 (PDF)

S3E13: the glory has departed from Israel (1 Sam 4.11-22)

1 Samuel 4.11-5.3 (PDF)

S3E14: "He struck them with hemorrhoids" (1 Sam 5.1-6.5)

Journey of the ark (PDF)

S3E15: the return of the ark (1 Sam 6.6-7.2)

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S3E16: the return of Samuel, the return of Israel to YHWH (1 Sam 7.3-17)

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S3E17: "Set us a king!" (1 Sam 8.1-9)

Why does YHWH accept the desire for a monarchy? (PDF)

S3E18: the "justice of the king" (1 Sam 8.10-22)

1 Samuel 8 and Genesis 47 (PDF)

S3E19: Introduction to Saul, the first messiah of Israel

Issues about the Saul narrative (PDF)

The process of making Saul a messiah (PDF)

Characters’ perspectives on monarchy (PDF)

Whose voice(s) are we hearing in the Saul narrative? (PDF)

S3E20: "a son whose name was Saul" (1 Sam 9.1-4)

Introduction of Samuel (Hannah), introduction of Saul (PDF)

1 Samuel 9.1-10.9 scenes (PDF)

Samuel-Saul map (PDF)

S3E21: the journey to the "man of God" (1 Samuel 9.5-10)

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S3E22: finding the "girls" (1 Samuel 9.11-13)

1 Samuel 9.3-10.16 chiasm (PDF)

“Finding” in 1 Samuel 9.3-10.16 (PDF)

S3E23: Saul meets Samuel (1 Samuel 9.14-21)

Key words in 1 Samuel 9.1-10.16 (PDF)

Saul and Samuel scenes (PDF)

S3E24: the banquet (1 Samuel 9.22-24)

Adonijah’s royal banquet (PDF)

S3E25: Samuel takes Saul up on the roof (1 Samuel 9.25-10.1)

Up on the roof in Samuel (PDF)

Anointing a head with oil in the Bible (PDF)

S3E26: Samuel tells Saul "the word of God" (1 Samuel 10.2-8)

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S3E27: "Is Saul among the prophets?" (1 Samuel 10.9-13)

Prophets and prophecy in the Deuteronomistic History (PDF)

Categories and functions of prophets in the Deuteronomistic History (PDF)

S3E28: Saul and his uncle (1 Samuel 10.14-16)

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S3E29: Saul is chosen king at Mizpah (1 Samuel 10.17-24)

“Rescue” in the books of Samuel (PDF)

“Save” in the books of Samuel (PDF)

S3E30: Samuel speaks and writes the "justice of the kingship" (1 Samuel 10.25-27)

Translations of mishpat hammelukah in 1 Samuel 10.25 (PDF)

“Beliyal” in Samuel (PDF)

S3E31: Introduction to 1 Samuel 11-15

Scenes and themes in 1 Samuel 11-15 (PDF)

Wilson and Steussy quotes (PDF)

S3E32: The spirit of God rushed upon Saul
(1 Samuel 11.1-7)

Weeping and anger in Samuel (PDF)

S3E33: Saul defeats the Ammonites
(1 Samuel 11.8-13)

Echoes of Judges in 1 Samuel 11 (PDF)

S3E34: To Gilgal, to "renew the kingship" (1 Samuel 11.14-12.5)

Samuel’s speech in 1 Samuel 12 (PDF)

S3E35: Samuel declares "the justice of YHWH" (1 Samuel 12.6-13)

“Making” in 1 Samuel 12 (PDF)

Mishpat and tsedaqah in Samuel (PDF)

S3E36: Samuel admonishes the people
(1 Samuel 12.14-25)

Rebellion against YHWH in Deuteronomy (PDF)

1 Samuel 12 key words (PDF)

S3E37: Poking the Philistine bear (1 Samuel 13.1-4)

Some translations of 1 Samuel 13.1 (PDF)

Dothans, People of the Sea (archive.org link)

Sternberg, Hebrews Between Cultures (publisher website link)

Gottwald, Tribes of Yahweh (archive.org link)

S3E38: Waiting for Samuel (1 Samuel 13.5-10)

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S3E39: Samuel confronts Saul (1 Samuel 13.11-15)

Some scholarly thoughts on 1 Samuel 13.11-15 (PDF)

S3E40: Outmanned and outgunned, Saul and Jonathan prepare to face the Philistines
(1 Samuel 13.16-23)

“To be found” in 1 Samuel 13.15-22 (PDF)

S3E41: Jonathan takes on the Philistines
(1 Samuel 14.1-15)

1 Samuel 14.1-15: scenes and keywords (PDF)

Jonathan in 1 Samuel (PDF)

S3E42: Saul reacts to Jonathan's attack on the Philistines (1 Samuel 14.16-23)

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S3E43: Honey don't, part 1 (1 Samuel 14.24-30)

1 Samuel 14.24-46: translation, scenes and keywords (PDF)

S3E44: Honey don't, part 2 (1 Samuel 14.31-39)

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S3E45: Honey don't, part 3 (1 Samuel 14.40-46)

1 Samuel 14.24-46, revised (PDF)

S3E46: A brief summary of Saul's reign
(1 Samuel 14.47-52)

1 Samuel 14.47-52 and 2 Samuel 8 compared (PDF)

S3E47: Samuel returns to Saul with orders from YHWH (1 Samuel 15.1-5)

1 Samuel 13 and 15 compared (PDF)

1 Samuel 15 key words (PDF)

S3E48: Saul attacks the Amalekites
(1 Samuel 15.6-9)

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S3E49: Samuel's accusation, Saul's defense
(1 Samuel 15.10-15)

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S3E50: Samuel challenges Saul again
(1 Samuel 15.16-21)

Listening and sacrifice in the story of Saul (PDF)

S3E51: Saul confesses his sin (1 Samuel 15.22-26)

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S3E52: Does YHWH "repent"? (1 Samuel 15.27-31)

YHWH’s “regret” in the Bible (PDF)

S3E53: Samuel grieves over Saul
(1 Samuel 15.32-35)

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1 Samuel 15-31 structure (PDF)