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Book of Samuel- Outline/Response Paper
Response Paper
1Sam. 1-7: The Book of Samuel opens Hannah having a baby named Samuel and in chap.2,
her song to the LORD is much like the Song of Deborah in Judges and the
Song of Mary in the Gospels. In
contrast to the faithfulness of Samuel as a deliverer of Israel, the priest Eli and his sons are disobedient to
the LORD. Samuel grows in wisdom and
stature before the LORD. In between
the stories of Israel’s faithful ones and unfaithful ones are
the battles with the Philistines that begin in chapter 4. When Eli dies after the death of his sons
it is a man from Benjamin that runs to tell him. The LORD plagues the Philistines by his
presence in the ark just as he did to Pharaoh and to Egypt with Moses.
Samuel and David are imperfect but seem to be faithful to the LORD
just as Moses. In chapter 4, there
is a use of the Hebrew word kabod
meaning “heavy” and this is used of the LORD’s hand, the
appearance of Eli, and is ironically the opposite of Eli’s grandson
Ichabod.
1Sam. 8-15: The Israelites ask for a king and in doing so, the LORD says that
they have rejected him. He gives to
them Saul the Benjaminite (another negative reference to the Tribe of
Benjamin). Saul is described in
outward characteristics as tall, handsome, rich and seemingly very strong
compared to David, the least of Jesse’s house, a ruddy looking young
man and a herder of sheep. In
chapter 12 there is another reference to God’s faithfulness in the
Exodus and the unfaithfulness of the Israelites. Chapter 13 is vague about Saul’s
age and the time he ruled over Israel. In
Chapter 14, Saul defeats the Philistines by night just as Gideon had done
prior to him. Saul does not follow
God’s instructions in Deuteronomy as to how to dispose of the
Amalekites: he takes their goods and says he does it in order to offer it
to God (cf. Cain and Abel in Gen. 4).
Samuel confronts Saul and tells him “to obey is better than
sacrifice”). Saul is the man
who does what is right in his own eyes just as the Book of Judges ended; he
is the perfect complimentary king to Israel’s disobedience.
1Sam. 16-31: In contrast to Saul, there is young and faithful David, one after
God’s own heart. He is not of
the appearance of Saul, but he is obedient most of the time (which points
toward another like David who will be obedient to the end). David fights against Goliath of Gath, one
of the many giants in the land that Israel was afraid to fight. David wears no protection, but delivers Israel from the giant in the name and strength of the
LORD. David makes a covenant with
Jonathan and promises to spare his family just as Joshua had done to Rahab
in Judges. Jonathan and David are
very close and Jonathan spares David’s life from Saul his
father. David is faithful to the
LORD’s “Anointed” over Israel even though he seeks to kill him, showing
David’s understanding of the LORD’s faithfulness and mercy to Israel. After
the death of Samuel in chapter 25, things begin to fall apart in Israel. David
takes Abigail, the wife of Nabal to be his wife. The Book of Samuel ends with the death of
Saul to fulfill the word of the LORD made by Samuel the prophet and deliverer
of Israel.
2Sam. 1-10: The sequel opens with David learning of Saul’s death and he
laments over his death in chapter 1.
Chapter 3 begins the conflict between the House of Saul (Benjamin)
and the House of David (Judah). This
will culminate in the conclusion with a split between Israel and Judah. David
spares Ishbosheth, son of Jonathan because of the covenant he made with
him. In chapter 5 and 6, David
restores the ark of God to Israel and takes Zion, to become the City of David. In
chapter 7, Nathan the prophet tells David that from his family he will
build the Temple and that David’s kingdom will be
everlasting. David has continually
victories over the enemies of Israel, but this is to foreshadow the beginning of the
inter-tribal warfare which is to come at the end of the book. Israel will turn upon each other as they did in the
Book of Judges.
2Sam. 11-20: David is not perfect however as the faithful king over Israel.
Throughout chapters 11-20, the author describes the sin that causes
David to lose the leadership over Israel. He has
Uriah the Hittite killed so that he may take his wife for himself. David’s firstborn son is cursed by
the LORD for his sin, but the LORD is faithful to his promises and gives to
him another son named Solomon even though his relationship with Bathsheba
began in adultery and murder. Tamar
is raped by Amnon in chapter 13 and this begins the rise and fall of
Absalom, David’s son. Absalom
has the power of the people behind him and he revolts against David and
David flees from Jerusalem in fear.
Israel and Judah are split between following Absalom and David;
Absalom dies in chapter 18 and David mourns the death of his son and the
beginning of the death of Israel.
Chapter 20 begins with another revolt against David, the king Israel
had requested from the LORD.
2Sam. 21-24: Chapter 21 begins with a famine in the land sent by God because of
Israel’s disobedience (cf. Deut. 28:15ff). David spares Mephibosheth because of his
covenant with Jonathan. David speaks
to the LORD in chapter 22 a song of God the Rock (cf. Ps. 18), because the
LORD has given him victory again and again over his enemies. The Book of Samuel ends with a list of
David’s mighty warriors that God provided him and in chapter 24, the
anger of the LORD is kindled against Israel again. David sins in the eyes of the LORD by
numbering the troops of Israel, he repents, but the LORD sends a
pestilence. David the shepherd ends
up causing the death of many of the sheep in Israel. The book ends with David building an
altar to the LORD at Araunah’s threshing floor.
OUTLINE
I.
Samuel, the Last of the Israelite Deliverers
(1Sam. 1-7)
A.
Elkanah the
Ephraimite and his wife Hannah have a son (2Sam. 1)
B.
Eli the
Priest and his two sons Hophni and Phineas (2Sam. 1)
C.
Hannah worships
the LORD because he has provided her a child (2Sam. 2:1-10)
1.
Samuel
ministers to the LORD with Eli the Priest (2:11-4:22)
2.
Eli’s
sons are wicked before the LORD (2:22-25)
3.
Samuel
continued to grow in stature and favor with the LORD and man (2:26)
4.
Eli is
warned from the LORD for his disobedience (2:27-2:36)
D.
The LORD
calls Samuel to serve him as priest (3:1-4:1)
E.
Israel and
the Philistines Battle in the Presence of the Ark of the Covenant
(4:2-7:17)
1.
The
Philistines defeat Israel (4:2-3)
2.
Israel
brings the ark of the covenant to the camp and the Philistines are
terrified (4:4-9)
3.
Israel is
defeated and the ark is captured (4:11)
4.
Eli dies at
98 years old when he hears the ark has been captured (because he is heavy) (4:12-18)
5.
Eli’s
daughter-in-law gives birth to Ichabod: the
glory has departed from Israel (4:19-22)
F.
The
Philistines carry the ark of God to Ashdod and place it in the Temple of
Dagon (5:1-5)
1.
The LORD
plagues the Philistines (his hand was heavy
upon the Philistines) (5:6-12)
2.
The
Philistines send the ark back to Israel in Kiriath-jearim (5:13-6:21)
3.
Samuel tells
Israel to put away foreign gods and turn to the LORD (7:3-4)
4.
Samuel
gathers Israel at Mizpah and the LORD fights against the Philistines as he
did in the Exodus from Egypt (7:5-11)
5.
Samuel sets a
stone of help (Ebenezer) as a reminder that the LORD delivered Israel
(7:12-14)
II.
Israel’s Request for a King and the
Anointing of Saul (1Sam. 8-15)
A.
Samuel’s
sons are disobedient and the Israelites ask for a king (8:1-9)
B.
The LORD
tells the people through Samuel what they are to expect from a king
(8:10-22)
C.
Saul, the
son of Kish the Benjaminite told to go to Samuel (9:1-10)
D.
Samuel
anoints Saul as the king over Israel (9:11-10:16)
E.
Samuel calls
the people together at Mizpah to announce the Israelites’ rejection
of the LORD (10:17-21)
1.
Samuel
introduces Saul to the people (10:22-10:27)
F.
Israel
battles the Ammonites under Saul’s command (11:1-11)
G.
Saul is
inaugurated as king over Israel at Gilgal (11:12-12:5)
H.
Samuel
reminds the people of the great deeds the LORD has done for Israel (12:6-
18)
1.
Samuel tells
the people to obey the LORD with Saul as their king (12:19-25)
I.
Saul begins
to reign in Israel and he offers a heinous sacrifice to the LORD (13:1-18)
J.
Saul and
Jonathan battle the Philistines (13:19-14:15)
1.
Saul calls
for the ark of God so that the LORD will deliver Israel (14:16-23)
2.
Saul calls
for the people to vow that they will not eat and Jonathan disobeys
(14:24-30)
3.
Saul defeats
the Philistines and builds an altar to the LORD, but the LORD does not
answer him (14:31-42)
4.
Saul
confronts Jonathan after they are taken by the Philistines, released, but
unsuccessful in thoroughly defeating the Philistines (14:43-52)
III.
The Kingdom of Saul and of David, the Man after
God’s own Heart (1Sam. 16-31)
A.
Saul battles
against the Amalekites (15:1-9)
B.
The LORD
repents for making Saul King of Israel (15:10-35)
C.
Samuel
confronts Saul for his sin of not utterly destroying the Amalekites
(15:18-35)
1.
Saul is
rejected by the LORD as King of Israel (15:26-31)
2.
Saul kills Agag
in an attempt to appease the LORD (15:32-35)
D.
Samuel sent
to Jesse the Bethlehemite to anoint his son as king (16:1-13)
1.
The LORD
sends an evil spirit to afflict Saul and David plays the harp for Saul
(16:14-23)
E.
Saul and
David against Goliath of Gath, the Philistine (17:1-58)
1.
Goliath of
Gath, the mighty Philistine warrior (17:1-11)
2.
David fights
against Goliath and prevails against him in the Spirit of the LORD, but
Saul stays in his tent (17:12-58)
F.
Jonathan and
David make a covenant of friendship together (18:1-7)
1.
Saul is
jealous of David and seeks to kill him (18:8-30)
G.
Jonathan
protects David from his father’s wrath (19:1-20:42)
H.
David hides
from Saul in order to save his life and honor the LORD’s
“Anointed” (21:1-31:13)
1.
David eats
the bread of the Presence when Abimelech meets him (21:1-6)
2.
David takes
the sword of Goliath for protection (21:7-15)
3.
David hides
in the cave of Adullam (22:1-5)
4.
David goes
to the forest of Hereth (22:6ff)
5.
Saul
confronts Ahimelech the priest for helping David escape (22:11-23)
6.
The LORD
directs David to fight against the Philistines (23:1-14)
7.
Jonathan
goes to David to strengthen him and they make a covenant at Horesh
(23:15-24)
8.
David flees
from Saul in the wilderness of Maon and then to the strongholds of Engedi,
and spares Saul’s life (23:25-24:15)
9.
Saul weeps
because David has spared his life and understands that David is truly the
LORD’s Anointed King (24:16-22)
I.
Samuel’s
dies (25:1)
J.
David, Nabal
and Abigail (25:2-35)
1.
Nabal dies
(25:36-38)
2.
David makes
Abigail his wife (25:36-42)
3.
David’s
other wives (25:43-44)
K.
Saul
continues to seek David’s life, Saul is confronted by David and he
spares his life again (26:1-27:12)
L.
Israel
battles against the Philistines again and Saul is afraid of them (28:1-25)
1.
The LORD
does not answer Saul so he seeks the advice of a witch from Endor (28:8-14)
2.
The LORD
allows Samuel to confront Saul and condemn him in the name of the LORD
(28:15-25)
M.
David
battles against the Philistines fearlessly and Saul is killed in battle
(29:1-31:13)
1.
David routes
the Philistines and they flee to Jezreel (29:1-11)
2.
David saves
his wives from the Amalekites (30:1-31)
3.
The
Philistines battle Israel, but Israel flees and Saul is killed in battle
(31:13)
IV.
David the True King of Israel (2Sam. 1-10)
A.
David learns
of Saul’s death and he laments and mourns (2Sam. 1:1-27)
B.
David
Inquires of the LORD to go up to Hebron (2:1-7)
C.
Ishbosheth,
son of Saul is made king over Gilead (2:8-32)
D.
War between
the House of Saul and the House of David and Ishbosheth is killed
(3:1-4:12)
E.
David is
formally anointed King of Israel by the people (5:1-25)
1.
David takes
the city of Zion and it becomes the city of David (5:6-10)
2.
David is
honored as King of Israel (5:11-16)
3.
The
Philistines are defeated by David (5:17-25)
F.
David brings
up the ark of God to the House of Abinadab (6:1-5)
1.
Uzzah is
killed for touching the ark of God (6:6-11)
2.
The ark is
brought to the city of David (6:12-23)
G.
David is
king and the LORD gives him rest from his enemies (7:1-29)
1.
Nathan the
prophet tells David of the Temple and his everlasting kingdom (7:4-17)
2.
David
worships the LORD for his grace and mercy upon his life (7:18-29)
H.
David
defeats all the enemies of Israel (8:1-10:19)
1.
The LORD
gave David victory everywhere he went (8:1-18)
2.
David shows
kindness and favor to the House of Saul because of his covenant with
Jonathan (9:1-13)
I.
David
defeats the Ammonites and the Syrians (10:1-19)
V.
David’s Sin and the Beginning of Chaos in
the Kingdom of Israel (2Sam. 11-20)
A.
David
commits adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite (2Sam.
11:1-27)
1.
David’s
unfaithfulness to God and Uriah; Uriah’s faithfulness to God and
David (11:2-13)
2.
David sends
Uriah to the front to be killed (11:14-26)
3.
Bathsheba
becomes the wife of David but what David had done displeased the LORD
(11:27-28)
B.
Nathan’s
parable to David about his sin (12:1-14)
C.
The LORD
strikes David’s child because of his sin and he dies (12:15-23)
D.
David
repents and the LORD gives to David a son: Solomon; the LORD continues to be
faithful to David in spite of his sins (12:24-31)
E.
David’s
son Absalom the fair and the way to the throne of Solomon (13:1-20:26)
1.
Absalom,
Tamar, and Ammon (13:1-39)
2.
Tamar is
raped by Amnon; Absalom murders Amnon and flees (13:1-39)
3.
Joab returns
Absalom to the court (14:1-33)
4.
Absalom
revolts against David and he flees from Jerusalem (15:1-37)
5.
Absalom
takes over Jerusalem, the City of David (16:1-23)
6.
Ahithophel
is mislead by Hushai (17:1-29)
7.
David
battles in the Forest of Ephraim (18:1-8)
8.
Absalom is
killed and David mourns for him (18:9-33)
9.
David
attempts to restore Israel that has been divided because of Absalom’s
attempt to take the throne (19:1-43)
10. Judah and Israel are divided (19:41-43)
11. The men of Israel follow Sheba, son of Bichri
from Benjamin until his death; the men of Judah follow David (20:1-22)
12. David’s men after Sheba’s death
(20:23-26)
VI.
Final Execution of Saul’s Descendants and
David’s Throne is Secure (2Sam. 21-24)
A.
Famine in
the land (21:1-6)
B.
Saul’s
descendants are executed except Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan (21:7-14)
C.
The
Philistines battle against Israel again; more giants are defeated like
Goliath of Gath (21:15-22)
D.
The Song of
David to praise the LORD for his faithfulness to he and his family
(22:1-51)
E.
The last
words of David considering God’s kingdom in Israel (23:1-7)
F.
David
battles the Philistines and lists his mighty warriors (23:8-39)
G.
The anger of
the LORD is kindled against Israel (24:1-25)
1.
The LORD
directs David to number Israel and Judah (24:1-9; cf. 1 Chr. 21:1)
2.
David repents
of his sin before the LORD (24:10-14)
3.
The LORD
sends a plague upon Israel (24:15-17)
4.
David builds
an altar to avert the plague from the people (24:18-25)
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