One of the Books of the Bible in the Old Testament.
- Author: Unknown. I Chronicles 29:29-30 implies that Samuel or perhaps his disciples left written records, but because his death is mentioned in 1 Samuel 25, he could not have written most of Samuel.
- Length: 31 chapters
- Order: Ruth > 1 Samuel > 2 Samuel
(The ESV Study BibleTM, English Standard Version (ESV) by Crossway Bibles, 2007. Page 485)
1 Samuel Summary
The central theme of the books of Samuel is God's exercising of his cosmic kingship by inaugurating a Davidic dynasty ("house") in Israel, not a Saulide one, and by electing the holy city Zion as the place where David's successor will establish the temple for the worship of the divine King Yahweh. The Davidic covenant entitled Matthew to put David at the center of the genealogical history of the divine plan of salvation.
(The ESV Study BibleTM, English Standard Version (ESV) by Crossway Bibles, 2007. Page 485)
The book describes the lives of Samuel the kingmaker and Saul the first king. It also introduces David, the second anointed king, showing him with Jesse's family, his rise in the fields of politics and military, his friendship with Jonathan, and his time fleeing Saul in the wilderness and Philistia, during which he still attacked Israel's enemies. Saul trusts only himself and never repents for long, while David is a psalmist who inquires of the LORD before making decisions. Saul loses his kingdom, life, and sons, while David is promised the throne.
Topics
Bible Figures
- Aaron
- Abi-albon
- Abiathar
- Abiezer
- Abigail of Carmel, Nabal's widow
- Abijah
- Abinadab
- Joab's brother Abishai the son of Zeruiah
- Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army
- Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath
- Adriel the Meholathite
- Agag the king of the Amalekites
- Agee
- Ahasbai
- Ahiam
- Ahijah the son of Ahitub
- Ahimelech the priest, Ahimelech the Hittite
- Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz, Ahinoam of Jezreel
- Ahithophel
- Ahohi
- Araunah
- Asahel
- Ashtaroth
- Azmaveth
- Baal
- Baanah
- Bani
- Barak
- Benaiah
- Dagon
- David
- Dodo
- Doeg the Edomite
- Eleazar
- Elhanan
- Eli
- Eliab
- Eliahba
- Eliam
- Elika
- Eliphelet
- Elkanah
- Prophet Gad
- Gareb
- Goliath of Gath
- Hannah
- Heleb
- Helez
- Hezro
- Hiddai
- Hophni
- Ichabod
- Igal
- Ikkesh
- Ira
- Ishvi
- Ittai
- Jacob
- Jashen
- Jehoiada
- Jephthah
- Jerubbaal
- Jesse
- Joab
- the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah
- Joel
- Jonathan
- the armor-bearer of Jonathan the son of Saul
- Josheb-basshebeth
- Kabzeel
- King of Moab
- Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite
- Maharai
- Malchi-shua
- Mebunnai
- Medium at En-dor, Medium of En-dor
- Merab
- Michal
- Michmash
- Moses
- Nabal
- Naharai
- Nahash
- Nathan
- Ner the son of Abiel
- Paarai
- Palti the son of Laish
- Peninnah
- Phinehas and his wife
- Ribai
- Samuel
- Saul
- Shammah
- Sisera
- Uriah
- Zalmon
- Zelek
- Zeruiah
Peoples
- Ahohite
- Amalekite
- Ammonite
- Arbathite
- Arbite
- People of Benjamin
- Calebite
- Canaanite
- Egyptian
- Ephrathite
- Egyptian
- Gadite
- Geshurites
- Girzites
- Hararite
- Hebrews
- Hittite
- Hivite
- Hushathite
- Israelite
- Ithrite
- Jebusite
- Jerahmeelites
- Kenite
- Matrite
- Meholathite
- Paltite
- Philistine
- Shaalbonite
- Tahchemonite
- Ziphite
- The kings of Zobah
Places
- Cave of Adullam
- Aijalon
- Amalek
- Aphek
- Arabah
- Aroer
- Ashdod
- Athach
- Azekah
- Beersheba
- Brook Besor
- Beth-aven
- Beth-car
- Beth-horon
- Beth-shan
- Bethel
- Bethlehem
- Field of Joshua at Beth-shemesh
- Bezek
- Borashan
- Bozez
- Carmel
- Ebenezer
- Edom
- Egypt
- Ekron
- Valley of Elah
- En-dor
- Engedi
- Ephes-dammim
- Ephraim
- Eshtemoa
- Gad
- Gallim
- Gath
- Geba
- Gibeah
- Gibeath-elohim
- Gilboa, Mount Gilboa
- Gilead
- Gilgal
- the hill of Hachilah
- Harod
- Havilah
- Hazor
- Hebron
- Forest of Hereth
- Horesh
- Hormah
- Israel
- Jabesh
- Jabesh-gilead
- Jattir
- Jeshimon
- Jezreel
- Jordan River
- Judah
- Kabzeel
- Keilah
- Kiriath-jearim
- Lehi
- Maon
- Michmash
- Migron
- Mizpah
- Mizpeh
- Moab
- Naioth
- Negeb, Negeb of the Cherethites, that which belongs to Judah, Negeb of Caleb
- Nob
- Ophrah
- Paran
- Racal
- Ramah
- Ramathaim-zophim
- Ramoth of the Negeb
- Valley of Rephaim
- the Rock of Escape
- Secu
- Seneh
- Shaalim
- Shaaraim
- Shalishah
- Shen
- Shiloh
- Shual
- Shunem
- Shur
- Siphmoth
- Socoh
- Tekoa
- Telaim
- Wildgoats' Rocks
- Valley of Zeboim
- Zelzah
- Ziklag
- the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph
- Zobah
- Zuph
Other
- Anointing, Anointed, Anoint
- Ariel
- Ashtaroth
- Baals
- Bread of the Presence, the holy bread
- Covenant
- Demon
- Ebenezer
- Ephah
- Ephod
- Medium
- Mighty Men
- Necromancer
- Oak of Tabor
- Pim
- Rachel's tomb
- Seah
- Shekel
- the Spirit of the LORD
- Swear
- Tamarisk Tree
- Teraphim
- The Thirty
- The Three
- Threshing Floor
- Thummim
- Unleavened bread
- Urim
Verses
- 1 Samuel 12:20 - And Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart."
- 1 Samuel 12:24 - Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.
- 1 Samuel 15:22-23 - And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king."
- 1 Samuel 16:7 - But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."
- 1 Samuel 24:12 - May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.
- 1 Samuel 26:24 - Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.