1 Samuel
The books of Samuel were originally one book in the Hebrew Canon until it was divided into by the translators of the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, who viewed Samuel and Kings together as the “Books of the Kingdoms.” The author of the two books is unknown, but according to Jewish tradition, Samuel, the priest, prophet and the last judge of Israel, wrote the first portion of the book, with support from the prophets Nathan and Gad. Samuel tells of Israel’s cry for a king, the resultant selection of Saul as it’s first king, the failure of Saul and the growing contest between Saul and David. The period covers nearly a century of Israelite history, but it is much more than historically important. The central theme of the books centers on the appointment of a righteous king, David, which leads to the King of Kings, Israel’s Messiah and the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ coming.
1 Samuel 1
1:1-8 Elkanah and his wives
1:9-18 Hannah’s prayer and vow
1:19-28 The birth of Samuel
1 Samuel 2
2:1-11 The song of Hannah
2:12-36 The sins of Eli’s sons
1 Samuel 3
3:1-9 The Lord calls Samuel
3:10-21 Samuel warns Eli
1 Samuel 4
4:1-9 Israel defeated by the Philistines
4:10-11 The Philistines capture the ark
4:12-22 The death of Eli
1 Samuel 5
5:1-5 The ark among the Philistines
5:6-12 The Philistines smitten
1 Samuel 6
6:1-21 The Philistines return the ark
1 Samuel 7
7:1-2 The ark in the house of Abinadeb
7:3-6 Samuel leads Israel to repentance
7:7-14 Israel defeats the Philistines
7:15-17 Samuel judges Israel
1 Samuel 8
8:1-3 Samuel makes his sons judges
8:4-22 Israel asks for a king
1 Samuel 9
9:1-27 Saul chosen king
1 Samuel 10
10:1-8 Samuel anoints Saul
10:9-16 Saul’s heart is changed
10:17-27 Saul installed as king at Mizpeh
1 Samuel 11
11:1-11 Saul defeats the Ammonites
11:12-15 Saul confirmed king at Gilgal
1 Samuel 12
12:1-18 Samuel’s address to the people
12:19-25 Samuel asks Israel to serve God
1 Samuel 13
13:1-7 Israel in distress
13:8-12 Saul unsurps the priest’s office
13:13-23 Samuel reproves Saul
1 Samuel 14
14:1-15 Jonathan smites the Philistines
14:16-23 The Philistines destroy one another
14:24-42 Saul’s curse
14:43-46 The people save Jonathan
14:47-52 Saul’s victories and family tree
1 Samuel 15
15:1-5 Saul asked to destroy Amalek
15:6-9 Saul spares Agag
15:10-23 God rejects Saul
15:24-31 Saul’s confession and humiliation
15:32-35 Samuel slays Agag
1 Samuel 16
16:1-13 David anointed king
16:14-23 David plays the harp for Saul
1 Samuel 17
17:1-22 The challenge of Goliath
17:23-31 David hears Goliath’s challenge
17:32-58 David kills Goliath
1 Samuel 18
18:1-4 Jonathan’s covenant with David
18:5-16 Saul becomes jealous of David
18:17-30 David marries Saul’s daughter
1 Samuel 19
19:1-7 Jonathan’s friendship for David
19:8-24 Saul seeks to kill David
1 Samuel 20
20:1-23 Jonathan’s covenants with David
20:24-34 Jonathan learns Saul’s intentions
20:35-42 The parting between David and Jonathan
1 Samuel 21
21:1-9 David flees to Nob
21:10-15 David flees to Gath
1 Samuel 22
22:1-5 David flees to Adullam
22:6-23 Saul kills the priests of Nob
1 Samuel 23
23:1-5 David defeats the Philistines
23:6-12 Saul pursues David
23:13-29 David escapes to the wilderness
1 Samuel 24
24:1-8 David spares Saul’s life
24:9-15 David pleads his innocence
24:16-22 Saul acknowledges his error
1 Samuel 25
25:1 The death of Samuel
25:2-9 David asks Nabal for help
25:10-17 Nabal refuses to help David
25:18-38 Abigail pacifies David
25:39-44 David marries Abigail
1 Samuel 26
26:1-16 David spares Saul’s life again
26:17-20 David pleads with Saul
26:21-25 Saul acknowledges his sin
1 Samuel 27
27:1-4 David lives among the Philistines
27:5-12 Achish gives David Ziklag
1 Samuel 28
28:1-6 The Philistines assemble against Israel
28:7-14 Saul consults the medium of Endor
28:15-25 Saul is greatly distressed
1 Samuel 29
29:1-5 The Philistines distrust David
29:6-11 Achish dismisses David
1 Samuel 30
30:1-6 The Amalekites take Ziklag
30:7-17 David defeats the Amalekites
30:18-31 David recovers all the spoils
1 Samuel 31
31:1-13 The death of Saul and his sons
