|
Background: : At the end of Judges, we left the people of Israel in a sorry state. They've conquered Canaan (most of it) and settled it, but have in the process, largely forgotten the God of the Covenant. Some families, as we saw in the story of Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz, continue to worship God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and to keep his law. The exodus from Egypt occurred ca 1446 B.C., the conquest began in 1406 B.C., the settlement was completed by 1380 B.C., and the period of the judges stretched from then until 1050 B.C. when Saul was anointed the first king of Israel.
The man whose life spans both the periods of judges and the monarchy, and who anoints not only the first king, but his successor, is Samuel. It is for him that the first two books in the monarchial sequence of six books (I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, I and II Chronicles) is named. The author is unknown; Samuel may have written some of the book, but because he died before Saul did, he cannot have written all of even one of the books. However, his influence and his position as the last of the judges and the first of the prophets, makes the name appropriate.
The book opens with the miraculous birth of its namesake, probably in about 1105 B.C.
I Samuel
Part 1: Historical setting for the beginning of the kingship in Israel (ch. 1-7)
I. Samuel's birth, youth and call to be a prophet (ch. 1-3)
II. Israel defeated by the Philistines; Ark of Covenant taken, restored (ch. 4-7)
|
Part 2: The beginning of kingship in Israel under Samuel's guidance (ch. 8:1-16:13)
I. The rise of Saul (ch. 8-12)
II. Saul's kingship a failure (ch. 13:1-16:13)
|
Part 3: The establishment of kingship in Israel (ch. 16:14-31:13)
I. The rise of David (ch. 16:14-27:12)
II. The end of Saul's reign (ch. 28-31)
|
II Samuel
Part 1: The consolidation of kingship in Israel (ch. 1-20)
I. David's lament over the death of Saul and Jonathan (ch. 1)
II. David becomes king over Judah (ch. 2-4); then king over all Israel (ch. 5:1-5)
III. David conquers Jerusalem and brings Ark to Jerusalem (ch. 5:6 & ch. 6)
IV. God promises David an everlasting dynasty (ch. 7); kingdom extended (ch. 8)
V. David faithful to covenant with Jonathan (ch. 9)
VI. David's adultery and murder (ch. 10-12)
VII. David loses 2 sons: Amnon (ch. 13-14) & Absalom (ch. 15-20)
|
Part 2: Final reflections on David's reign (ch. 21-24)
|
