READ IT! - Introduction to 1st Samuel 13-19

Readings for this week

Monday: 1st Samuel 13

Tuesday: 1st Samuel 14

Wednesday: 1st Samuel 15

Thursday: 1st Samuel 16

Friday: 1st Samuel 17

Saturday: 1st Samuel 18

Sunday: 1st Samuel 19

Introduction to 1st Samuel 13-19

Chapter 13

Saul’s son Jonathan fought a successful battle against the Philistines. Saul took credit for the battle.

The Philistines mustered their armies to attack Israel again and the people fled and hid in caves. Saul and his army waited seven days for Samuel to show up and give them God’s instructions. Samuel did not show up right away, so Saul took on Samuel’s role and made sacrifices to God in order to figure out what to do next. Just as Saul had finished making the offerings, Samuel showed up. Saul made excuses. Samuel told him he had done a foolish thing and that his dynasty would not last forever because of his unfaithfulness.

Chapter 14

After Saul’s first failure, he took his 600 men back to Gibeah. Saul and Jonathan were the only people with weapons as the Philistines were preparing to attack. Saul just sat around “under a pomegranate tree.”

Jonathan and his armor-bearer sneaked away from Saul and crossed over a canyon to where the Philistines were at. The Philistines attacked them, but Jonathan and his armor-bearer began slaughtering them. The text says that God caused the Philistines to panic, and that the ground began to shake.

Meanwhile, Saul had made a rash vow, forbidding the people to eat any food under penalty of death. Saul was caught off guard by the sound of battle, but joined in as well only to find the Philistines killing themselves in confusion. After the battle, Jonathan ate some honey because he did not know about his father’s vow. The people told Jonathan about the vow, and Jonathan told them that what his father had told them was stupid. The people refused to let Saul kill his son Jonathan for breaking the fast. This is similar to Jephthah’s vow... but with a different outcome.

Chapter 15

Later, Samuel told Saul to go completely destroy the Amalekites. Saul was victorious in battle, but he failed to destroy everything. He kept the livestock for himself. He kept King Agag alive. God said to Samuel, “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel cried bitter tears before he went to confront Saul.

When Saul saw Samuel approaching, he said, “Look! I did what God said!” Samuel asked him about the livestock. Saul blamed the soldiers. He said they were actually planning on making a sacrifice later. He said they had completely destroyed everything else. Samuel stopped him and rebuked him for “pouncing on the plunder.” Saul again tried to say that they would eventually get around to sacrificing to God.

Samuel's response:

“To obey is better than sacrifice.”

“For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.”

“Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”

Saul begged for forgiveness and grabbed ahold of Samuel’s robe and tore it as Samuel was turning to leave. Samuel said, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you.” Samuel had to go kill Agag himself.

Chapters 16-19

The narrative then tells us the story of David’s anointing, which takes place in Bethlehem of Judah. God tells Samuel to not look at David's brothers who are tall and strong and handsome, because can see into their hearts. David is the youngest of Jesse’s seven sons. David is a shepherd – God’s greatest leaders are shepherds. David is called in from tending the sheep and God tells Samuel to anoint him as king. The text says that from that day forward the LORD’s spirit comes upon David and departs from Saul.

We then read about David working at Saul’s Court as a musician. When David would play his harp, the evil spirit would leave Saul.

After this, we read about the battle against Goliath. Saul does not engage the Philistines, and there is a stalemate between the Philistines and the Israelites for forty days. Jesse sends David to the battle field with some food for the soldiers. When David sees Goliath mocking Israel's God, David does the will of God.

King Saul attempts to dress David in his own armor, but David takes it off because it is awkward. David gathers five smooth stones from a brook and uses his sling to shoot a stone into Goliath's skull as Goliath is mocking him. Goliath's armor is described as looking like scales, and the numbers associated with his armor and weapons are all connected to the number six, so the text is attempting to show through this imagery that Goliath is aligned with evil. Even his height is reported as "six cubits tall." David cuts off Goliath's head and takes it to Jerusalem. He also leads the army in routing the Philistines.

When then read about David as a commander in Saul’s service. The people love David, but Saul is jealous and hates David. Saul throws his spear at David and tries to kill him while he is playing his harp, but David escapes.

We also learn about David and his relationship with Saul’s family. Saul's Son Jonathan loved David. David and Jonathan make covenant, and Jonathan gives the throne to David.

We also learn that Saul's daughter Michal loved David as well. David had defeated the Philistines and married Saul’s daughter as Saul's reward for bringing him back 200 Philistine foreskins... what a dowry. Later, Michal saves David’s life by making a dummy out of a “household god,” placing it in David's bed, and then lowering David out the back window, and telling Saul's soldiers at the front door that David was sick in bed. We’re not sure why David had an idol in his house though…

Before David and Jonathan parted ways, David fled to Samuel. Saul sent men to get them, but the spirit of God possessed them and all they could do was prophesy. Saul sent two more detachments, but the same thing happened. Finally, Saul himself went but he too became possessed by God’s spirit when he entered Samuel’s presence. Saul stripped naked and lay on the ground prophesying all day and all night. Once again the text points to this event as one of the reasons there is the saying in Israel: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”