Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• 6. Moses' call 3:1-4:18
  3:1-12 Horeb is another name for Sinai (v. 1). It probably indicates a range of mountains rather than a particular mountain peak. The writer called it "the mountain of God"because it was the place where God later gave the Mos...
• God's provision of manna and His Spirit 11:4-35
  The "rabble"(v. 4) were the non-Israelites who had come out of Egypt with God's people (Exod. 12:38). It did not take them long to become discontented with conditions in the desert and to complain about their bland diet of ma...
• 5. Survey of the remaining land 18:1-10
  After the process of assigning land to the three tribes mentioned above, Israel's attention turned to relocating the tabernacle in a more central location (v. 1). God undoubtedly made the choice of Shiloh (lit. rest; cf. Deut...
• Jephthah's vow and victory 11:29-33
  God's Spirit then clothed Jephthah guaranteeing divine enablement and victory in the approaching encounter with the Ammonite army (v. 29; cf. 3:10; 6:34; 14:6, 19; 1 Sam. 10:10). He travelled through Gilead in the tribal terr...
• Date and Writer
  Statements in the Book of Samuel imply that someone who had witnessed at least some of the events recorded wrote it. However the original writer must have written most of it after Samuel's death (i.e., -1 Sam. 25-2 Sam. 24) a...
• Scope
  The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
• Outline
  I. Eli and Samuel chs. 1-3A. The change from barrenness to fertility 1:1-2:101. Hannah's condition 1:1-82. Hannah's vow 1:9-183. Hannah's obedience 1:19-284. Hannah's song 2:1-10B. The contrast between Samuel and Eli's sons 2...
• 1. The battle of Aphek 4:1b-11
  The Philistines, as we have already seen in Judges, were Israel's primary enemy to the west at this time. Samson, too, fought the Philistines (Judg. 13-16).52There are about 150 references to the Philistines in 1 and 2 Samuel...
• B. Kingship Given to Saul chs. 8-12
  "Clearly these five chapters constitute a literary unit, for they are immediately preceded by the formula that marks the end of the story of a judge (7:13-17) and immediately followed by the formula that marks the beginning o...
• 2. The anointing of Saul 9:1-10:16
  In chapters 9-11 the writer painted Saul as the ideal man to serve as king from the human viewpoint. This pericope (9:1-10:16) sets forth his personal conduct.100...
• Saul's private anointing by Samuel 9:26-10:8
  Anointing with oil was a symbolic act in Israel that pictured consecration to service. The only things anointed with oil before this anointing were the priests and the tabernacle. The oil symbolized God's Spirit, and anointin...
• God's enablement of Saul 10:9-16
  We should probably not interpret the reference to God changing Saul's heart (v. 9) to mean that at this time Saul experienced personal salvation. This always takes place when a person believes God's promise, and there is no i...
• 3. The choice of Saul by lot 10:17-27
  "Saul's rise to kingship over Israel took place in three distinct stages: He was (1) anointed by Samuel (9:1-10:16), (2) chosen by lot (10:17-27), and (3) confirmed by public acclamation (11:1-15).112Saul's anointing had been...
• Saul's deliverance of Jabesh-gilead 11:6-11
  God's Spirit came on Saul in the sense that He stirred up his spirit (cf. 10:6, 10). His response to the messengers' news was appropriate indignation since non-Israelites were attacking God's covenant people (Gen. 12:3). Saul...
• Israel's commitment to Saul 11:12-15
  Admirably Saul sought no personal revenge on those who initially had failed to support him (10:27; cf. Judg. 20:13; Luke 19:27). Furthermore he gave God the glory for his victory (cf. Jon. 2:9; Ps. 20:7; Prov. 21:31). He was ...
• Samuel's second warning to the people ch. 12
  The writer wrote chapters 12-15 very skillfully to parallel chapters 8-11. Each section begins with Samuel warning the people about the dangers of their requesting a king (chs. 8 and 12). Each one also follows with a descript...
• Samuel's reassurance of the people 12:19-25
  The people's rebellion against God was not something they could undo. Consequences would follow. Nevertheless Samuel counselled them to follow and serve the Lord faithfully from then on. They should not fear that God would ab...
• 1. Saul's disobedience at Gilgal 13:1-15
  The writer introduced the history of Saul's reign by referring to the king's age and possibly the length of his reign. Verse one contains a textual corruption in the Hebrew text.132There the verse reads, "Saul was . . . years...
• 4. Saul's limited effectiveness in battle 14:47-52
  Saul was an active warrior and was effective to an extent due to his native abilities and God's limited blessing. He punished the enemies of Israel (vv. 47-48), which was God's will. Yet he did not subdue and defeat them all ...
• 5. Yahweh's final rejection of Saul ch. 15
  "In the short pericope 13:7b-15a obedience was the stone on which Saul stumbled; here it is the rock that crushes him."147Chapter 15 records one of the battles Saul had with the Amalekites, Israel's enemy to the south (cf. 14...
• 2. The reason for God's selection of David ch. 17
  The exciting story of David and Goliath illustrates what it was that God saw in David's heart that led Him to choose David for the position of king. It also shows how and why others in Israel began to notice David. David foug...
• 3. The results of God's selection of David 18:1-19:17
  Earlier the writer narrated Saul's anointing, military success, and the popular reaction to him (chs. 10-11). Now he followed the same pattern by recording David's anointing, military success, and the popular reaction to him ...
• 1. God's deliverance in Ramah 19:18-24
  How natural it was for David to seek refuge with the faithful prophet Samuel who resided less than an hour's walk from Saul's headquarters. Naioth was evidently a compound within Ramah where Samuel headed a school of prophets...
• Saul's anger over David's absence 20:24-34
  Saul concluded at first that David had not come to the new moon sacrificial meal because he was unclean (cf. Lev. 7:20-21; 15:16). His continued absence required an explanation, which Saul looked to David's friend to provide....
• Bibliography
  Ackroyd, Peter R. The First Book of Samuel. Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1971._____. "The Verb Love--'Aheb in the David-Jonathan Narratives--A Footnote."Vetus ...
• VI. DAVID'S TROUBLES chs. 9--20
  Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
• Shimei's curse 16:5-14
  This second descendant of Saul demonstrated a reaction to David that was the opposite of Ziba's. Ziba had been ingratiating and submissive, but Shimei, a "reptile of the royal house of Saul,"245was insulting and defiant (cf. ...
• The rule of the Shoot 11:1-9
  Messiah would meet certain qualifications (vv. 2-3a) and would rule with absolute justice (vv. 3b-5) with the result that people would live in peace (vv. 6-9)11:1 The prophet had just described Assyria cut down like a forest ...
• The second account of Jeremiah's release 40:1-6
  This account describes other things associated with Jeremiah's being set at liberty. It contains more detail than 39:11-14.40:1 Evidently after Jeremiah's release in Jerusalem Babylonian soldiers rounded him up when they saw ...
• 1. The recipients of Ezekiel's ministry 2:1-5
  2:1 Yahweh instructed Ezekiel to stand on his feet because the Lord wanted to speak with him."Not paralysis before him is desired by God, but reasonable service. . . . It is man erect, man in his manhood, with whom God will h...
• A. Israel's spiritual renewal and deliverance 2:28-32
  2:28-29 After this, namely, after the deliverance from the northern invader just described, God promised to pour out His Spirit on all mankind without gender, age, class, or position distinction.29In Old Testament times God g...
• The complete devastation of Samaria 6:8-14
  6:8 The prophet announced further that the sovereign Yahweh of hosts, even He, had sworn by Himself (cf. 4:2; 8:7). He loathed the pride of Jacob. "Jacob"refers to the Northern Kingdom (cf. 3:13), and "the pride of Jacob"is p...
• The descent of the Spirit 2:1-4
  Luke introduced the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry with His baptism with the Spirit (Luke 3:21-22). He paralleled this with the beginning of Jesus' heavenly ministry with the Spirit baptism of His disciples (Acts 2:1-4)...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• The King After Man's Heart
  1 Samuel 10:17-27These verses fit on to 1 Samuel 8., 1 Samuel 9, through 1 Samuel 10:16, being probably from another source, inserted here because the anointing of Saul, told in them, did occur between Samuel's dismissal of t...
• I. The War With The Ammonite King Nahash,
  Probably the war with the Ammonite king Nahash, which had postponed the formal inauguration of the king, had been carried on in the neighborhood of the Jordan valley; and thus Gilgal would be a convenient rendezvous. But it w...