Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• 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...
• IV. SAUL AND DAVID 1 Sam. 16--31
  The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
• C. David in Exile chs. 21-30
  In chapters 21-30 we see David's forces growing stronger and stronger while Saul's forces get weaker and weaker. This is a further demonstration of the fertility theme. However these chapters also develop the motif of the pro...
• Saul's slaughter of the priests 22:6-23
  The writer's attention focused next on Saul's activities. He used the literary device of focusing on David, then on Saul, then on David, etc. He used the same technique in chapters 1-3 with Samuel and Eli's sons to contrast S...
• 2. Saul's pursuit of David ch. 23
  The literary spotlight now moves back from Saul to David and his activities."We have just witnessed how Saul, in an outburst of rage, became responsible for the destruction of the priestly city of Nob. In ch. 23, David, even ...
• David's rescue of Keilah 23:1-5
  Keilah was about three miles southeast of Adullam in the Shephelah, the foothills between the coastal plain on the west and the hill country of Judah on the east. The Philistines were plundering the threshing floors there. Th...
• David's escape from Keilah 23:6-14
  Abiathar had evidently remained in the forest of Hereth when David took his men to attack the Philistines in Keilah (cf. 22:20-23). Now the priest joined David at Keilah (v. 6). The presence of the ephod made it possible for ...
• David in the wilderness of Ziph 23:15-23
  David had sought and received divine guidance and had succeeded at Keilah (vv. 1-14). Now Saul sought and received human guidance and failed near Ziph (vv. 15-23). Jonathan visited David to encourage his friend in this wilder...
• Jonathan's encouragement of David 23:15-18
  The town of Ziph was 12 miles southeast of Keilah, and the wilderness of Ziph was near the town. Ziph lay in the wilderness area of Judah whereas Keilah was in the more hospitable Shephelah. The sites of Horesh (v. 15) and Ha...
• David's escape from the wilderness of Ziph 23:19-23
  Again the writer directed our attention back to Saul. Psalm 54 tells us what David was thinking and praying during this experience. He trusted in God.Evidently the Ziphites thought that they would be better off if they inform...
• David in the wilderness of Maon 23:24-29
  Maon stood about five miles south of Ziph in the wilderness of Judah. The Arabah describes the low-lying area that extends from Mt. Hermon to the Red Sea including the Jordan Valley and Dead Sea regions. Jeshimon means "deser...
• David's first sparing of Saul's life ch. 24
  The incident recorded in this chapter concerns cutting off (vv. 4, 5, 11, 21). David had the opportunity and received encouragement to cut off Saul's life but chose to cut off only his robe hem. He ended up promising not to c...
• David's cutting off of Saul's hem 24:1-7
  Engedi lay near the Salt Sea's western shore close to its mid-point north to south. Even today it is a refreshing oasis with waterfall, tropical plants, and wild goats. The Hebrew word means "spring of the kid."It may have be...
• Saul's encampment near the hill of Hachilah 26:1-5
  The Ziphites betrayed David a second time (cf. 23:19). David was again hiding by the hill of Hachilah (23:19). When Saul came down from Gibeah with his 3,000 (or three military units of) soldiers, he camped near the main road...
• David's relocation to Ziklag 27:1-7
  Was it God's will for David to leave Israel and move to Philistia? The text does not say, but there are indications that lead me to believe that he should not have done this even though he must have felt almost forced to do s...
• God's provision of guidance 30:7-10
  David obtained an answer through the Urim and Thummim, which the high priest carried in the breastpiece of his ephod (cf. 23:2, 4, 9). God no longer responded to Saul's prayers (28:15), but He did answer David's (v. 8). David...
• The aftermath of the battle 31:7-13
  The other Israelite soldiers retreated when they heard that Saul and his sons had died. This left towns in the region open for Philistine seizure. Instead of driving the native inhabitants out of the land Saul had made it pos...
• 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 ...
• David's lament for Saul and Jonathan 1:17-27
  Students of David's lament over Saul and Jonathan's deaths have called it the Song of the Bow (cf. v. 22).10Many people in Judah learned and sang it (v. 18). The Book of Jasher (v. 18) is no longer extant (cf. Josh. 10:13)."H...
• 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-...
• Priests of doubtful origin 2:61-63
  These men returned but could not serve as priests until the high priest could determine that they were indeed descendants of Aaron (cf. Num. 16:40; 18:9-10). Perhaps the high priest did this using the Urim and Thummim if thes...
• 1. Praise for righteous judgment 9:1-12
  This first section speaks of God as the righteous Judge in whom the afflicted may hope.9:1-2 In view of the aspects of Yahweh's character that he would yet describe, David said he would thank God wholeheartedly. He would anno...
• The choice of Matthias 1:15-26
  1:15 In view of Peter's leadership gifts, so obvious in the Gospels, it is no surprise that he is the one who took the initiative on this occasion."Undoubtedly, the key disciple in Luke's writings is Peter. He was the represe...