Summary of the Book of 1 Samuel

Author:
The author is anonymous. It is known that Samuel wrote a book titled “Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.” (1 Samuel 10:25), and it is very likely that he also contributed to other parts of this book. Other potential contributors to 1 Samuel are the prophets/historians Nathan and Gad: “Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,” (1 Chronicles 29:29).

Date of Writing:
Originally, the books of 1 and 2 Samuel were one book. The translators of the Septuagint separated them, and this division has been maintained ever since. The events of 1 Samuel cover approximately 100 years, from around 1100 B.C. to about 1000 B.C. The events of 2 Samuel encompass another 40 years. Therefore, the date of writing would be sometime after 960 B.C.

Purpose of Writing:
First Samuel documents the history of Israel in the land of Canaan as they transition from the era of judges to becoming a unified nation under kings. Samuel emerges as the final judge, anointing the first two kings, Saul and David.

Key Verses:
“But when they said, ‘Give us a king to lead us,’ this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: ‘Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king'” (1 Samuel 8:6-7).

“’You acted foolishly,’ Samuel said. ‘YouHave not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command’” (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

“But Samuel replied: ‘Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 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’” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

Brief Summary:
The book of 1 Samuel can be neatly divided into two sections: the life of Samuel (chapters 1-12) and the life of Saul (chapters 13-31).

The book starts with the miraculous birth of Samuel in answer to his mother’s earnest prayer. As a child, Samuel lived and served in the temple. God singled him out as a prophet (3:19-21), and the child’s first prophecy was one of judgment on the corrupt priests.

The Israelites go to war with their perennial enemies, the Philistines. The Philistines capture the ark of the covenant and are in temporary possession of it, but when the Lord sends judgment, the Philistines return the ark. Samuel calls Israel to repentance (7:3-6) and then to victory over the Philistines.

The people of Israel, wanting to be like other nations, desire a king. Samuel is displeased by their demands, but the Lord tells him that it is not Samuel’s leadership they are rejecting, but His own. After warning the people of what having a king would mean, Samuel anoints a Benjamite named Saul, who is crowned in Mizpah (10:17-25).

Saul

Enjoys initial success by defeating the Ammonites in battle (chapter 11). However, he then makes a series of missteps: he presumptuously offers a sacrifice (chapter 13), makes a foolish vow at the expense of his son Jonathan (chapter 14), and disobeys the Lord’s direct command (chapter 15). Due to Saul’s rebellion, God selects another to replace Saul. Meanwhile, God withdraws His blessing from Saul, and an evil spirit begins provoking Saul toward madness (16:14).

Samuel journeys to Bethlehem to anoint a youth named David as the next king (chapter 16). Subsequently, David has his renowned confrontation with Goliath the Philistine and emerges as a national hero (chapter 17). David serves in Saul’s court, weds Saul’s daughter, and befriends Saul’s son. Saul becomes envious of David’s success and popularity, leading him to try to kill David. David escapes, initiating an extraordinary period of adventure, intrigue, and romance. With supernatural assistance, David narrowly but consistently evades the bloodthirsty Saul (chapters 19-26). Throughout, David upholds his integrity and his friendship with Jonathan.

Towards the conclusion of the book, Samuel has passed away, and Saul is a lost soul. On the brink of a battle with Philistia, Saul seeks answers. Having forsaken God, he receives no help from heaven and turns to a medium for counsel. During the seance, Samuel’s spirit emerges from the dead to deliver one final prophecy: Saul will perish in battle the following day. The prophecy comes to pass; Saul’s three sons, including Jonathan, perish in battle, and Saul takes his own life.

Foreshadowings:
The prayer of Hannah in 1 Samuel 2:1-10 contains several prophetic references to Christ. She praises God as her Rock (v. 2), and we learn from the gospel accounts that Jesus is the Rock on whom we should establish our spiritual foundations. Paul describes Jesus as the “rock of offense” to the Jews «as it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: And whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.», (Romans 9:33). Christ is referred to as the “spiritual Rock” who provided spiritual drink to the Israelites in the wilderness, just as He offers “living water” to our souls (1 Corinthians 10:4;John 4:10). Hannah’s prayer also mentions the Lord who will judge the ends of the earth v: 2:10, while Matthew 25:31-32 describes Jesus as the Son of Man who will come in glory to judge everyone.

Practical Application:
The tragic tale of Saul serves as a lesson in wasted opportunities. Here was a man who had everything—honor, authority, wealth, good looks, and more. However, he passed away in despair, fearful of his enemies and aware that he had disappointed his nation, his family, and his God.

Saul made the error of believing he could please God through disobedience. Like many today, he thought that having a reasonable motive would make up for bad conduct. Perhaps his power went to his head, leading him to believe he was above the rules. Somehow, he developed a low regard for God’s commands and a high opinion of himself. Even when confronted with his misdeeds, he tried to justify himself, and that’s when God rejected him (15:16-28).

Saul’s issue is one that we all encounter—a matter of the heart. Obedience to God’s will is crucial for success, and if we rebelliously defy Him in pride, we are setting ourselves up for failure.

On the contrary, David didn’t appear remarkable at first. Even Samuel was tempted to overlook him (16:6-7). However, God sees the heart and recognized in David a man after His own heart 13:14. David’s humility and integrity, along with his boldness for the Lord and his dedication to prayer, serve as a positive example for all of us.