First Samuel

Chapter 1

 Samuel is born in this chapter to Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah. Hannah prays to the Lord for a son, because Elkanah's other wife keeps on hounding her and making fun of her because she has bore him no children. God does grant her prayer, and she thanks God through sacrifice.

Chapter 2

Samuel continues to grow and Hannah has more children. The majority of this chapter deals with Eli, and the evils of his sons. A man of the Lord comes to Eli and tells him that he will not prosper and will be wiped out.

Chapter 3

Samuel hears God speaking to him, but doesn't realize who it is. Thinking it to be Eli, he runs to him. Eli says to tells him to go back to sleep for he did not call him. After a couple of rounds of this Eli realizes that this is the voice of God and instructs Samuel to say "Speak Lord for thy servant hears". Samuel does this and God reviels to him that he will do as he promised to Eli's family. After this, Samuel becomes known as a prophet.

Chapter 4

Israel goes into battle with the Philistines and looses. Eli's sons are slain and the Ark is captured. When Eli hears of this he dies. He had judged Israel for 40 years. Ichabod was also born at the end of the chapter. His name means that the glory of Israel is gone.

Chapter 5

Once the Ark of the covenant was stollen it was taken to several cities. Each time it would bring havoc to the city it was in, causing plagues and tumors, it even caused statues of false gods to fall before it. With all this in mind, the Philistines decided to return the ark to its people.

Chapter 6

The Philistines prepare a cart to take the Ark back. In it they place golden tumors and golden mice to symbolize what was afflicting them, it was a guilt offering. They sent the cart out of the city with no driver, letting the cows pull the cart. They pulled the cart to Bethshemesh proving that all this was the hand of God. God also slew some men for looking into the Ark.

Chapter 7

Israel gets the Ark back and Samuel tells everyone to gather in Mizpah. This angered the Philistines and they rose up to attack. Samuel prayed to the Lord to protect them and he did. Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

Chapter 8

The people of Israel want a king, and this troubles Samuel, so he asked the Lord and the Lord gave them a warning. He said that a king would make them all slaves. But they did not listen and still wanted a king, so they could be like other countries. So God told Samuel to make them a king.

Chapter 9

Here Saul comes to speak with Samuel, because his fathers assets were lost. The real reason this happened is that God told Samuel that Saul was to rule over his people. Samuel treats Saul very well and tells him that he must make the word of God apparent to him.

Chapter 10

Samuel prophesised events that would show Saul that he was chosen to be King. Of course all this happened and Samuel gathered all the people together and showed them who their new king was. All said "Long live the king" except for some, who despised him.

Chapter 11

Sauls first test as king. He rallies the people up against the enemies and overthrows them. The people of Israel were upset with those doubted and wanted to kill the people who said, "Shall Saul reign over us?" But Saul said no killings and was officially made king of Gilgal.

Chapter 12

Samuel tells the people that they are wicked for chosing a king. He reminds them all what the Lord had done for them. He strikes fear in their hearts that they may listen. He tells them that as long as they do well and follow the ways of the Lord, all will be well. But if they become wicked, they will be swept away, along with their king.

Chapter 13

Samuel continued to do battle until one day the philistines gathered up 30,000 chariots and 6,000 horsemen and countless people to fight. This scared the men in Israel and they hid. So Saul called for Samuel to give an offering but when Samuel did not show up after three days Saul went and did his own offering. Samuel then came out and told him that it was wrong, and that his kingdom shall not continue. He gathered about 600 men to try to face the Philistines, but he had no spear or sword.

Chapter 14

Well Jonathan and his armor bearer went off on their own and started the battle with the Philistines by themselves. They killed many men and caused great confusion because the Lord was with them. Well the Philistines retreated and Jonathan ate honey, against his fathers wishes. Jonathan said that all shall eat, but when they did they went a little crazy and started eating the blood of the animal. This was a sin against God, and so Saul told the people that they could eat, but don't eat the blood of the animal. And Saul built an altar for the Lord. He wanted to kill the man who started all the eating, but when he found out it was his own son, he spared him since he delivered Israel. They went on to fight many more battles and the chapter ends with a family history.

Chapter 15

Here God commands Saul to destroy Amelek and everything in it. but when Saul attacks he spares the king and the best spoils for a sacrifice. This angers God because Saul did not do as he asked. Samuel told him this and he became saddened. He realized what he had done, but he still lost his kingdom. He then cut the king of Amelek into pieces and became a recluse. Samuel did not see him again until his death. Samuel cried and the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Chapter 16

Samuel grieved over what had happened with Saul, but the Lord wanted him to annoint another to be King. Samuel was afraid that Saul would kill him, but the Lord said he would be ok. So Samuel went to Jesseand performed a sacrifice with him and his sons. He chose Jesse's youngest David, to be the next king. Here is a great saying, "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart". Well, Saul's good spirit leaves and an evil spirit haunts him. It is suggested that he get a lyre player to make the spirit go away. This turned out to be David. David is asked to remain in Sauls service. The lyre playing caused the spirit to depart.

Chapter 17

The battle of David and Goliath. The Philistines had an army led by a great man, Goliath, who was about 10 feet tall. Goliath said that if any man could beat him the Philistines would become their servants, but if he won it would be the other way around. David ends up going to battle against him after a series of events. He uses a sling shot to fall Goliath, then uses Goliath's own sword to kill him and cut off his head. The Israelites then chased the Philistines to Gath.

Chapter 18

David was to live with Jonathan and Saul now, but Saul despised him, because the people saw him as greater. Saul tried to kill him acouple of times but it didn't work. So, he sent him to battle against the Philistines, but that only made him more successful. He maried Saul's daughter Michal.

Chapter 19

Saul again tries to kill David, but David flees to Samuel. Saul goes off to find him, and ends up in the town where they are hiding.He then prophesises and strips his robes and lies naked all day and night, and some feel then that Saul may be a prohpet.

Chapter 20

Davis fled the city, back to Jonathan. Jonathan could not understand that his father wanted to kill David. So they set up a test to see. Saul became quite angry with Jonathan and Jonathan knew they would no longer be able to be friends. The two then departed.

Chapter 21

David flees to Nob where he meets with a priest. He gathers five loaves of holy bread to eat. He also gathered up the sword of Goliath and headed toward Gath to see the king. David then acted like a madman in front of the king to fool him.

Chapter 22

David left Gath to be in a cave where those who liked him gathered with him, among whom were his father and mother. He took them to Mizpeth for safe keeping. Meanwhile Saul is looking for David and now Doeg tells him what he saw at the priests house earlier. So Saul sent for the priest and questioned him. Then he had Doeg kill him, and those about him, and sent out an army to wipe out the city of Nob. One son of the priest escaped and went to David with this news. David said to stay with him and he would be safe.

Chapter 23

David then faught a small battle against the Philistines saving the city of Kenah. Saul continued to chase him and alsmost caught up to him when he was saved by the fact that Saul had to fight the Philistines because they were attacking his land while he was away.

Chapter 24

Saul went out again to find David. Along the way he went into a cave to relieve himself and David happened to be in there. He could of killed him, but he did not. Once Saul was out of the the cave, David revieled himself to Saul and asked why he pursued him. Because David could have killed him but didn't, Saul made peace with David and said that he shurely shall be king.

Chapter 25

Samuel dies at the begining of this chapter, and Israel morns. David sends about ten men to tell a rich man to prepare a feast for his people. The rich man being a fool, tells them to go away. David has his men get ready to go fight this man, but the mans wife, Abigail, comes to him and gives him food and gifts. Because she does this he spares their lives. Nabal (the rich guy) died ten days later and David takes Abigail for his wife. He also takes Ahinoam, Sauls daughter - Davids original wife is given to another man.

Chapter 26

Again Saul seeks out David, and again David could have killed him, but he didn't. He takes his spear while he sleeps. When Saul awakens he is ready to kill his guard for letting someone get so close. Just then David voices out and asks why he being chased. Saul says he is sorry and asks him to come home. Both then go on their way.

Chapter 27

David moves away to the land of the Philistines to get away from Saul, for he is afraid in his heart that Saul would kill him. Once hearing of this Saul pursued no more. Achish, the king of Gath, gives David the land of Ziklag. From there David lead several attacks on the cities around and would tell Achish about the raids in which he would leave nothing alive or standing. This made Achish trust David, for he thaught that the Israelites hated him.

Chapter 28

The Philistines gathered to war against the Israelites and Achish asked David to be his body guard. Saul, hearing of the build up asked God what he should do. Getting no answer he called for a medium to contact Samuel. Samuel tells him that he will die the next day. Distraught with fear, Saul does not eat until a woman tells him to eat.

Chapter 29

The Philistines were marching along when a commander of the Philistine army stopped to talk to Achish about the Hebrews. The commander did not want David to go into battle with them because they were afraid he would turn against them. So achish asked David to return to the land of the Philistines, which he did, and the Philistines marched on to Jezreel.

Chapter 30

Here the Amalekites raid two towns, Negeb and Davids home town of Ziklag, which they burned and took all the people as slaves. David pursued them and along the way some of his men could no longer go on. 400 of the 600 men still went on to find the Amelekites. With the aid of an Egyptian slave, David killed them all and got his two wives back. As they made their way back, they came across the men who could not go on earlier. Some of Davis men said that the 200 that stayed back should not get any of their spoils back. David said no, all shall get their own accordingly, and spread the wealth among other war torn cities.

Chapter 31

The end of the chapter brings about the death of Saul. After being chased by the Philistines, they were badly slain on Mt. Giblon. Sauls three sons were killed and Saul himself badly wounded, fell on to his own sword, so as not to be sport of. His sword bearer also did the same. The Philistines cut off his head and displayed their bodys in the temple. A few valiant men of Israel heard of this and took down the bodies, burned and buried them, and fasted for seven days.