Questions tagged [1-samuel]

The book of 1 Samuel, which chronicles the last days of Israel being ruled by judges and the transition into the monarchy with Saul as the first king.

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Who named the wrong priest in Mark 2:26?

Here's a story Jesus told about David according to Mark 2:23-28 (ESV): One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And ...
Jon Ericson's user avatar
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11 votes
8 answers
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Where did Samuel come from when he was summoned by the Medium of En-dor?

Appropriate to today, I was thinking about the time when Saul visited the Medium of En-dor in 1 Samuel 28:8-14 (ESV): So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men ...
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7 votes
12 answers
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In 1 Samuel 28:15 did the witch at Endor actually bring up the spirit of Samuel from the land of the dead?

When the witch at Endor conjured up a spirit through her sorcery to speak with King Saul, the Holy Bible actually stated thus: "Then Samuel said to Saul, 'Why have you disturbed me by bringing me ...
Chukwuemeka Ezema's user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
6k views

Was Abiathar the son of Ahimelech or was Ahimelech the son of Abiathar?

According to the following three verses, Abiathar was the son of Ahimelech: 1 Samuel 22:20. 1 Samuel 23:6. 1 Samuel 30:7. But a couple other passages down the road claim that in fact Ahimelech ...
sergeidave's user avatar
16 votes
4 answers
27k views

Can we harmonize the two meetings of David and Saul?

My daily reading reached the moment when Samuel anointed David, which is followed immediately by the first meeting of Saul and David: Now the spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil ...
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15 votes
3 answers
95k views

How old was Samuel when Hannah took him to the temple?

In 1 Samuel 1:24 we read: After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of ...
Ionică Bizău's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
12k views

Why did David and Jonathan need the arrow signal?

Just before David left Saul's service for the last time, he and Jonathan arraigned a way to communicate with one another in code: Jonathan, out of his love for David, adjured him again, for he loved ...
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9 votes
2 answers
21k views

What is the significance of switching from Gideon to Jerubbaal?

Gideon got a new name in this story: When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was ...
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8 votes
4 answers
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Does God have regret or not in 1st Samuel 15?

In 1 Samuel 15:29 he writes that the "Glory of Israel" will not have regret, yet in verse 35 he writes that the Lord regretted making Saul king. 1 Samuel 15:28,29 ESV And Samuel said to him,...
LCIII's user avatar
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8 votes
6 answers
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What does "an evil spirit from the Lord" mean?

In 1 Samuel 16:14 (KJV), the Scripture says: But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. I am curious about the meaning of "an evil spirit from ...
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7 votes
1 answer
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How did David trick Achish?

I got to this section this week and I feel like I'm missing something: David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Gizrites, and the Amalekites—who were the inhabitants of the ...
Jon Ericson's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
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Did someone really name their son Fool?

In 1st Samuel 25, we read about Abigail's first husband, who is named Nabal. Near the end of the story, she pleads with David to save his life: My lord should not pay attention to this wicked man ...
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6 votes
4 answers
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How to reconcile Mark 2:25-26 with 1 Samuel 21:1-5?

1 Samuel 21:1-5 (NKJV) 1 Now David came to Nob, to Ahimelech the priest. And Ahimelech was afraid when he met David, and said to him, “Why are you alone, and no one is with you?” 2 So David said ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
7k views

What was the significance of pouring out water in 1 Samuel 7:6?

1 Samuel 7:6 KJV 6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
4 votes
5 answers
3k views

Why did they celebrate again the day after the New Moon in 1 Samuel 20:27?

1 Samuel 20:24-27 So David hid in the field; and when the new moon came, the king sat down to eat food. 25The king sat on his seat as usual, the seat by the wall; then Jonathan rose up and Abner sat ...
bach's user avatar
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17 votes
9 answers
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How old was David when he fought Goliath?

1 Samuel 17:33 (NRSV) says: Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” I have taken ...
Jon P's user avatar
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13 votes
4 answers
3k views

Who Killed Saul?

I am enjoying my ride through 1 & 2 Samuel. I remember there being a contradiction contest/tag and here's a "contradiction" that got me thinking. What should we make of Saul's death? In 1 Samuel ...
swasheck's user avatar
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13 votes
7 answers
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How many children did Hannah have?

In the Song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:5), she seems to sing that she has seven children: She who was barren has borne seven children,      but she who has had many sons pines away....
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11 votes
4 answers
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How tall was Goliath?

In 1 Samuel 17, David intends to battle against Goliath and ultimately wins by slinging a single stone into his forehead before decapitating him. As Wikipedia can confirm, there are multiple accounts ...
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10 votes
2 answers
81k views

How is Psalm 34 linked to 1st Samuel 21?

The annotation of Psalm 34 (ESV) reads: Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. Clearly this is a reference to 1 Samuel 21:10-15 (ESV): ...
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9 votes
7 answers
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Was Haman an Agagite?

Esther 3:1 says After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him. Wikipedia says &...
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9 votes
1 answer
438 views

Is dead Samuel's appearance to Saul 'real'? [duplicate]

My question relates to 1 Samuel 28:3-20 and is also related to this question, but I hope with sufficient difference as to be justified. I've heard/read interpretations of the text that say that ...
bruised reed's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
769 views

How did the medium of Endor suddenly realize that Saul had fooled her?

Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” “Bring up Samuel,” he said. 12When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you ...
bach's user avatar
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8 votes
1 answer
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Who are the people God sent to deliver Israel in 1 Samuel 12:11?

The NET gives the following information about the list of names found in 1 Samuel 12:11: In the ancient versions there is some confusion with regard to these names, both with regard to the ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
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How to understand the passage where Samuel said that God doesn't change his mind, but God regretted making Saul king?

From 1 Samuel 15: 27 As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. 28 Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it ...
EJoshuaS - Stand with Ukraine's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is there a contradiction between 1 Samuel 15:29 and 1 Samuel 15:35?

The same verb root נ-ח-ם conjugated in binyan Nifʿal, referring to the same subject (i.e., God), occurs in both 1 Sam. 15:29 and 1 Sam. 15:35, the first occurrence being a negation, while the second ...
Ettore Panizon's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
6k views

Did David's mother have children to different fathers or does 2 Samuel 17:25 have another explanation?

In 1 Chronicles 2:13-17 (NIV), it's said that David and his brothers were the sons of Jesse, and that they had a sister named Abigail: Jesse was the father of Eliab his firstborn; the second son ...
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6 votes
1 answer
422 views

How did the proverb about Saul and the prophets come about?

I asked a previous question about Saul and the prophets in 1st Samuel 10:9-13, but now I've read on and I see an alternate origin story: David made good his escape, and he came to Samuel at Ramah ...
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6 votes
5 answers
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How would marrying Saul's daughter be a snare/stumbling block to David?

1 Samuel 18:20-21 (KJV): And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand ...
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6 votes
4 answers
6k views

What's going on with Saul and the prophets?

After Samuel anointed Saul, he sent him home with a few signs that will be fulfilled in 1st Samuel 10:9-13 (NJPS): As [Saul] turned around to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all those ...
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6 votes
3 answers
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Can there be any eschatological claim made from 1 Samuel 28:19, concerning Saul in the afterlife?

1 Samuel 28:19 (ESV): "Moreover, the LORD will give Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me. The LORD will give the army of Israel also ...
zmills's user avatar
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4 votes
3 answers
2k views

Did King Saul lose his salvation?

King Saul appeared to have had a "born again" experience: 9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. 10 When they came ...
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4 votes
2 answers
37k views

1 Samuel 16:12 Describes David as Ruddy ( Does that mean King David had red hair? )

Why is David described as ruddy in the bible? Does it mean he had red hair? Or (LOL) that he blushes a lot? 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome ...
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4 votes
2 answers
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Did Saul lie to Samuel in 1 Samuel 15:7?

1 Samuel 15:7 (KJV) 7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur, that is over against Egypt. 8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
5k views

What does it mean that God gave Saul "another heart" in 1 Samuel 10:9?

1 Samuel 10:9 (ESV): When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart. And all these signs came to pass that day. What does it that "God gave him another heart"? Did ...
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3 votes
2 answers
262 views

Is "the bread is in effect common" (1 Samuel 21:5) as translated by the NKJV accurate?

The MT reads: וַיַּ֩עַן֩ דָּוִ֨ד אֶת־הַכֹּהֵ֜ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ כִּ֣י אִם־אִשָּׁ֤ה עֲצֻֽרָה־לָ֙נוּ֙ כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם בְּצֵאתִ֕י וַיִּהְי֥וּ כְלֵֽי־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְהוּא֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ חֹ֔ל ...
bach's user avatar
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3 votes
6 answers
6k views

Is the Bible saying that the earth has pillars?

Reading 1 Samuel 2:8, it seems to suggest that the earth has pillars. Can anyone explain please??
Osakue Kingsley Usiomonifo's user avatar
2 votes
7 answers
7k views

Nudity of Saul and the prophets in 1 Samuel 19:20-24

Further to my question, Nudity in the bible - Genesis 2 and 3, I have the following quote which I would like clarified. Adam and Eve felt shame when they were naked in the Garden of Eden yet, there ...
Chris Rogers's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
897 views

What's the significance that Goliath defied Israel for forty days?

1 Samuel 17: 16For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. 22David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his ...
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2 votes
3 answers
4k views

How long did Saul reign?

In 1 Samuel 13:1 (BPT09) Saul era de meia-idade, quando se tornou rei de Israel e reinou cerca de vinte anos. which translates to: Saul was middle-aged when he became king of Israel and reigned for ...
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
73 views

1 Samuel 15 and the fulfillment of Numbers 24

In 1 Samuel 15:1-3 (NASB) Then Samuel said to Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel; now therefore, listen to the words of the Lord. 2 This is what the Lord of ...
Tiago Martins Peres's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
248 views

If evil spirits have personhood, does the Holy Spirit also have personhood? 1 Samuel 16:14-16 & Matthew 12:43-45

In 1 Samuel 16:14-16 we see the contrast between the Spirit of the LORD leaving Saul and an evil spirit being sent by God instead to torment him: 14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and ...
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1 vote
1 answer
4k views

How many loaves of hallowed bread did David receive?

When fleeing from Saul, David goes to Nob and asks for bread: And David said to Ahimelech the priest, “The king has charged me with a matter and said to me, ‘Let no one know anything of the matter ...
Revelation Lad's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
184 views

Isn't 1 samuel 19:20-21 a violation of freewill

Isn't the Spirit of God coming upon Saul's men to make them prophesy a violation of their freewill 1 Samuel 19:20-21 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, ...
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