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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13 votes
6 answers
6k views

Did David keep household idols?

The biblical account of David's first escape from Saul in 1 Sam 19 mentions that his wife Michal camouflaged his escape by hiding an "image" (KJV) or a "household idol" (NASB) in his bed. Is that to ...
1 vote
1 answer
475 views

In Acts 13:22, does “a man after my own heart” refer to David or Jesse?

After comparing 1 Samuel 13:14 with Acts 13:22, I have often wondered if Acts 13:22 means that Jesse rather than David was a man after God’s own heart. 1 Samuel 13:14 14 But now thy kingdom shall ...
4 votes
6 answers
11k views

Who wore the ephod in 1 Samuel 30:7?

After a party of marauding Amalekites had invaded Negev & Ziklag taking David's people hostage. David asks Abiather to bring the ephod so that they may inquired from God.Its not clear who ...
13 votes
4 answers
2k 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 ...
1 vote
1 answer
40 views

What is the significance of the Greek rendering of Hannah's address to the LORD of Hosts?

When in despair for a son, Hannah prays to YHVH. She begins by addressing יהוה צבאות: 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow 11 and said, “O ...
2 votes
2 answers
784 views

What part of the tabernacle did Hannah pray in 1 Samuel 1:1-20?

Herod's temple had court of women. Where did Hannah go to pray in the tabernacle in Shiloh?
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

Did Samuel sleep in the holy of holies at Shiloh?

When God calls Samuel it seems like he is sleeping inside the Temple/Tabernacle where the ark of God was. 1 Samuel 3:2-3 NASB 2 But it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now ...
2 votes
1 answer
239 views

Was David called YHWH?

And Jonathan said unto David, O Lord God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, ...
2 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why did Samuel think that Saul would kill him given that all of Saul's recorded erratic behavior seems to have happened later?

This is a follow-up question to: https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/30959/would-saul-actually-have-killed-samuel-if-he-found-out-that-samuel-had-annointed Again, from 1 Samuel 16:1-3 (...
4 votes
4 answers
2k views

What did Israel believe were the advantages of the monarchy system?

What are the apparent advantages of the monarchy system that Israel wanted to have that they saw in the other nations? There must be something they saw, for in 1 Samuel 8:4-5 and 19-20 we read (NASB): ...
3 votes
3 answers
276 views

Did Saul have a legal right to give David's wife away (1 Sam. 25:44)?

From the First Book of Samuel, we are told: 1 Samuel 25:44: "Now Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was from Gallim." Was this lawful in ...
10 votes
5 answers
3k views

Did Saul intend to offer a peace offering in 1st Samuel 13?

When Samuel rebuked Saul for improperly making an offering before the Lord, he asks for both a burnt offering and a "sacrifice of well-being": He waited seven days, the time that Samuel [had set]. ...
3 votes
2 answers
30k 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 ...
1 vote
1 answer
81 views

Is the "root of Jesse" in the LXX, a reference to a divine Messiah?

Isaiah 11-12 is a messianic and eschatological prophecy. It begins by identifying the king.1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. (...
1 vote
4 answers
176 views

In 1 Samuel 10:5-6, Music is the ר֣וּחַ יְהֹוָ֔ה Spirit of YHVH?

Harmonious vibrations (Music) from the drum, flute & harp passed over שָׁאוּל֙ Shaul in 1 שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל Shmuel 10:5-6. [1 שְׁמוּאֵ֔ל Shmuel 10:5] "Afterwards, you shall come to the hill of God, ...
0 votes
3 answers
55 views

How did the writer of 1 Samuel 31 know that Saul committed suicide if his armor bearer also committed suicide?

I know that the explanation of Saul's death from 1 Samuel 31 contradicts what the Amalekite told David in 2 Samuel 1, but how do we even have the first explanation? Both people committed suicide ...
4 votes
4 answers
1k views

Did Samuel pitch in within seven days as promised in 1 Samuel 10:8?

Samuel promises to meet Saul within seven days at Gilgal 1 Samuel 10:8 NIV 8 “Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, ...
2 votes
1 answer
3k views

How many sons did Jesse have?

In 1 Samuel 16:10 (NASB) So Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” The wording in 1 Samuel 16 gives space for Jesse to have had ...
7 votes
11 answers
6k views

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 ...
3 votes
6 answers
10k views

What does the phrase "to cover his feet" refer to in 1 Samuel 24:3?

1 Samuel 24:3 KJV 3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. Its not clear what ...
6 votes
5 answers
2k views

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 ...
-1 votes
3 answers
3k views

Why didn't the Bible mention David's height as it mentioned Goliath's height in 1 Sam. 17:4?

1 Samuel 16:4 (KJV): And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. I just wanna know why the Bible didn't provide ...
9 votes
5 answers
11k views

Why was Goliath's sword kept in the tabernacle at Nob?

Then David asked Ahimelech, “Is there not a spear or sword on hand here? For I have brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business was urgent.” 9The priest ...
6 votes
4 answers
9k views

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 ...
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

How is Abiather linked to the house of Eli?

In 1 Samuel 2, Eli is cursed for letting his sons defile the house of God: 27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of ...
4 votes
5 answers
2k views

Why did Samuel hack Agag to pieces in 1 Samuel 15:33?

1 Samuel 15:33 Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal. Was it an overkill? Was it in character of Samuel? Did it please the LORD?
2 votes
3 answers
564 views

Not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear. Really?

1 Samuel 13:22 So on the day of the battle not a soldier with Saul and Jonathan had a sword or spear in his hand; only Saul and his son Jonathan had them. Should we interpret this literally?
11 votes
8 answers
8k views

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 ...
0 votes
2 answers
93 views

Is Amalek the nephew of Leviathan?

Genesis 36:12 Esau’s son Eliphaz also had a concubine named Timna, who bore him Amalek. These were grandsons of Esau’s wife Adah. Genesis 36:22 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam. Timna was Lotan’s ...
4 votes
5 answers
2k 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 ...
3 votes
3 answers
311 views

Did Abiathar die in the flower/prime of his life?

According to the prophecy given to the house of Eli all his descendants will die in the prime of their life KJV 1 Samuel 2 : 31 - 33 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm ...
4 votes
3 answers
16k views

How did Saul find out that David had been anointed to be king?

In 1 Samuel 20:31, Saul tells Jonathan that David was a direct, major threat to his reign: For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. ...
2 votes
1 answer
56 views

Why did Samuel hide the anointing from the servant in 1 Samuel 9:27?

When Samuel is about to anoint Saul he requests that the servant go ahead whilst they remain behind KJV 1 Samuel 9 : 27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said to Saul, Bid ...
3 votes
1 answer
26 views

Was Samuel referring to Saul in 1 Samuel 8:10-17?

After asking for a king Samuel goes on to numerate the rights the king will demand from the Israelites KJV 1 Samuel 8 : 10 - 17 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of ...
9 votes
2 answers
349 views

Can "ki" in 1 Samuel 2:25 be understood to mean something other than "because"?

I was reading 1 Samuel this evening and was struck by chapter 2, verse 25: כה אִם-יֶחֱטָא אִישׁ לְאִישׁ, וּפִלְלוֹ אֱלֹהִים, וְאִם לַיהוָה יֶחֱטָא-אִישׁ, מִי יִתְפַּלֶּל-לוֹ; וְלֹא יִשְׁמְעוּ ...
1 vote
1 answer
180 views

What is the meaning of the proverb in 1 Samuel 10:12?

In the Book of 1st Samuel we read: 1 Samuel 10:12: "A man there said, 'Now, who is their father?' Therefore it became a proverb: 'Is Saul also among the prophets?'" (emphasis added). What ...
1 vote
5 answers
4k views

In 1 Samuel 16:1-13 why did David not establish himself as king when Saul decided to go after him?

In 1 Samuel 16:1-13 David was anointed king of Israel. As far as I know when you're anointed king back in those days, you could already set up your kingdom after. I'm curious as to why - instead of ...
2 votes
7 answers
6k 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 ...
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 ...
0 votes
2 answers
483 views

How old is Saul when he first meets Samuel?

1 Samuel 9 1Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. 2And he had a son, ...
2 votes
1 answer
293 views

God's attributes in the parallels between 1 Samuel and Esther

As Dottard mentions Haman in the Book of Esther was a descendant of the king Agag that Samuel executed (see 4 above). In addition to that, Mordecai is linked with Saul as we read in 1 Samuel 9:1-2 (...
11 votes
6 answers
4k views

How can an evil spirit come from God?

In 1 Samuel 16, a number of times an evil spirit from God is described to come upon Saul: 14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord tormented him. 15 Saul’...
6 votes
5 answers
2k views

Why did David fear Joab? 2 Sam 3:39

David is a great warrior(no doubt), at a very young age, He killed Goliath, killed a bear and he he generally considered fearless. But, while going through the Bible, I discovered David feared Joab ...
2 votes
4 answers
8k views

Why did David take Goliath's head to Jerusalem?

1 Samuel 17:54 New International Version David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem; he put the Philistine’s weapons in his own tent. Was the young David trying to threaten the ...
3 votes
2 answers
198 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 ...
1 vote
1 answer
55 views

Were inquiries ever made for ordinary israelite using the Urim and Thummim? [closed]

It seems almost all inquiries made using the Urim and Thummim were made for either kings or leaders of the community Numbers 27:18,21 NASB So the Lord said to Moses, “[g]Take Joshua the son of Nun, a ...
1 vote
3 answers
160 views

1 Corinthians 14:32 says the spirit of prophets are subject to prophets however 1 Samuel 19:20-23 says the men Saul sent couldn't help but prophesy

1 Corinthians 14:32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. But in 1 Samuel 19:20-23 all the men Saul sent including Saul couldn't help but prophesy, doesn't this contradict ...
2 votes
1 answer
209 views

1 Samuel 14:18 - "Bring the ark of God" or "Bring the ephod"?

Saul was in his earlier reign of Israel and he was in a battle against the Philistines. His son Jonathan and his armor-bearer went into the camp of Philistines and caused a turmoil. Saul discovered it ...
1 vote
3 answers
4k views

How long was the ark at Kirjath Jearim in 1 Samuel 7:2?

In the text its clear that the ark was captured & then kept afterwards at Kirjath Jearim before Saul had been anointed king & Saul went on to rule for about forty years.David came into power ...
1 vote
2 answers
76 views

How do we understand God's rejection of Saul in 1 Sam. 15:23, 28?

The verses in question read as follows: 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also ...

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