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Bible mini-course / Historical books
Historical books · 9 of 73

1 Samuel

First Samuel tells of the shift from the judges to the monarchy: the prophet Samuel, the first king Saul and the choice of young David.

AuthorDeuteronomistic school
DateEvents around 1050-1010 BC
AudienceIsrael, on the origin of the monarchy

🎯 Learning objective

Understand the message of 1 Samuel, its historical setting and its place in the history of salvation.

🏛️ Historical context

Pressure from the Philistines, with iron weapons, led the tribes to ask for a king "like the other nations". Samuel warns of the dangers of human power.

🔙 Background

At the end of Judges disorder reigns. Hannah, a barren woman, asks God for a son and dedicates him to the Lord: he will be Samuel.

🧭 Structure of the book

Chapters 1-7: Samuel, judge and prophet
Chapters 8-15: Saul, the first king
Chapters 16-31: David's rise and Saul's fall

⭐ Key events and teachings

  1. 1Hannah's song (ch. 2), a model for the Magnificat
  2. 2God calls Samuel at night: "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening" (3:10)
  3. 3The people ask for a king; Saul is anointed (ch. 8-10)
  4. 4David is anointed: "the Lord looks on the heart" (16:7)
  5. 5David defeats Goliath (ch. 17)
  6. 6David and Jonathan's friendship; Saul's death (ch. 18-31)

🏷️ Main themes

Listening to GodPower and obedienceGod looks at the heartFriendship

📖 Verses to memorize

  • 1 Samuel 2:2There is none holy as the Lord is: for there is no other beside thee, and there is none strong like our God.
  • 1 Samuel 3:10And the Lord came, and stood, and he called, as he had called the other times, Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.
  • 1 Samuel 15:22And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices: and to hearken rather than to offer the fat or rams.
  • 1 Samuel 16:7And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man seeth those things that appear, but the Lord beholdeth the heart.
  • 1 Samuel 17:47And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for it is his battle, and he will deliver you into our hands.

💭 For reflection

  • How can I say today, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening"?
  • What does it mean that God looks at the heart and not at appearances?

It narrates the passage from the judges to the monarchy: the birth and calling of Samuel, the choice and failure of King Saul, and the anointing of young David, who defeats Goliath by trusting in God.

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