II. Contents. — The statements of the books of Samuel belong to an interesting period of Jewish history. The preceding book of Judges refers to the affairs of the re- public as they were administered after the conquest, when the nation was a congeries of independent can- tons, sometimes partially united for a season under an extraordinary dictator. As, however, the mode of gov- ernment was changed, and remained monarchical till the overthrow of the kingdom, it was of national impor- tance to note the time, method, and means of the alter- ation. This change happening under the regency of the wisest and best of their sages, his life became a topic of interest. The first book of Samuel gives an account of his birth and early call to the duties of a seer, under Eli's pontificate; describes the low and degraded condi- tion of the people, oppressed by foreign enemies ; pro- ceeds to narrate the election of Samuel as judge; his prosperous regency; the degeneracy of his sons; the clamor for a change in the civil constitution ; the in- stallation of Saul; his rash and reckless character; his neglect of, or opposition to, the theocratic elements of the government. Then the historian goes on to relate God's choice of David as king ; his endurance of long and harassing persecution from the reigning sovereign; the melancholy defeat and death of Saul on the field of Gilboa; the gradual elevation of the man "according to God's own heart" to universal dominion ; his earnest efforts to obey and follow out the principles of the the- ocracy; his formal establishment of religious worship at Jerusalem, now the capital of the nation; and his series of victories over all the enemies of Judtea that were wont to molest its frontiers. The annalist records David's aberrations from the path of duty; the unnat- ural rebellion of his son Absalom, and its suppression; his carrying into effect a census of his dominions, and the divine punishment which this act incurred; and concludes with a few characteristic sketches of his mili- tary staff. The second book of Samuel, while it relates the last words of David, yet stops short of his death. As David was the real founder of the monarchy and ar- ranger of the religious economy; the great hero, legis- lator, and poet of his country; as his dynasty main- tained itself on the throne of Judah till the Babylonian invasion, it is not a matter of wonder that the descrip- tion of his life and government occupies so large a por- tion of early Jewish history. The books of Samuel thus consist of three interlaced biographies — those of Samuel, Saul, and David. The following are the de- tails :
1. Israel under Samuel (1 Sam. i-xii; B.C. 1120- 1093). — The parentage, birth, and consecration of Sam- uel (ch. i); Hannah's prayer (ii, 1-10); the evil prac- tices of the sons of Eli; a man of God predicts the troubles which shall befall Eli (ii, 10-33); God calls Sanuicl in the night, and reveals to him the judgment of tlie house of Eli, to whom Samuel declares it (iii, 1- 18); Samuel is established to be a prophet in Shiloh (iii, r,)-iv, 1); a battle of the Philistines with the Isra- elites between Aphek and Ebcn-ezer; the Israelites, be- ing defeated, send for tlie ark from Shiloh ; another bat- tle ensues, in which Israel is again smitten, the ark is taken, and the two sons of Eli slain ; the news is carried
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to Eli, who dies; Ichabod is born (ch. iv) ; penalties in- flicted on the Philistines on account of the ark of God ; it is sent back with presents to Israel, first to Beth-she- mesh, and then to Kirjath-jearim (v'-vii, 1); the ref- ormation under Samuel and the national assembly at Mizpeh (vii, 2-G); the Philistines again invade Israel, but at the or}' of Samuel the Lord discomfits them with thunder, and they are smitten before Israel; their con- quests restored to Israel from EUron to (iath, and peace established (vii, 7-1-1); Samuel Judges Israel in a cir- cuit of four cities yearly (vii, 15-17); becoming old, he makes his sons judges over Israel, but their conduct is bad (viii, 1-3); the elders of Israel come to Samuel at Kamah and demand a king; Samuel protests, but by divine direction yields at length (viii, 4-22) ; Saul, son of Kish, seeking the lost asses of his father, visits Sam- uel, who, forewarned by God of his coming, entertains him with honor, and on parting anoints him to be king, and gives him signs in confirmation, which come to pass; Samuel then calls an assembly at Mizpeh, and there Saul is publicly designated by lot to be king over Israel, but not acknowledged by all the people (ch. i.x, x) ; the men of Jabesh - gilead, sending to Gibeah in their distress, Saul is roused to aid them, and gains a great victory over the Ammonites; then Saul is joyfully recognised as king by all the people at Gilgal, where Samuel renews the kingdom (ch. xi) ; there vSamuel adilresses the people, vindicates his own conduct, and exhorts them to tidelit}^ to God and their king; the miracle of thunder and rain at wheat-harvest (ch. xii). 2. Israel under King Saul (1 Sam. xiii-xxxi; B.C. 1093-1053).— Saul forms an army of two thousand men under his own command at Michmash, and one thou- sand under Jonathan at Gibeah ; Jonathan smites the Philistine garrison at Geba, and the Philistines gather a great army; Israel is greatly distressed; Saul awaits Samuel at Gilgal, but begins to offer sacrifice before his arrival, for which act of disobedience he is rejected of God (xiii, 1-14) ; in the extremity of the times Jonathan and his armor-bearer discomfit the Philistines at Mich- mash ; in the general pursuit Jonathan tastes honey contrary to the command of Saul ; his life is spared at the demand of the people (xiii, 15-xiv, 45) ; Saul's suc- cesses in war against the neighboring tribes; his chil- dren and relatives named (xiv, 46-52) ; Saul, com- manded to exterminate Amalek, only partially obeys, and Samuel declares to him his rejection from the king- dom ; Samuel and Saul finally part (ch. xv) ; Samuel is sent to Bethlehem to anoint David, son of Jesse, to be king (xvi, 1-13) ; in consequence of Saul's malady, Da- vid is sent for to cheer him with music (xvi, 14-23); the Philistines and the Israelites arrayed for battle in the valley of Elah : Goliath challenges Israel, and is killed by David (ch. xvii) ; Jonathan and David make a covenant of friendship; Saul retains David near him, and sets him over his men of war; the women-singers give greater honor to David than to Saul, who is dis- pleased, and seeks to destroy David (ch. xvili); Jona- than takes David's part and iMichal also ; David flees to Samuel at Kamah ; they go together to Naioth ; Saul sends messengers, and then goes himself to fetch David; they all prophesy (ch. xix) ; David visits Jonathan ; they renew their covenant; Jonathan makes known to David by the device of the arrows Saul's determination to kill him ; their parting (ch. xx) ; David flees to Nob, where he obtains the shewbread, and proceeds to Achish, king of Gath. and feigns madness; then to the cave of Adidlam, to Mizpeh of Moab, and to Hareth ; Saul kills Ahimelech and the priests by the hand of Doeg the Edomite (ch. xxi, xxii) ; David saves Keilah from the Philistines, but leaves it on the approach of Saul, and abides in the wilderness of Ziph, where Jonathan visits him ; Saul is recalled from the pursuit of David by an invasion of the Philistines (ch. xxiii) ; David in the wilderness of Engedi spares Saul's life (ch. xxiv) ; Sam- uel's death and burial; the narrative of Nabal and his wife Abigail (ch. xxv); David again spares the life of