Another Bible Commentary: 1 Samuel

1 and 2 Samuel were once all one work compiled after the Israel/Judah split (as evidenced by 1 Samuel 27:6) perhaps from many books that we don’t have (as evidenced by 1 Chronicles 29:29). Samuel was the last of the Judges (1 Samuel 7:6). Spoiler alert: Samuel dies in 1 Samuel 25, so this is a history scroll named in his honor.

1:2 The name Hannah means “Grace”.

1:11 If polygyny were sinful, why would God have blessed the Old Testament saints with answered prayers like this (Genesis 26:5, Psalm 34:15-16)?

1:13 Silent prayer works.

1:14 Being hammered during worship was lethal for priests (as we discussed with regard to events in Leviticus 10); it was frowned upon for everyone else. Wild behavior in the days of the Judges wouldn’t seem out of place.

1:18 Her circumstances haven’t changed yet, but her outlook has. This is evidence of faith.

1:20 Samuel means “heard by God”.

1:22 “weaned” Traditionally thought to be age 3 (like the bull in verse 24), which is still a common age for that in places with bad water. Her happy ending keeps going in 1 Samuel 2:20-21.

1 Samuel 2 – Hannah’s Prayer has been compared to the Song of Mary in Luke 1.

2:6 “and raises up” is another Resurrection hint.

2:12-17 They take more than Leviticus 7:32-34 allows, even God’s share (Leviticus 3:3-5).

2:22 These ladies could have been there to serve the right way (Exodus 38:8) or the wrong way (Deuteronomy 23:17). It was the days of the Judges, after all.

2:26 foreshadows Luke 2:52.

2:30-33 See 1 Samuel 22:16-19.

3:4 “Heard by God” heard God, too.

3:14 If the High Priest got in a jam like this, the Day of Atonement would fail (Leviticus 16:16). Having a clean priest/prophet/Nazirite/Melchizedek-type to set up a remnant across the Jordan in the wilderness again off the cursed ground like John the Baptist would be a good idea.

3:19 Samuel’s name comes true (Psalm 34:17).

4:11 Given what happened in Joshua 7 and what’s been going on in 1 Samuel 2:17, losing the Ark is no surprise. It was not a talisman; they could not control God with it.

4:18 The Ark news got him (1 Samuel 4:13); he already knew the sons were doomed.

5:1-2 Our-god-beat-yours, “Here you go, Dagon!”, and their-gods-helped-us-instead-of-them are all possible motivations.

5:6 Possibly bubonic plague.

6:4 The gold tumors and gold rats remind me of the bronze serpent of Numbers 21.

6:7-12 The cows abandoning their calves and towing a cart without prior introduction to the yoke was improbable enough to show that God was involved.

6:19 See Numbers 4:20. Paul’s right in 2 Corinthians 3 and Romans 7; the Law kills.

7:1 Eleazar was a common name among the priests. Lazarus is a variant of this name.

7:3 Nazirite Samuel finishes what Nazirite Samson started.

7:12 “Ebenezer” or “stone of help” as in the hymn “Font of Every Blessing”. We made it here with His help.

8:1-3 Samuel’s sons were like Eli’s sons. This is a lesson in dynastic succession and nepotism. The proximity of the apple to the tree is not guaranteed.

8:4-7 They were afraid of the eye-poker who conquered the Transjordan region (1 Samuel 12:12), but the neighbors that they envied all had kings that were viceroys of Satan. Just because kings were prophesied in Genesis 17:6,16 and Deuteronomy 28:36, and Deuteronomy 17:14-20 has regulations pertaining to kingly behavior, asking God to abdicate is still Prodigal Son-level I-wish-you-were-dead-so-I-can-have-the-inheritance-now ingratitude.

8:11-12 instead of farming for you.

8:18 They were warned that their own government would become as oppressive as the Philistines, etc., that they had prayed for deliverance from back in Judges.

8:19-20 “like all the other nations” Fitting in is overrated. Be yourself. If you’re consistently the smartest person in the room, look for a different room.

9:1-2 Saul’s qualifications: rich, handsome, and tall. Saul was not a mistake by God. They wanted a king like the neighbors and they got him. This is another eat-quail-and-get-sick-from-it (Numbers 11) “have it your way” scenario. God knew David (and grace) was the real plan, but Saul had his chance to try and fail like Israel under the Law.

9:7 They know not to approach a preacher empty handed; the bi-hourly beg-a-thon has been going strong in the clergy since the beginning.

9:21 sounds like Judges 6:15.

9:24-26 There was no air conditioning. Honored guests got to sleep in the cool, fresh rooftop air instead of in the house with the attached barn. Saul will get to experience a few perks (like the special cut of meat) that had heretofore been enjoyed by priests and God to confer both respect and a whiff on Melchizedek (Genesis 14) on the newly-minted office of King of Israel.

10:1 “olive oil” a lesser version of the anointing oil of Exodus 30:22. Kissing Saul as part of anointing him king is echoed in Judas’ identification of Jesus in Matthew 26:49, Mark 14:44, and Luke 22:48.

10:6 In the Old Testament, the anointing of the Holy Spirit was for a time to accomplish specific goals, and sin drove Him away. Saul was changed by God, and the changes persisted as long as the Spirit rested on him. The permanent New Covenant change promised by prophets (Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:26-27) and sustained by Christ’s finished work wasn’t available yet (Hebrews 11:40). Since Jesus took all our sins away, He can promise John 14:16-17; we are different people forever.

10:7 As Spirit-filled believers, this advice is for us as well.

10:9 See the 1 Samuel 10:6 note.

10:12 See 1 Samuel 19:24.

10:14-22 The Old Covenant came with consequences. Act like a bunch of Canaanite jackasses instead of God’s sheep? Then, be led by a (not even great at it) donkey herder from a tribe with a reputation of acting like Sodom.

10:26 Hanging out with people whose hearts have been touched by God is a good idea.

10:27 They talked about their new king the same way they ran their mouths about Moses and God back in the wilderness.

11:1 The events of Judges 21 were much earlier; Jabesh Gilead had been resettled since then. The Dead Sea Scrolls say that the settlers were seven thousand Gadites/Reubenites/etc. that had fled Nahash (“Snake”) the Eye-Poker, who had already taken the right eye of everyone else on that side of the Jordan.

11:2 This left a people that could work and pay taxes but not fight as well anymore.

11:6-8 This campaign was to go more smoothly than the similarly-invited war in the last three chapters of Judges.

11:11 They remembered their rescue and cared for Saul’s remains later (1 Samuel 31).

11:13 Saul has a whiff of Melchizedek about him (Genesis 14:20).

11:14-15 Back to the beginning, where Israel entered Canaan (Joshua 4).

12:3-15 Samuel established he had not been like his own or Eli’s sons nor had he done what the promised king will do per 1 Samuel 8:11-18. Then, he reminded them of the God they wished to replace with a human king.

12:16-18 Out of season. See Proverbs 26:1

12:23 As to the lack of specific prayers being sinful, remember this was “Heard by God” Samuel’s job (1 Samuel 1:28, 1 Samuel 3:10,19). Moses was the official intercessor, and the role came down through the judges and prophets. We are the salt of the Earth and can be great intercessors, too. However, our constant prayerfulness (Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, 1 Timothy 2:1) flows naturally from our relationship with Father and not from pressure to perform. Since we are united with Him, prayer is a local call. Praying is communicating; communication goes both ways. Listening to Him for how to help those you come across is more of a prayer than rattling off the same stuff from memory over and over out of obligation. Don’t know what to say? The Spirit picks up the slack (Romans 8:26).

13:9 like 2 Chronicles 26:16-21. Judges, prophets, priests of the order of Melchizedek, Levitical priests, etc., all have different roles. (Ergo, Jesus did not take over the Levitical priesthood to continue the Old Covenant, but abrogated it. See Hebrews 7:12 and Hebrews 8:13.) Samuel said to wait (1 Samuel 10:8). Religiously, humans are like toddlers screaming, “I do it by itself!” while using house paint to redecorate/ruin the new refrigerator (Isaiah 64:6).

13:13-14 See 1 Samuel 10:8 for the specifics of the command. The “kingdom” here refers to the dynasty Saul didn’t end up having.

13:19 Remember all the wacky weapons in Judges? Sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.

14:13-14 The armor-bearer’s effort is really impressive, since he lacked a sword or spear like Jonathan (1 Samuel 13:22). He probably picked one up from the fallen Philistines pretty quickly, but something like Krav Maga/Redneck Kung Fu/hand-to-hand combat was likely involved in his story.

14:15,20 Striking the enemies with terror and confusion are familiar moves by God in Scripture.

14:24 I like the Septuagint’s “Saul committed a great trespass of ignorance that day”. David is foreshadowed heavily: Jonathan here is an action hero who is in contact with God, and he is shown beating the Philistines and eating forbidden stuff (like David’s showbread) while not opposing Saul on threat of death. This whole incident shows that Saul was focused on the wrong stuff and that he was out of touch as a leader; it’s basically the Jephthah’s vow story with less honor.

14:28 Even in the newer part of the Bible, James said to tame the tongue.

14:32-33 This is a death penalty offense per Leviticus 17:10-14. Even Gentile believers are forbidden this in Acts 15. Their refusal to cast the first stone (John 8:7) at Jonathan over the honey might be informed by their need for grace.

14:35 They needed to pour out the blood, but not make sacrifices in a place not of God’s choosing (Deuteronomy 12:13-14).

14:37 The lack of response is explained by verses 33-35.

14:42 I think they’re reading the dice wrongly, as basically everyone but Jonathan had done things that day that could have gotten them removed from Israel.

14:48 More respawning Amalekites (Genesis 36:12, Genesis 15:5). In addition to Saul’s work in this chapter, David gets the ones he comes across in 1 Samuel 27:8-9, then all but 400 of them in 1 Samuel 30. One of them claims to have killed Saul in 2 Samuel 1.

15:5 We’re focused on the city of Amalek. Just like Solomon had brides from everywhere, some of Agag’s progeny in other courts could have easily accounted for Haman in Persia in the Book of Esther. It would be analogous to saying that Assyria destroyed Israel in 722 B.C., but there are individual members of “lost” tribes (whose ancestors moved to Judah earlier around 2 Chronicles 11:13-17) written about even long after the Babylonian captivity (like Anna in Luke 2:36).

15:11 “regret” Numbers 23:19 says God doesn’t change His mind. His intention to reward or punish pre-Cross leaders according to their actions (Jeremiah 18:5-10) is what He doesn’t change His mind about. Saul already lost his dynasty, now he will lose the remainder of his reign for being insufficiently genocidal.

15:15 Disobeying Deuteronomy 13:17 to obey Deuteronomy 13:15-16, I guess. See Proverbs 21:3.

15:16-22 Partial obedience is disobedience.

15:23 The dynasty ended in 1 Samuel 13:14; now Saul’s reign will end.

Obeying a husband is obeying God (Ephesians 5:22-24), rebellion is the same as witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:23), and witches were not to be allowed to live (Exodus 22:18). Don’t reach for the cinderblock yet; he who is without sin must cast the first stone (John 8:7). However, Christ became Sin so that we are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21); don’t reach for the cinderblock yet now, either. Remember that Christ’s sacrifice covered anyone’s failure to bring their husband an ice cold beer immediately as well as the sins that prevent rock-throwing (John 1:29). Let’s all play nice now.

15:29,35 He’s not changing His mind about changing His mind about Saul; it’s the principle (Jeremiah 18:5-10) that’s constant.

15:33 “executed” The Hebrew suggests “hacked to pieces” like the ritual dismemberment of covenant violators.

16:2 Life is at stake, and even God suggests a partial revelation of the truth. Pikuach nefesh.

16:7 “heart” David’s actions, other than the matter of Uriah’s wife, pleased God (1 Kings 15:5). He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14); this can be seen most strongly in his desire to protect his child with self-sacrifice in 2 Samuel 18:33. There were mitigating circumstances with the bad census in 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21.

16:13 In Genesis 44, Judah offered to substitute for Benjamin as a slave. Here, Judahite David takes the place of Benjaminite Saul as a king.

16:14 The New Testament view is that Satan is our Enemy, and that Christ came to destroy his works; the evil spirit is doing what it is allowed to do as a consequence of humanity letting Satan rule the world we were given. The Old Testament view of God’s sovereignty is that everything is ultimately subordinate to Him. His omnipotence is constrained by His character, so since He let us choose, and we chose evil, so sometimes evil shows up.

16:18 The “warrior” is a prophetic statement, like Judges 6:12.

16:23 David’s power over evil spirits foreshadows Christ’s.

17:2 The valley conveniently runs from Gath to Bethlehem.

17:4-10 Representative single combat is a way to determine the outcome of a war between gods. David is associated with Caleb the giant-slayer’s territory (Joshua 14, 1 Chronicles 2:19, Ruth 4:11, Micah 5:2). Goliath was six cubits (okay, your translation might say four) tall, with a spear head weighing six hundred shekels, a six-fingered brother we’ll see later (2 Samuel 21:19-22), and “scale”-y armor; Goliath may as well have hissed.

17:15 David the anointed king still tending sheep is like how we’re still doing mild-mannered Earthling stuff while we are simultaneously raised and seated in Heaven (Ephesians 2:6).

17:16 Goliath made his challenge at the time of the morning and evening sacrifices when their attention might otherwise be on God. Our problems similarly attack our upward focus.

17:25 The offer was to become part of the royal family, and royals are exempt from taxation. See Matthew 17:25 for comparison.

17:28 “wicked heart” I wonder if David heard this from his brothers frequently (Psalm 51). David, capable of verse 36, gives us a good example of overlooking an offense. This scene also foreshadows John 7:5.

17:38-39 Saul’s armor doesn’t fit David. He was to be a different sort of king.

17:40 God had allowed the water to erode these seemingly ordinary stones perfectly until this moment, and He’s not done with us yet. Slings can launch projectiles at impressive speeds. In an expert shepherd’s hands, that sling might as well have been Wyatt Earp’s Peacemaker.

17:46 as one would a snake.

17:47 He quotes Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20).

17:49 See Genesis 3:14-15. David struck Goliath’s head; Goliath ate dust. Wrestling fans see Goliath’s descent in their minds as what is known as a “Flair Flop”.

17:51 After the Cross, Satan still thrashes around like a beheaded snake.

17:54 This verse should have parentheses around it; it describes future events. Punctuation is a choice for translation teams, as the manuscript is just a stream of consonants. This verse is a narrator comment like 1 Samuel 27:6. See verse 57 for proof. David got around to conquering Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 5:7.

17:58 Saul knew David already from his music; he asked about the family for the tax exemption (1 Samuel 17:25).

18:1 Jesus is our faithful friend (Proverbs 18:24). Jon and David were action heroes (1 Samuel 14:6-14, 1 Samuel 17:31-51) with wives; their Wyatt-and-Doc-from-Tombstone dynamic set in a culture where dudes kissed as a greeting gets misconstrued as homosexual by some modern commentators even though any violation of anything from Leviticus 18 would have been addressed disparagingly in the text. They were friends that stuck closer than brothers (Proverbs 18:24); it's the same bond of loyalty men in combat have forged throughout history.  

18:2 David is a royal now based on 1 Samuel 17:25. His home is the palace much like an adopted son of Saul would have been.

18:3-4 Jonathan understands that Saul’s dynasty is finished (1 Samuel 15), and that his best remaining option is to be David’s second-in-command (1 Samuel 23:17). These actions are symbolic of giving him his place in line for the throne. We are similarly clothed with Christ (Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27, Revelation 7:9-17).

18:7 God eventually replaced the insufficiently genocidal Saul with David; the “tens of thousands” death toll is declared fine in 1 Kings 15:5. Matthew 5:22 warns us against being angry with a brother without a cause. Jesus is sinless, and He is recorded getting riled up from time to time. Under appropriate circumstances, your life can resemble a 1980s action film like Samson’s and David’s (or Abraham’s life in Genesis 14 which was fine per Genesis 26:5). To use dated references, if you find yourself in Taken, you can almost go full John Wick. Moreover, if you’re a police officer, soldier, etc., not even John the Baptist would have disarmed you. I’ve seen too many brothers in Christ feel too guilty for too long. The truth sets you free; see Psalm 144.

18:12 God doesn’t leave us (John 14:16).

18:18,23 David was humble, but David also knew he couldn’t come up with a princess’s bride price. It turns out that money wasn’t required…

18:25-27 The foreskins were to prove that they were really Philistines. David went the extra mile (Matthew 5:41). By trying to kill David, Saul made it even easier for David to take the throne (Romans 8:28).

18:28-29 If you realize the LORD is with someone, being their enemy is dumb. Be on God’s side. The Book of Common Prayer has a nice one about our enemies, and it goes something like this: O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Please lead them and us from prejudice to truth. Please deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge. In your good time, please enable us all to stand reconciled before you, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

19:1 David perhaps wrote Psalm 59 during this season of his life.

19:4 Jon had the most to gain from David’s death apart from knowing the throne was off-limits due to Saul’s failures.

19:9 It’s hard to hold a javelin stealthily, and Saul had thrown one at David before. David was obedient (1 Kings 15:5) and played for Saul, but I imagine this as a tense standoff with David watching Saul’s hands and waiting for him to draw.

19:13,16 Hebrew has few words and many meanings. Some of the more innocent explanations for this “idol” are an ornamental statue, clothing storage mannequin, or a life-sized “image” hastily assembled from laundry.

19:17 Michal invoked pikuach nefesh.

19:20-24 This is not a violation of 1 Corinthians 14:32. That says that prophets can control their own spirits, not that they can control the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can do things like protect David here, impregnate Mary (Luke 1:35), etc. Spirit-filled Christians can use their gifts in an orderly fashion in a worship service because that’s the way the Holy Spirit wants it.

19:24 like 1 Samuel 10:12. Also, note that the nudity here was considered religious and wasn’t what was questioned. Now, we would ask “Why is Saul naked?”

20:15 see 2 Samuel 9.

20:16 A tragic misstep with Leviticus 20:9; Jon accidentally called a curse on his own father and died.

20:17 This is not a romance. Jonathan piously observes Leviticus 19:18 when it would be easier to go along with family pressure and self-interest in helping Saul get rid of this threat to their throne.

20:41 Men kissing was like a handshake in that culture. Jonathan had a wife, David had eight wives and ten concubines, etc. As to the bowing, see Genesis 33:3: “Thanks for not killing me.”

20:42 There were cultural expectations to have offspring, but all this talk of “descendants” supports the hypothesis that David and Jonathan were breeders by nature (despite other discussions about subtext).  

21:1 God sends His protagonists out into the world to learn to be a stranger (Hebrews 11:13-16) in part to learn how to see and take care of them.

21:2 Pikuach nefesh covers the lying. Incidents like this plus God’s endorsement of David in 1 Kings 15:5 prove that Leviticus 19:17-18 “weighs more” than many other commandments (Matthew 22:36-40). Also, much has been said about Jesus saying this happened “in the days of Abiathar” the High Priest (Mark 2:26), but since Samuel dies in the front half of a historical work named for him, Jesus could have just been identifying a scroll.

21:5 David insists on a stricter standard than Deuteronomy 23:9-14.

21:9 Fans of the Legend of Zelda series are imagining this exchange as “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” Don’t forget that you’re always armed (Ephesians 6:17).

21:11 This was a real “fox in the henhouse” moment for them wondering if it were safe to harbor a mass killer that was also an enemy of their enemy (1 Samuel 27:12).

21:13 Pagans didn’t kill crazy people; they were worried they might have been possessed by the gods. David had plenty of Saul material to copy for this performance.

22:2 Jesus, the King in Exile, attracts outcasts as well.

22:4 Having a family connection through Ruth helped. It still got awkward in 2 Samuel 8:2.

22:17 Saul, who wouldn’t wipe out the Amalekites, tries to wipe out the priests. This is another big step toward fulfilling 1 Samuel 2:31-33.

22:23 Imagine Jesus saying this to you; it sounds a lot like John 15:18-20.

23:13 Remember, David’s main problem is not being afraid of Saul. He killed over ten thousand Philistines. David is running because he does not want to harm God’s anointed king, Saul.

23:17 Second-in-command is an official job (2 Chronicles 28:7).

23:19 This is the setting for Psalm 54.

24:3 I am told that “to cover his feet” is a Hebrew colloquialism for relieving himself. Whether it means that his literal feet are temporarily covered by his robe in a squatting posture or that he went into a cave to conceal his genitals from view depends on how you read “feet” in this verse.

24:4 like 1 Samuel 26:8. Can also be translated: “Today the LORD is saying…”

24:5-7 As to why David got emotional, see Numbers 15:37-40. Taking his master’s tassel was like saying he didn’t deserve to be an Israelite.

24:12 See Deuteronomy 32:35. David is expressing personal forgiveness of a sort by refusing to act and instead leaving his case with God (1 Peter 2:23). Another appropriate response during the time before the Cross would have been to realize your own need of grace and to forgive like someone in need of forgiveness (Matthew 6:14-15). Jesus, who alone perfectly fulfilled the Law, asked God to refrain from judging His killers (Luke 23:34). That would be us; we sinned, and He died for it. Now, under God’s grace, we forgive because we are already totally forgiven (Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:32); forgiving others flows naturally from our new identity as children of God. I will probably belabor this point throughout this commentary, but forgiveness isn’t sticking around to be abused even more. Forgiveness is letting go of the need to get even, letting go of bitterness, and moving forward (perhaps with healthy boundaries). Dave didn’t go home with Saul in verse 22.

24:13 sounds like Proverbs 18:3, Matthew 7:17, and Luke 6:44.

24:14 is like 1 Samuel 26:18. A New Testament callback to these “What’s up with the persecution, Saul?” exchanges can be found in Acts 9:4.

24:16 “my son” is more than a term of endearment. 1 Samuel 18:2 was effectively a royal adoption. Given the distinction previously given to Saul, this looks ahead to the eternal priest-king-Melchizedek-esque role of David’s line culminating in Christ (Psalm 110:4).

24:21 see 2 Samuel 9.

25:1 Samuel dies in this verse, and the history books named in his honor go on.

25:3 Nabal means “stupid” or “fool”. 1 Chronicles 2 suggests Nabal may be kin to David, and 1 Samuel 15:12 suggests Nabal may be a Saul loyalist. The narrator is “eyeballing” women again, which isn’t the problem that modern Pharisees would have you believe it is; we’ll discuss this more when we get to Matthew 5:28.

25:7-8 There was a cultural expectation of generosity at shearing time, plus their service would have merited compensation back then whether Nabal had asked for it or not.

25:10-11 Regardless of whether you see merit in Nabal’s argument, he was dumb enough to say this to armed killers.

25:22, 34 The KJV gives us insight into a Hebrew colloquialism, “So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.” Again, “cursing” is less about being uncouth than it is about wishing to bring about harm with words. See Genesis 31:32 note. Also, “with David” reads as “with David’s enemies” in some manuscripts; the “enemies” bit pays off in verse 38 and avoids David taking a false oath (1 Kings 15:5).

25:27 This is still technically a betrayal of her husband and foreshadows David’s later trouble with Bathsheba and Uriah.

25:28 See 1 Kings 15:5 and John 8:46. The sinless Messiah is like a new, better David.

25:31 see 1 Samuel 24:12 notes.

25:39 Based on 1 Samuel 25:2, this is when David gets really rich. A wealthy David seemed like more of a threat, so Saul changed his mind; the events of 1 Samuel 26 resemble things from 1 Samuel 23 through 1 Samuel 24.

26:1 The Ziphites were also the snitches back in 1 Samuel 23:19.

26:11-12 See Deuteronomy 5:19. David gives the spear back in verse 22. Stealing water in a desert is as bad as it sounds, but Saul has men to share with and a new incentive to go home and live. Based on David’s and Saul’s intentions (1 Samuel 24:11), this one gets ruled in David’s favor (1 Kings 15:5).

26:22 David is wise to have the spear picked up at a safe distance, given Saul’s tendency to throw it.

27:1 like Genesis 20. Time for more practice being a stranger (Hebrews 11:13-16). Notice that David’s repeated forgiveness of Saul does not make David trust him again.

27:8 Israel’s enemies.

27:9 Harsh, but David’s taking a makeup test for Joshua 13:1-7. Also, he was smart to leave no witnesses (1 Samuel 27:11).

27:10 Pikuach nefesh. See 1 Kings 15:5. David’s and Israel’s lives are worth more than laws about lying.

28:3 In the ancient world, “medium” and “ventriloquist” were the same word. There is still no shortage of scammers preying on the grieving. Christians are to avoid “psychics” and the like because of God’s preferences expressed in Deuteronomy 18:9-13, and because if they aren’t actually powered by Satan, then it’s just a waste of time and money.

28:6 If you want answers from God, killing his priests is probably not the smartest move.

28:10 Saul swore not to kill her by the God who said to kill her.

28:12 See 1 Samuel 9:2. She makes a living cold reading but doesn’t recognize a famous man a head taller than everyone else in the country. Perhaps the “ghost” bowed to Saul, giving away his position. She freaked out because actual supernatural content was probably not usually part of her scam.

28:13 The “vast chasm” of Luke 16:26 suggests that “ghosts” are demons playing tricks. The original audience of Hamlet would have interpreted Hamlet’s “father” thusly even at that late date.

28:14 She “sees” an old man in a robe. That describes basically all the old men back then. Saul was as gullible as her usual marks.

28:18 in 1 Samuel 15:1-9.

28:19 When Saul’s sons died, he fulfilled Samuel’s (or the demon impostor’s) words with suicide.

28:22 Again, this was standard desert hospitality.

29:5 David had killed tens of thousands of Philistines. He was even known to keep trophies (1 Samuel 18:27).

29:7 God let David keep his promise from 1 Samuel 24:12.

29:8 Achish thought David meant him when he said lord and king. Verse 4 seems pretty plausible.

30:8 David asked God instead of consulting a medium.

30:16 “reveling” is the same kind of sex party that happened with the golden calf.

30:19 like Abraham’s successful rescue mission. There is such a thing as a “just war”.

30:24 When examining your own work for the Kingdom of God, remember that zeal is relative. There’s always someone doing more. Everyone has different spiritual gifts. Not every tool in the toolbox is used every day or for every task. All of us get paid the same salvation per the Parable of the Vineyard Workers (Matthew 20).

30:26-31 This seems like a good way to curry favor.

31:4 Judges 16:21 is somewhat recent history. The armor bearer wisely respected 1 Samuel 26:9.

31:5 The armor bearer unwisely violated Deuteronomy 5:17. This is not to say that suicide is some special unforgivable sin for Christians as if God can’t deal with depression. As we’ll see in more detail in the New Testament, we’re not being forgiven little by little or a sin at a time. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and the record where our sins would have been recorded is gone thanks to Christ (Colossians 2:13-15). If there’s someone missing at your table that ever knew Christ, you will see them again.

31:11 They still have loyalty from 1 Samuel 11:1-11.

31:12 This was a respectful burning of the flesh from the bones to prevent carrion, not the sort of intentional disrespect mentioned in Amos 2:1.

31:13 Who killed Saul? The point of the last few chapters is that David didn’t. The alleged contradictions are easily resolved. 1 Samuel 31:4 and 1 Chronicles 10:5 say Saul did it; either he didn’t finish the job or (more likely) the Amalekite in 2 Samuel 1:8-10 that says he finished it was lying. The Philistines get credit in 2 Samuel 21:12; they critically injured him in 1 Samuel 31:3 and removed his head in verse 9. God is implicated in 1 Chronicles 10:14 as the Prime Mover. In summary, Saul is gone, and David’s hands are clean.

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