Although not stated, it’s generally accepted by Jewish tradition that Samuel is the author of 1 Samuel; however, since we read about his death in 1 Samuel 25:1, it’s widely accepted that someone else wrote the account of his death.
Jewish tradition also indicates that Samuel was the author of 1 Samuel 1-24, and the prophets Gad and Nathan wrote 1 Samuel 25-31, all of 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles 29:29-30.
The book itself starts with a history of the end of the judges period, and it goes through the beginning period of the prophets who would guide Israel right up until Malachi.
We don’t know the exact date of the writing of this book, but we do know it was sometime after Solomon reigned but before the Babylonian captivity, 1 Samuel 5:5 / 1 Samuel 6:18 / 1 Samuel 27:6.
In answer to Hannah’s prayer, that is, Samuel’s mother’s, 1 Samuel 1:9-20, Samuel was born in a place called Ramathaim, and his father’s name is Elkanah, 1 Samuel 1:1-2.
He was a descendant of the tribe of Levi, which meant he was dedicated to working in the temple from a very young age, which was in accordance with the law, 1 Samuel 1:24-28.
He was a prophet of God, 1 Samuel 2:27-36, but as unique as he was the only person who served as a judge, prophet and priest at the same time for the nation of Israel, 1 Samuel 2:35.
The most glorious part of the history of Israel was the United Kingdom, so-called to distinguish it from the Divided Kingdom which followed, it lasted from about 1095 to 975 B. C. and included the reigns of three great kings, Saul, David, and Solomon. The story of this period is related in the two books of Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11 / 1 Chronicles 1-2, and 1 Chronicles 9.
You will remember that for about three hundred years, the twelve tribes of Israel had been loosely governed by judges. The last and greatest of these was the prophet, Samuel. But the children of Israel wanted to be like their neighbours, so they came to Samuel and asked for a king.
Although God was much displeased with their request, He instructed Samuel to anoint as their king a young man named Saul who stood head and shoulders above the people. The people gathered at Mizpeh and were presented with their new ruler, who was so timid that he hid among the baggage.
Saul began his forty-year reign well. Israel was beset by enemies, and he undertook the task of driving them back. His army defeated the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Moabites, the Edomites and others.
Soon, Saul was a popular figure among the people. But his popularity went to his head, and he ceased to be a humble servant of God. Instead, he became self-willed, bent on doing things the way he wanted them done, regardless of the will of God.
On one occasion, he was commissioned to ‘utterly destroy the Amalekites.’ Instead, he spared the king and saved some sheep and cattle to sacrifice. Because he had thus disobeyed the Lord, Samuel rebuked him with the words, ‘Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams,’ 1 Samuel 15:22.
From that time on, God rejected Saul as king. Saul deeply loved him and selected him as his armour bearer. David quickly rose to prominence by slaying with a sling the champion of the Philistines, the giant Goliath.
The ensuing glory given to David provoked the jealousy of Saul, who began to suspect that David was trying to supplant him as king. From that time on, Saul sought to kill David and for years hunted him as an outlaw over the hills of Israel.
Perhaps the most beautiful friendship in the Bible is that of David and Jonathan, the son of Saul, who, although he realised that David would become king instead of himself, constantly sought to save David from his father’s ire. Saul and Jonathan both fell in battle with the Philistines to prepare the way for David as king.
After Saul’s death, David was crowned king of the tribe of Judah while Saul’s son, Ishbosheth, reigned over the rest of Israel. When his kingdom collapsed after seven years, David’s authority was extended over all of Israel.
David selected Jerusalem as his capital and set about the task of making Israel a great nation. In successive wars, he expanded the kingdom from the Nile to the Euphrates River.
David was truly a man after God’s own heart. The Lord declared of him, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, who shall fulfil all my will,’ Acts 13:22.
The psalms written by David are an expression of his complete devotion to God. This consecration was especially evident in his constant willingness to obey all the Lord’s commands. We may learn from him that we cannot expect the approval of God unless we are always willing to do what He asks of us without question.
Despite David’s success and his faithfulness to God, he made one grave mistake that followed him to his death. He committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, the Hittite. Some stories have portrayed Bathsheba as a siren who intentionally seduced David.
Nothing in the Bible bears out this idea. To cover up his sin, David had Uriah placed in the thick of battle so that he might be slain, and then, when he was dead, took Bathsheba as his wife.
All of this greatly displeased God, and Nathan the prophet was sent to rebuke David by telling him the parable of the ewe lamb, 2 Samuel 12. David repented, but his troubles now began. His son Absalom murdered his own brother. Later, Absalom led a revolt against David and died in the attempt.
For a time, David was forced to flee. Adding to his grief, another son, Adonijah, attempted to usurp the kingdom with the help of David’s trusted general, Joab. To forestall the kingdom from falling into the wrong hands, David had his son, Solomon, crowned king while he yet lived. Shortly thereafter, David died, bringing to an end the forty-year reign of a great man of God.
Solomon’s rule was in sharp contrast with his father’s. While David had faced turmoil for almost his entire reign, Solomon’s was one of unbroken peace. He began auspiciously.
In a dream, he asked for God’s wisdom rather than riches and honour, and because of his thoughtful request, he was rewarded with all three. Solomon’s wisdom is known to all.
Three thousand proverbs and one thousand and five songs came forth from this sage! 1 Kings 4:32. Much of his wisdom is recorded for us in the three books which he wrote and which we will study in another lesson. Politically, he extended the influence of Israel to its greatest height, making it a world power.
The fabulous wealth of Solomon astounds us, even to this day. He had one thousand four hundred chariots, twelve thousand horsemen, and an annual income of six hundred threescores and six talents of gold. And he didn’t have to pay income tax!
On one occasion, he was given an outright gift of one hundred and twenty talents of gold by the queen of Sheba. When she visited Solomon to see if all the reports of his fame were true, she was so amazed that she exclaimed, ‘Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard,’ 1 Kings 10:7.
The greatest of all Solomon’s accomplishments was his building of the temple of God to replace the tabernacle in which Israel had worshipped since the wilderness wanderings.
Probably no structure in the world’s history has equalled it in cost. Built by one-hundred and eighty-three thousand men in seven and a half years, it cost an immense sum of money to erect. The great wealth of Solomon eventually led to his undoing.
He sought every kind of pleasure and married seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Most of these were idolaters, and what a time he must have had in trying to please them all. His high cost of living led him to tax the people heavily, much to their dissatisfaction.
His reign had started with wisdom and wealth; it ended with women and idolatry. When his forty-year rule ended, he was a thoroughly disillusioned and unhappy man. In his revelry, he had laid the groundwork for the division of his great kingdom after his death.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following concerning Ramathaim-Zophim, 1 Samuel 1:1.
‘Literally, the two high places of the watchman; these were, no doubt, two contiguous hills, on which watchtowers were built, and in which watchmen kept continual guard for the safety of the country and which afterwards gave name to the place.’
We’re introduced to a man named Elkanah, who was a Levite, 1 Samuel 1:1 / 1 Chronicles 6:33-38,
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘There is reason to believe that Elkanah, an Ephrathite, or inhabitant of Bethlehem, 1 Samuel 17:12 / Ruth 1:2 and of the territory of the tribe of Ephraim, 1 Kings 11:26, the father of Samuel, represents the fifth generation of settlers in Canaan, and therefore that Samuel was born about 130 years after the entrance into Canaan, four complete generations, or 132 years and about 40 years before David.’
It appears that Elkanah has two wives, 1 Samuel 1:2 / Deuteronomy 21:15. Although God allowed polygamy in the Old Testament, it’s clear that God never intended for it to be that way, God always intended that there be one man and one woman in marriage, Matthew 19:8.
When we closely examine all those in the Old Testament who had more than one wife, we see that time and time again, there were always problems and families issues, Genesis 16:1-6.
We’re also introduced to a man named Eli who was the high priest, he had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, 1 Samuel 1:3, who were also priests but had a reputation for being corrupt, 1 Samuel 2:12-17 / 1 Samuel 2:23-25 / 1 Samuel 3:13.
Shiloh was a village in central Palestine northwest of the Dead Sea, it was a meeting place and sanctuary for the Israelites and the site of a tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant was kept until its capture by the Philistines.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following concerning 1 Samuel 1:3.
‘This title of Yahweh, which, with some variations, is found upward of 260 times in the Old Testament, occurs here for the first time. The meaning of the word “hosts” is doubtless the same as that of ‘army’, Daniel 4:35, and includes all the myriads of holy Angels who people the celestial spheres, 1 Kings 22:19. It is probably with reference to the idolatrous worship of the Host of heaven that the title the “Lord of Hosts” was given to the true God, as asserting His universal supremacy, Nehemiah 9:6. In the New Testament the phrase only occurs once James 5:4.’
Here we begin to see the problems of having two wives, 1 Samuel 1:2. Elkanah would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah whose name means ‘a Pearl’ and to all her sons and daughters, 1 Samuel 1:4.
But notice he gave Hannah whose name means ‘Beauty or charm’, a double portion of meat to Hannah because of his love for her, 1 Samuel 1:5 / Genesis 43:34.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The sacrifices which were made were probably peace-offerings, of which the blood was poured out at the foot of the altar; the fat was burnt on the fire, the breast and right shoulder were the portion of the priest, and the rest belonged to him who made the offering, on it he and his family feasted, each receiving his portion and to these feasts God commands them to invite the Levite, the poor, the widow, and the orphan, Deuteronomy 16:11.’
God had closed Hannah’s womb, 1 Samuel 1:5, and as a result, tension arose. Peninnah became jealous of Hannah, and the tension went on for years, 1 Samuel 1:6-7.
To understand what’s happening here, we must place ourselves in the shoes of Hannah. She was Jewish, and in those days, it was considered shameful if women didn’t have any children; the Jews believed it was a sign of God’s disfavour.
Elkanah is clearly concerned for Hannah and asks why she is weeping. Why doesn’t she eat? Why is she downhearted? Doesn’t he mean more to her than ten sons? 1 Samuel 1:8.
Whilst in Shiloh, Hannah stood up, Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the LORD’s house and in deep anguish, Hannah prayed to God whilst weeping bitterly, 1 Samuel 1:9-10.
Hannah is so upset with what’s happening, she prays to the Lord and makes a vow, 1 Samuel 1:11. The vow mentioned here would be a Nazarite vow, which consisted of committing her son to the Lord’s service in the temple for their entire life, Numbers 6:5 / Numbers 30:6-16.
As Hannah was praying, Eli noticed that her lips were moving, but he couldn’t hear any words coming from her mouth, and he concluded that she must be drunk, 1 Samuel 1:12-14.
He uses the word ‘wine’, 1 Samuel 1:14, and it’s the Hebrew word, ‘yayin’, which refers to wine which has been pressed from grapes. In reply, Hannah uses the word ‘beer’, 1 Samuel 1:15, which is the Hebrew word ‘shekar’, which means intoxicating drink which comes from grain, honey, or fruit.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The fact that Eli supposed her to be drunken, and the other of the conduct of Eli’s sons already mentioned, prove that religion was at this time at a very low ebb in Shiloh; for it seems drunken women did come to the place, and lewd women were to be found there.’
However, Hannah wasn’t drunk, she was simply pouring out her soul to the Lord in prayer, 1 Samuel 1:15, she felt worthless and was in great anguish and burdened with grief, 1 Samuel 1:16.
She was doing what all of God’s people should do when it comes to prayer, Colossians 4:12 / 1 Peter 5:7. Eli tells her to go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him, 1 Samuel 1:17.
Notice how she had complete trust in God, she never doubted God would answer for one moment, James 1:7. She started eating again and she was no longer downcast, 1 Samuel 1:18.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘A beautiful example of the composing influence of prayer. Hannah had cast her burden upon the Lord, and so her own spirit was relieved of its load. She now returned to the family feast and ate her portion with a cheerful heart, Acts 2:46-47. The word ‘sad’ is not in the Hebrew text, but it fairly supplies the meaning intended.’
The next morning they arose and worshiped before God and then went back to their home at Ramah, 1 Samuel 1:19. She made love with her husband Elkanah, 1 Samuel 1:19, and she became pregnant, 1 Samuel 1:20. God answered her prayer by opening up her womb, she gave birth to a son and named him Samuel, which means ‘heard of God’, 1 Samuel 1:20.
Because the Levites were set aside to work in the tabernacle full-time for the Lord, all the Israelites were to give a yearly offering, a tithe, to the Levites to support them, 1 Samuel 1:21 / Numbers 18:25-28.
Hannah didn’t go as women weren’t required to go, and so she said to Elkanah, after the boy is weaned, she will take him and present him before the LORD, and he will live there always, 1 Samuel 1:22.
Elkanah is happy with this arrangement and tells her to stay here until she has weaned him, only may the LORD make good his word, 1 Samuel 1:23. So she stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him, 1 Samuel 1:23 / Genesis 21:8. The weaning process took place around two to three years after a child was born according to 2 Maccabees 7:27.
When Hannah and Elkanah took their son Samuel to Eli, in order that he be dedicated to tabernacle work, they took a very generous offering with them, 1 Samuel 1:24 / Leviticus 12:6, so that Eli could take extra care of Samuel.
When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 1 Samuel 1:25, and she reminds him that she was the one who of she was, she was the woman who prayed beside him, 1 Samuel 1:25-26.
She was the woman who prayed for a child, and God heard and answered her prayer, 1 Samuel 1:27. She then tells Eli that Samuel is to be dedicated to the LORD for life, 1 Samuel 1:28.
It should be noted that Samuel was a Levite, and so he would be dedicated to the Lord anyway. The difference is that he would be solely dedicated to working in the tabernacle under the supervision of Eli. Notice it says that he worshipped God, 1 Samuel 1:28.
Youngblood, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The ‘he’ who worshipped before the Lord, 1 Samuel 1:28, may refer to Elkanah, the leader of the family and the main man in the context. It might also refer to Eli, to whom Hannah was speaking.’
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘I think it probably refers to Samuel, the most immediate antecedent of ‘he’ in 1 Samuel 1:28. If this interpretation is correct, this reference marks the beginning of Samuel’s ministry, which all of chapter 1 anticipates.’