NOTES ON I SAMUEL

I Samuel 1:5 lit. “a portion of one pair of nostrils”

I Sam. 1:14 Eli apparently has no spiritual discernment. It was common for worshipers to overeat and 

drink at religious feasts. Most people prayed aloud at the time. Eli should have given his advice to his 

own sons instead.

I Sam. 1:24 The Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls have one three-year old bull instead of three 

bulls. This is consistent with the mention of one bull in the next verse and with Genesis 15:9.

I Samuel 2:8   Hannah's prayer is “quoted” in Psalm 113.

I Samuel 3:2-3 Appropriately, Samuel is positioned near the ark to tend the fire during the night while 

Eli is further away and has eyes too dimmed to see properly.

I Samuel 8-9 The Qeiyafa Ostracon found in 2008 and written in proto-Hebrew has been deciphered 

by one scholar and said to come from King Saul's time. It contains the following that are in the biblical 

text: (a) the need for judges who will not oppress the foreigner and those less fortunate, (b) the 

installation of a king, (c) the existence of servants who serve the king, (d) the injunction not to oppress, 

but to serve God, and (e) the designation of a new monarch. (Biblical Archaeology Review, May/June 

2012)

I Sam. 9-10 Negative associations at start of Saul's career are hinted at: He is Benjamite from Gibeah, 

the scene of the infamous events of Judges 19; son of Kish ("a man of valor") is the same term used for 

the Benjamites in Judges 20 that were killed; "smallest tribe" hearkens back to the reason they were the 

smallest tribe; he is chosen by stepwise lots--only other occurrence is in Joshua 7:11 where Achan is 

identified as the offender; tribes are summoned to Mizpah where they had earlier mustered to 

exterminate the Benjaminites; Saul's sending dismembered pieces of animals out to tribes is similar to 

Judges 19 story also. (Kenneth Cohen) Also see Judges 19.

I Sam. 9:19-22 The context indicates that bama is a structure that may include an eating chamber, not 

just an altar.

I Samuel 13:14 Several commentators state that "man of his own heart" = "a man of God's own 

choosing" and has nothing to do with David's attributes. Kaiser (Ethics, p. 274-5) says on the basis of 

similar phrases in I Samuel 2:35 that a "man after God's own heart" = "one who does God's will." But 

that applies only in his official duties, not necessarily in his private life. This is quoted in Acts 13:22.

I Sam. 13:19 There had been no adequate translation for pym ("file"?) until a small round weight was 

found with that inscription. Instead of "they had a file for the mattocks," the phrase now reads "the 

charge for sharpening the plowshares and for the mattocks was a pym (a fraction of a shekel)."

I Samuel 14:17 Critical scholars for years doubted that Edom was even a civilized nation at the time of 

David. Recent archeology has shown that they had a sophisticated mining and smelting operation 

during this time.

I Samuel 15:3 see the note to I Samuel 22:19.

I Sam. 15:17 Poor self-esteem is at the root of Saul's problems (E. Jones). This is different from 

David's humility in the presence of God. Saul is inwardly directed while David is outwardly directed.

I Sam. 15:22 One translation reads, “I have listened to the command of the LORD.” “Then what do I 

 hear?”

I Sam 15:30 He still wants to preserve his prestige with the people.

I Sam 15:32 God's will is done but not by the intended party.

I Samuel 16:11 youngest = the runt of the litter

I Samuel 17:1 Neither strong army could attack without crossing a river and charging up a mountain.

I Sam. 17:4 The oldest Philistine inscription found at Gath, scratched in a piece of pottery with a 

needle-like instrument contains two proper names. One is Goliath. It dates to about 100 years after the 

biblical Goliath.

I Sam 17:11 Saul up to now could rely on his greater height and strength. His advantage now fails and 

he doesn't know how to cope with the situation. (Cassidy)

I Sam. 17:32 The Septuagint reads, "Let not the king's heart fail."

I Sam 17:40 Five stones, not just one. Even with faith in God's provision, one should still take normal 

precautions.

I Sam 17:52 See Joshua 15:36.

I Samuel 18:1-9 Jonathan embraces David's future role as king while Saul resists it.

I Sam. 18:10 See Judges 9:23.

I Samuel 19:13 See II Samuel 6:16.

I Samuel 22:19 Similar language to 1 Sam. 15:3 shows Saul's perversion of God's command

I Samuel 24:6-7 The seriousness of his action has been explained in two different ways: (1) A 

cuneiform tablet from Mari (located in present Syria near border of Iraq) states that a professional 

prophet would enclose with his prophecy a lock of his hair and a piece of the hem of his garment as a 

guarantee of the accuracy of his prophecy. (2) Sometimes an impression of the hem of an important 

person in a clay seal would be used as a signature.