“But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.” (Philippians 1:24-25 ESV, to be continued)
Intro & Background
--Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy are the first 5 books of the Bible and in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) they are called the Torah. In Latin they are called the Pentateuch (5 books). The purpose of the Torah is to set down the law of Moses and to be general history of Israeli travels outside the Promised Land.
--Next there comes a set of books that starts with Joshua that set up Israeli history before the kingdom. In the original Hebrew the book of Deuteronomy and Joshua would have been a single book.
--Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I & II Samuel make up the pre-kingdom history. In the Tanakh I & II Samuel would have been one single book.
--The prophet (priest and judge) Samuel may have written parts of the book but much like Deuteronomy and Joshua, Samuel could not have finished it because he died before the end of the book.
--8 themes of I & II Samuel-
--(1) The downfall of the Aaronic priestly line
--(2) Relating significant events from the lives of the judges
--(3) Providing details relevant to Israel’s transition to kingship
--(4) Detailing events from the reigns of Israel’s first 2 kings
--(5) Documenting the establishment of Jerusalem as capital
--(6) Documenting the establishment of the Davidic dynasty
--(7) Providing details of the life and faith of David
--(8) Showing the growing rift between Judah and Israel.
--Next there comes a set of books that starts with Joshua that set up Israeli history before the kingdom. In the original Hebrew the book of Deuteronomy and Joshua would have been a single book.
--Joshua, Judges, Ruth, and I & II Samuel make up the pre-kingdom history. In the Tanakh I & II Samuel would have been one single book.
--The prophet (priest and judge) Samuel may have written parts of the book but much like Deuteronomy and Joshua, Samuel could not have finished it because he died before the end of the book.
--8 themes of I & II Samuel-
--(1) The downfall of the Aaronic priestly line
--(2) Relating significant events from the lives of the judges
--(3) Providing details relevant to Israel’s transition to kingship
--(4) Detailing events from the reigns of Israel’s first 2 kings
--(5) Documenting the establishment of Jerusalem as capital
--(6) Documenting the establishment of the Davidic dynasty
--(7) Providing details of the life and faith of David
--(8) Showing the growing rift between Judah and Israel.
I Samuel 1
More Polygamy!
--Elkanah (God Purchases) was a man who had 2 wives- Hannah (God’s Gift) and Peninnah (Pearl).
--Penninah had many children, and Hannah (for some reason unknown to us) was made barren by Yahweh.
--Hannah may have been the 1st wife but when she was found to be barren Elkanah may have married Penninah in order to father offspring. We are told that Elkanah loved Hannah more.
--Anyone familiar with the Biblical story so far would have seen the correlation between this family and a few other in the Bible.
--Let’s focus on the theme that a barren wife will have a child through faith and that child will be great.
--There’s even the further correlation that the spouse who had multiple children ridiculed and made fun of the spouse who was barren.
--Elkanah was a man that is different than many in the period of the judges- he actually had faith in the Lord and showed his faith by sacrificing the way he was supposed to. He even went above and beyond his faith and would make an annual trip to the tabernacle to perform an extra sacrifice.
--It was on one of these annual trips to the tabernacle that Hannah went into a rut about her condition but decided that she would pray to the Lord above, make a vow about dedicating a child, and hopefully see that vow fulfilled.
--During the annual trip, after one of the meals of the day (possibly dinner) Hannah went to the tabernacle and prayed about her barrenness. She makes a vow that if Yahweh grants her a child then she will dedicate that child to Yahweh’s service and that he will never have a razor touch his head.
--Some claim that because of this stipulation that Hannah was dedicating Samuel a Nazarite but there are a few problems with that:
1) No mention is made of the other 2 parts of the Nazarite vow (no strong drink and no contact with the dead) and
2) if she wanted to dedicate him a Nazarite it would have been simpler to say “I dedicate him a Nazarite," just like Samson's parents had.
--Elkanah (God Purchases) was a man who had 2 wives- Hannah (God’s Gift) and Peninnah (Pearl).
--Penninah had many children, and Hannah (for some reason unknown to us) was made barren by Yahweh.
--Hannah may have been the 1st wife but when she was found to be barren Elkanah may have married Penninah in order to father offspring. We are told that Elkanah loved Hannah more.
--Anyone familiar with the Biblical story so far would have seen the correlation between this family and a few other in the Bible.
--Let’s focus on the theme that a barren wife will have a child through faith and that child will be great.
--There’s even the further correlation that the spouse who had multiple children ridiculed and made fun of the spouse who was barren.
--Elkanah was a man that is different than many in the period of the judges- he actually had faith in the Lord and showed his faith by sacrificing the way he was supposed to. He even went above and beyond his faith and would make an annual trip to the tabernacle to perform an extra sacrifice.
--It was on one of these annual trips to the tabernacle that Hannah went into a rut about her condition but decided that she would pray to the Lord above, make a vow about dedicating a child, and hopefully see that vow fulfilled.
--During the annual trip, after one of the meals of the day (possibly dinner) Hannah went to the tabernacle and prayed about her barrenness. She makes a vow that if Yahweh grants her a child then she will dedicate that child to Yahweh’s service and that he will never have a razor touch his head.
--Some claim that because of this stipulation that Hannah was dedicating Samuel a Nazarite but there are a few problems with that:
1) No mention is made of the other 2 parts of the Nazarite vow (no strong drink and no contact with the dead) and
2) if she wanted to dedicate him a Nazarite it would have been simpler to say “I dedicate him a Nazarite," just like Samson's parents had.
I Samuel 2
A Dull Priesthood
--Just as Judges ended we got a taste of how the priesthood had become corrupt and had really lost their way. Here in I Samuel 2 we pick up that same theme and meet a pair of really corrupt priests.
--Even their father, Eli, was not described as being the most in tune with God Almighty. When Hannah was at the tabernacle praying for her womb to be opened in chapter 1 she talked directly from her spirit to the Lord in a personal way.
--Eli was not able to tell that she was having a personal experience with Yahweh but instead thought she was drunk. When Hannah explained that she wasn’t drunk all Eli could muster up was a very weak and dull “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” Not very personal at all.
--After Samuel turns 3 his family leaves him to be raised in the presence of the priests at the tabernacle in Shiloh.
--Eli had two sons- Phineas and Hophni. One of the things that it is describing that these 2 wicked priests do is related to the tabernacle sacrifices. Taking the meat raw, before it was burned meant that these two were taking their part of the offering before Yahweh got his part of the offering. Furthermore they were consuming fat from the sacrificial animals which is forbidden of priests in Levitical law.
--On top of all that when people tried to call them on being out of compliance with law they threatened to take what they wanted with force. Plus they were having sex in the tabernacle.
--After Eli is old and out of the picture he decides to rebuke them- probably too little, too late.
--Just as Judges ended we got a taste of how the priesthood had become corrupt and had really lost their way. Here in I Samuel 2 we pick up that same theme and meet a pair of really corrupt priests.
--Even their father, Eli, was not described as being the most in tune with God Almighty. When Hannah was at the tabernacle praying for her womb to be opened in chapter 1 she talked directly from her spirit to the Lord in a personal way.
--Eli was not able to tell that she was having a personal experience with Yahweh but instead thought she was drunk. When Hannah explained that she wasn’t drunk all Eli could muster up was a very weak and dull “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” Not very personal at all.
--After Samuel turns 3 his family leaves him to be raised in the presence of the priests at the tabernacle in Shiloh.
--Eli had two sons- Phineas and Hophni. One of the things that it is describing that these 2 wicked priests do is related to the tabernacle sacrifices. Taking the meat raw, before it was burned meant that these two were taking their part of the offering before Yahweh got his part of the offering. Furthermore they were consuming fat from the sacrificial animals which is forbidden of priests in Levitical law.
--On top of all that when people tried to call them on being out of compliance with law they threatened to take what they wanted with force. Plus they were having sex in the tabernacle.
--After Eli is old and out of the picture he decides to rebuke them- probably too little, too late.
A Dull Priesthood Continued
We are not told how long the two sons have their reign of terror but when the text says that Eli was old when he rebuked them it probably infers that he neglected to raise them correctly.
The sons did not take the direction and rebuking of their father seriously but their days would be numbered.
Sometimes in Scripture we are given an unknown prophet that comes and speaks Yahweh’s word for him- it is not important that we know who he was, only the message that he brings.
The wicked acts of the sons of Eli would bring about the end of Eli’s ancestors being the high priests of the tabernacle.
We are not told how long the two sons have their reign of terror but when the text says that Eli was old when he rebuked them it probably infers that he neglected to raise them correctly.
The sons did not take the direction and rebuking of their father seriously but their days would be numbered.
Sometimes in Scripture we are given an unknown prophet that comes and speaks Yahweh’s word for him- it is not important that we know who he was, only the message that he brings.
The wicked acts of the sons of Eli would bring about the end of Eli’s ancestors being the high priests of the tabernacle.