Category Archives: Seeking His Kingdom Bible Study

Samuel’s Call to God’s Service

Previous lesson:

A Warning for Eli’s Family
God had a message for Eli.
Sin has consequences.
Because of flagrant
disobedience, the house of Eli would forfeit their priesthood.
Hophni and Phinehas would both be killed on the same day.

1 Samuel 3:1-14 NLT
The Lord Speaks to Samuel
^3:1 Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.
²One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. ³The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. ⁴Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” ⁵He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
⁶Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”
⁷Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. ⁸So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. ⁹So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.
¹⁰And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
¹¹Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel. ¹²I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end. ¹³I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them. ¹⁴So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

Examine the Scriptures

^3:1 Meanwhile,

During the events of chapters one and two.

1 Samuel 2:21 NLT
²¹And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:26 NLT
²⁶Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli.

The Hebrew word “boy” used here is the same word used of David when he killed Goliath.

The historian Josephus believed that Samuel was 12 years old.
Other Bible scholars believe he may have been older than 12.

Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.

The time of the judges was a period of extremely limited (“rare” or “uncommon”) prophetic activity.

Except for a few exceptions, God was not disclosing His will through prophets or priests.

Some of these exceptions are found in Judges 2, 6, 7, 10, & 13.

The period was spiritually dark.

Judges 21:25 NLT
²⁵In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

This was all about to change when God communicated with Samuel.

²One night Eli, who was almost blind by now,

Eli was almost blind, both physically and spiritually.

had gone to bed.

³The lamp of God had not yet gone out,

The priests were responsible for keeping the lamp of God burning through the night.

Exodus 27:20-21 NLT
Light for the Tabernacle
²⁰“Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually. ²¹The lampstand will stand in the Tabernacle, in front of the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron and his sons must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for the people of Israel, and it must be observed from generation to generation.

Leviticus 24:1-3 NLT
^24:1 The Lord said to Moses, ²“Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually. ³This is the lampstand that stands in the Tabernacle, in front of the inner curtain that shields the Ark of the Covenant. Aaron must keep the lamps burning in the Lord’s presence all night. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation.

This implies early morning hours were approaching.

and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.

The Tabernacle was the house of the Lord or the Temple of the Lord.

Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.

Samuel sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God symbolizes Samuel’s nearness to God, in contrast to Eli and his sons.

⁴Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!”
“Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” ⁵He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did.
⁶Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!”
Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”
“I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.”

⁷Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before.

Samuel did know about the Lord.

Samuel had not yet encountered the Lord in a personal way.

Samuel did know about the Lord but he had not yet encountered the Lord in a personal way.

⁸So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?”

Then

It took three times.

Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy.

The events in this narrative indicate that Eli’s spiritual perception was not what it should have been as the high priest and judge of Israel.

Another example of misperception.

1 Samuel 1:12-16 NLT
¹²As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. ¹³Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. ¹⁴“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”

⁹So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.

When Eli finally discerned that Samuel was being addressed by the Lord, he advised Samuel to respond to God, not to him (Eli).

¹⁰And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”

The doubling of the name calls attention to the seriousness of the moment.

Note other examples when the doubling of the name was used:

Genesis 22:11 NLT
¹¹At that moment the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!”

Genesis 46:2 NLT
²During the night God spoke to him in a vision. “Jacob! Jacob!” he called.
“Here I am,” Jacob replied.

Exodus 3:4 NLT
⁴When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am!” Moses replied.

Matthew 27:46 NLT
⁴⁶At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

Luke 22:31 NLT
³¹“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.

Acts 9:4 NLT
⁴He (Saul) fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”

Samuel is not just hearing a voice, he is listening.

Eli had instructed Samuel to identify himself as God’s servant.

Samuel most likely understood his role.

See verse 1: Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli

¹¹Then the Lord said to Samuel, “I am about to do a shocking thing in Israel.

God was about to give this young boy, Samuel, a message of impending destruction.

Events that would be of national significance to Israel.

This is an indication that Samuel had truly “grown in favor with the Lord” (matured) (2:26 NLT).

God would not have given this message to someone who was too immature to grasp its significance.

¹²I am going to carry out all my threats against Eli and his family, from beginning to end.

God gave Samuel the same message Eli had received from “a man of God”.

1 Samuel 2:31-34 NLT
³¹The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. ³²You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. ³³The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death. ³⁴And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!

This did not happen immediately, but it did happen.

It took 130 years to fulfill this message.

Galatians 6:7 NLT
⁷Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

¹³I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever,

because his sons are blaspheming God

Leviticus 24:16 NLT
¹⁶Anyone who blasphemes the Name of the Lord must be stoned to death by the whole community of Israel. Any native-born Israelite or foreigner among you who blasphemes the Name of the Lord must be put to death.

and he hasn’t disciplined them.

Eli was implicated in the sins of his sons because he did not intervene with judgment. If his sons were blaspheming God, they should have been stoned.

¹⁴So I have vowed that the sins of Eli and his sons will never be forgiven by sacrifices or offerings.”

Numbers 15:30-31 NLT
Laws concerning Offerings
³⁰“But those who brazenly violate the Lord’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the Lord, and they must be cut off from the community. ³¹Since they have treated the Lord’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt.”

Hebrews 10:26-27 NLT
²⁶Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. ²⁷There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.

If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.(Hebrews 10:26 NLT)

Eli understood the seriousness of his son’s behaviors.

1 Samuel 2:22-25 NLT
²²Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle ²³Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? ²⁴You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. ²⁵If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.

God spoke to Samuel and Samuel was ready to listen.

*****************

The time of the judges was a period of extremely limited (“rare” or “uncommon”) prophetic activity.
Eli was almost blind, both physically and spiritually.
Samuel sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God symbolizes Samuel’s nearness to God, in contrast to Eli and his sons.
Samuel did know about the Lord but he had not yet encountered the Lord in a personal way.
The events in this narrative indicate that Eli’s spiritual perception was not what it should have been, as the high priest and judge of Israel.
When Eli finally discerned that Samuel was being addressed by the Lord, he advised Samuel respond to God, not to him (Eli).
The doubling of the name calls attention to the seriousness of the moment.
Eli had instructed Samuel to identify himself as God’s servant.
God gave Samuel the same message Eli had received from “a man of God”.
Eli was implicated in the sins of his sons because he did not intervene with judgment. If his sons were blaspheming God, they should have been stoned.
If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.(Hebrews 10:26 NLT)
Eli understood the seriousness of his son’s behaviors.

A Warning for Eli’s Family

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A Warning for Eli’s Family

Note the widespread consequences for disobedience.

The time sequence in this lesson jumps back and forth. More details from this lesson will come up in future lessons of 1 Samuel.

1 Samuel 2:27-36 NLT
A Warning for Eli’s Family
²⁷One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord: “I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. ²⁸I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me. And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests. ²⁹So why do you scorn my sacrifices and offerings? Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!
³⁰“Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests. But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me. ³¹The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests. All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age. ³²You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days. ³³The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death. ³⁴And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!
³⁵“Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever. ³⁶Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. ‘Please,’ they will say, ‘give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.’”

Examine the Scriptures
1 Samuel 2:27-36 NLT
A Warning for Eli’s Family

²⁷One day a man of God came to Eli and gave him this message from the Lord:

“A man of God” is the phrase usually used as a synonym for “prophet”.

God had a message for Eli.

Matthew 11:15 NLT
¹⁵Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!

Isaiah 28:23 NLT
²³Listen to me;
listen, and pay close attention.

Proverbs 8:33 NLT
³³Listen to my instruction and be wise.
Don’t ignore it.

Jeremiah 7:24-27 NLT
²⁴“But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. ²⁵From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets—day in and day out. ²⁶But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful—even worse than their ancestors.
²⁷“Tell them all this, but do not expect them to listen. Shout out your warnings, but do not expect them to respond.

Many people choose not to listen when God speaks to them.

“I revealed myself to your ancestors when they were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt.

Exodus 3-4
Moses and the burning bush.
Signs of the Lord’s power. (Moses and Aaron)
Moses staff turned into a serpent etc.

God revealed himself to Eli’s ancestors.

²⁸I chose your ancestor Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer sacrifices on my altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served me.

Exodus 28:1-3 NLT
^28:1 “Call for your brother, Aaron, and his sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Set them apart from the rest of the people of Israel so they may minister to me and be my priests. ²Make sacred garments for Aaron that are glorious and beautiful. ³Instruct all the skilled craftsmen whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom. Have them make garments for Aaron that will distinguish him as a priest set apart for my service.

God chose Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be his priest, to offer sacrifices on his altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served Him.

And I assigned the sacrificial offerings to you priests.

One of the primary duties of the priests was to offer sacrifices on the alter. (That was their job.)

²⁹So why do you (Eli) scorn my sacrifices and offerings?

Eli was the high priest.

Luke 12:48 NLT
⁴⁸But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

Why do you give your sons more honor than you give me—for you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!

“you give your sons more honor than you give me”

“you and they have become fat from the best offerings of my people Israel!”

Eli showed a preference for the wishes of his sons above the will of the Lord and was therefore unworthy of the Lord’s blessings.

1 Samuel 2:22
²²Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

Eli benefitted from his son’s activities, and God held Eli accountable for letting them continue.

³⁰“Therefore, the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I promised that your branch of the tribe of Levi would always be my priests.

Exodus 29:9 NLT
⁹Wrap the sashes around the waists of Aaron and his sons, and put their special head coverings on them. Then the right to the priesthood will be theirs by law forever. In this way, you will ordain Aaron and his sons.

Numbers 25:10-13 NLT
¹⁰Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹¹“Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest has turned my anger away from the Israelites by being as zealous among them as I was. So I stopped destroying all Israel as I had intended to do in my zealous anger. ¹²Now tell him that I am making my special covenant of peace with him. ¹³In this covenant, I give him and his descendants a permanent right to the priesthood, for in his zeal for me, his God, he purified the people of Israel, making them right with me.”

The descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood.

But I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me.

Because of flagrant disobedience, the house of Eli would forfeit their priesthood. Although the descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood, priests could forfeit their position by their sins.

³¹The time is coming when I will put an end to your family, so it will no longer serve as my priests.

The man of God declares a curse for Eli and all his descendants.

Sin has consequences.

All the members of your family will die before their time. None will reach old age.

The judgement of untimely death followed Eli’s descendants.

Unusual way for this to occur.

1 Samuel 22:16-19 NLT
¹⁶“You will surely die, Ahimelech, along with your entire family!” the king shouted. ¹⁷And he ordered his bodyguards, “Kill these priests of the Lord, for they are allies and conspirators with David! They knew he was running away from me, but they didn’t tell me!” But Saul’s men refused to kill the Lord’s priests.
¹⁸Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments. ¹⁹Then he went to Nob, the town of the priests, and killed the priests’ families—men and women, children and babies—and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.

²⁰Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David.

³²You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel.

1 Kings 3:14 NLT
¹⁴And if you follow me and obey my decrees and my commands as your father, David, did, I will give you a long life.”

But no members of your family will ever live out their days.

A short life often expresses God’s disfavor, while a long life represents God’s blessing.

A short life vs. a long life.

³³The few not cut off from serving at my altar will survive, but only so their eyes can go blind and their hearts break, and their children will die a violent death.

1 Samuel 22:
²⁰Only Abiathar, one of the sons of Ahimelech, escaped and fled to David.

³⁴And to prove that what I have said will come true, I will cause your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to die on the same day!

1 Samuel 4:17 NLT
¹⁷“Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

A confirmation of God’s message told by His prophet.

Hophni and Phinehas were killed by the Philistines.

³⁵“Then I will raise up a faithful priest who will serve me and do what I desire. I will establish his family, and they will be priests to my anointed kings forever.

The priesthood was taken from Abiathar, descendant of Aaron’s son Ithamar, and given to Zadok, descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar.

Human terms:

1 Kings 2:27 NLT
²⁷So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, thereby fulfilling the prophecy the Lord had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli.

The priesthood was taken from Abiathar, descendant of Aaron’s son Ithamar

1 Kings 2:35 NLT
³⁵Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar.

The priesthood was given to Zadok, descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar.

Ezekiel 44:15 NLT
¹⁵ “However, the Levitical priests of the family of Zadok continued to minister faithfully in the Temple when Israel abandoned me for idols. These men will serve as my ministers. They will stand in my presence and offer the fat and blood of the sacrifices, says the Sovereign Lord.

Ezekiel 48:11 NLT
¹¹ This area (designated land around the temple Temple) is set aside for the ordained priests, the descendants of Zadok who served me faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.

The descendants of Zadok served God faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.

Spiritual terms:

Hebrews 5:4-10 NLT
⁴And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. ⁵That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.”
⁶And in another passage God said to him,
“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
⁷While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. ⁸Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. ⁹In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. ¹⁰And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus Christ is our great high priest.

³⁶Then all of your surviving family will bow before him, begging for money and food. ‘Please,’ they will say, ‘give us jobs among the priests so we will have enough to eat.’”

Members of the family who had gorged themselves on the sacrifices were now begging for food.

***************************************

God had a message for Eli.

Many people choose not to listen when God speaks to them.

God revealed himself to Eli’s ancestors.

God chose Aaron from among all the tribes of Israel to be his priest, to offer sacrifices on his altar, to burn incense, and to wear the priestly vest as he served Him.

One of the primary duties of the priests was to offer sacrifices on the alter. (That was their job.)

Eli showed a preference for the wishes of his sons above the will of the Lord and was therefore unworthy of the Lord’s blessings.

Eli benefitted from his son’s activities, and God held Eli accountable for letting them continue.

The descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood.

Because of flagrant disobedience, the house of Eli would forfeit their priesthood. Although the descendants of Aaron had a right to the priesthood, priests could forfeit their position by their sins.

The man of God declares a curse for Eli and all his descendants.

Sin has consequences.

The judgement of untimely death followed Eli’s descendants.

Hophni and Phinehas were killed by the Philistines.

The priesthood was taken from Abiathar, descendant of Aaron’s son Ithamar.

The priesthood was given to Zadok, descendant of Aaron’s son Eleazar.

The descendants of Zadok served God faithfully and did not go astray with the people of Israel and the rest of the Levites.

Jesus Christ is our great high priest.

Eli’s Wicked Sons

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Eli’s Wicked Sons

Introduction

In this lesson Samuel’s behavior is compared to the behavior of Eli’s sons.

1 Samuel 2:11-26 NLT
¹¹Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.
Eli’s Wicked Sons
¹²Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord ¹³or for their duties as priests. Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, ¹⁴the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons. All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way. ¹⁵Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.
¹⁶The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.” ¹⁷So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.
¹⁸But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord. He wore a linen garment like that of a priest. ¹⁹Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice. ²⁰Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.” ²¹And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
²²Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel. He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle. ²³Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? ²⁴You must stop, my sons! The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good. ²⁵If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?” But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.
²⁶Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 2:11-26 NLT
¹¹Then Elkanah returned home to Ramah without Samuel. And the boy served the Lord by assisting Eli the priest.

1 Samuel 1:24 NLT
²⁴When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh.

As a Levite, the boy Samuel performed services that assisted Eli, the high priest.

The Levite Clans
1 Chronicles 6:27 NLT
²⁷Eliab, Jeroham, Elkanah, and Samuel.

Eli’s Wicked Sons
¹²Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels

Worthless (ESV)

Despicable (CEB)

who had no respect for the Lord

“They did not know the Lord.” (ESV)

“Did not know the Lord”.

¹³or for their duties as priests.

Although they were priests among God’s people, they did not acknowledge God or seek to abide by His will.

Eli’s sons were not the only wicked priests.

Jeremiah 2:8 NLT
⁸The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who taught my word ignored me,
the rulers turned against me,
and the prophets spoke in the name of Baal,
wasting their time on worthless idols.

Judges 21:25 NLT
²⁵In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

The sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests.

Whenever anyone offered a sacrifice, Eli’s sons would send over a servant with a three-pronged fork. While the meat of the sacrificed animal was still boiling, ¹⁴the servant would stick the fork into the pot and demand that whatever it brought up be given to Eli’s sons.

Deuteronomy 18:3 NLT
³“These are the parts the priests may claim as their share from the cattle, sheep, and goats that the people bring as offerings: the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach.

All the Israelites who came to worship at Shiloh were treated this way.

Repeated offences.

¹⁵Sometimes the servant would come even before the animal’s fat had been burned on the altar. He would demand raw meat before it had been boiled so that it could be used for roasting.

Leviticus 3 NLT
3 “If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. … ³The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs … ⁵and Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
… ⁹The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. … and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, ¹¹and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the Lord.
¹⁴The priest must present part of this offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs … ¹⁶and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.
¹⁷“You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation, wherever you live.”

Leviticus 7:31 NLT
³¹Then the priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aaron and his descendants.

¹⁶The man offering the sacrifice might reply, “Take as much as you want, but the fat must be burned first.” Then the servant would demand, “No, give it to me now, or I’ll take it by force.”

“I’ll take it by force.” The wishes of the people offering the sacrifices were ignored.

¹⁷So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

The sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

Eli’s sons disregarded God’s instructions.

¹⁸But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord.

In sharp contrast to the sons of Eli.

Samuel went above and beyond the expectations of the Levites.

The Levites, members of the same tribe, but who were not descendants of Aaron, served as aides to the priests, doing things like helping to prepare the sacrifices. They took care of the temple, making repairs when needed, and served as musicians, singers, doorkeepers.

The Levites lived for the greater part of the year in their own cities and came up at fixed periods of time to take their turn of work.

Numbers 8:24-25 NLT
²⁴“This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, ²⁵and they must retire at the age of fifty.

Deuteronomy 18:6-7 NLT
⁶“Suppose a Levite chooses to move from his town in Israel, wherever he is living, to the place the Lord chooses for worship. ⁷He may minister there in the name of the Lord his God, just like all his fellow Levites who are serving the Lord there.

In sharp contrast to the sons of Eli, Samuel served the Lord.

He wore a linen garment like that of a priest.

Samuel dressed like a priest.

Samuel functioned as a priest.

Samuel makes sacrifices on behalf of the people, and offers intercessory prayers to God for them.

1 Samuel 7:9 NLT
⁹So Samuel took a young lamb and offered it to the Lord as a whole burnt offering. He pleaded with the Lord to help Israel, and the Lord answered him.

All priests were Levites.

Not all Levites were priests.

Was Samuel a Priest? (Support your answer.)

¹⁹Each year his mother made a small coat for him and brought it to him when she came with her husband for the sacrifice.

Hannah would visit Samuel on a yearly basis to help with some of his material needs.

²⁰Before they returned home, Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, “May the Lord give you other children to take the place of this one she gave to the Lord.”

Blessing was one of the functions of a priest.

Review:

It was the duty and privilege of the priests to bless the people in the name of the Lord.

Numbers 6:22-27 NLT
²²Then the Lord said to Moses, ²³“Tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:
²⁴‘May the Lord bless you
and protect you.
²⁵May the Lord smile on you
and be gracious to you.
²⁶May the Lord show you his favor
and give you his peace.’
²⁷Whenever Aaron and his sons bless the people of Israel in my name, I myself will bless them.”

Lev 9:22-23 NLT
²²After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar. ²³Then Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole community.

A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

²¹And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters.

The Lord blessed Hannah, giving her three sons and two daughters, more than what she asked for.

Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

²²Now Eli was very old, but he was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

Eli was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

Eli lacked good parental skills.

1 Timothy 3:4 NLT
⁴He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

Titus 1:6 NLT
⁶An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious.

He knew, for instance, that his sons were seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle.

Religious prostitution was common among Israel’s Canaanite neighbors.

Deuteronomy 23:17-18 NLT
¹⁷“No Israelite, whether man or woman, may become a temple prostitute. ¹⁸When you are bringing an offering to fulfill a vow, you must not bring to the house of the Lord your God any offering from the earnings of a prostitute, whether a man or a woman, for both are detestable to the Lord your God.

This verse may not apply directly to this situation, but we do know that this behavior was detestable to the Lord and was a desecration of his house.

Seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle was behavior that was detestable to the Lord and was a desecration of his house.

²³Eli said to them, “I have been hearing reports from all the people about the wicked things you are doing. Why do you keep sinning? ²⁴You must stop, my sons!

Eli rebuked his sons but did not remove them from office.

Eli’s discipline was too little, too late.

Proverbs 22:6 NLT
⁶Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Deuteronomy 6:4-8 NLT
⁴“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. ⁵And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. ⁷Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ⁸Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

The reports I hear among the Lord’s people are not good.

²⁵If someone sins against another person, God can mediate for the guilty party. But if someone sins against the Lord, who can intercede?”

These are serious offenses by priests against God.

Psalm 145:20 NLT
²⁰The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

Nahum 1:3 NLT³The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great,
and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.

Psalm 51:4 NLT
⁴Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.

God never lets the guilty go unpunished.

But Eli’s sons wouldn’t listen to their father, for the Lord was already planning to put them to death.

Eli’s sons had persisted in their evil ways so long that God’s judgment on them was already determined.

²⁶Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew taller and grew in favor with the Lord and with the people.

In contrast to Eli’s sons, Samuel was maturing both spiritually and socially.

Luke 2:52 NLT
⁵²Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Scripture includes Samuel’s name in a list of men of faith. (Hebrews 11:32)

Hebrews 11:32 NLT
³²How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets.

********************************

As a Levite, the boy Samuel performed services that assisted Eli, the high priest.

The sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the Lord or for their duties as priests.

The sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.

Eli’s sons disregarded God’s instructions.

Samuel went above and beyond the expectations of the Levites.

In sharp contrast to the sons of Eli, Samuel served the Lord.

Hannah would visit Samuel on a yearly basis to help with some of his material needs.

A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

The Lord blessed Hannah, giving her three sons and two daughters, more than what she asked for.

Eli was aware of what his sons were doing to the people of Israel.

Eli lacked good parental skills.

Seducing the young women who assisted at the entrance of the Tabernacle was behavior that was detestable to the Lord and was a desecration of his house.

Eli’s discipline was too little, too late.

God never lets the guilty go unpunished.

Eli’s sons had persisted in their evil ways so long that God’s judgment on them was already determined.

Scripture includes Samuel’s name in a list of men of faith. (Hebrews 11:32)

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

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Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT
^2:1 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
²No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
³“Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
he will judge your actions.
⁴The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
⁵Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
and the woman with many children wastes away.
⁶The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
⁷The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
⁸He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.
⁹“He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
¹⁰ Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
¹⁶All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. ¹⁷God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

1 Samuel 2:1-10 NLT
Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

Hannah’s prayer is also known as a song or a poem.

Hannah’s prayer celebrates Samuel’s dedication to the Lord’s service.

Hannah’s prayer is a song of praise and thanksgiving to God.

There are similarities between Hannah’s Prayer of Praise and Mary’s Song of Praise (Luke 1:46-55) and some commentators say Mary incorporated parts of Hannah’s prayer into her song of praise.

This song has sometimes been termed the “Magnificat of the OT” since it is so similar to the Magnificat of the NT (Mary’s song).

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise and Mary’s Song of Praise both emphasize God bringing down the rich and powerful and exalting the poor and downtrodden.

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise also has similarities to David’s Song of Praise in 2 Samuel 22.

It also has certain resemblances to the “Benedictus” (the song of Zechariah, Luke 1:67-79).

Consider the reasons this prayer is included in Scripture.

A Model Prayer of Praise – Full of theology

Themes:

Attributes of God.

How God treats people.

(It is not a prayer about Samuel.)

^2:1 Then Hannah prayed:
“My heart rejoices in the Lord!

This was a prayer of joy, unlike her prayer in chapter one.

1 Samuel 1:10 NLT
¹⁰Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.

The source of Hannah’s joy is not the child, but in God who has answered her prayer.

Hannah has been delivered from disgrace to a position of honor and strength.

Philippians 4:4-8 ESV
⁴Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Isaiah 61:10 NLT
¹⁰I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God!
For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation
and draped me in a robe of righteousness.
I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding
or a bride with her jewels.

A reminder to:

- Rejoice in the Lord always. (Philippians 4:4 NLT)

The Lord has made me strong.

Isaiah 41:10 NLT
¹⁰Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Psalm 23:4 NLT
⁴Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.

Philippians 4:13 NLT
¹³For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Psalm 18:1-2 NLT
¹I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
²The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.

Isaiah 12:2 NLT
²See, God has come to save me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
The Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.”

Isaiah 40:31 NLT
³¹But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Habakkuk 3:19 NLT
¹⁹The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.

Psalm 46:1-3 NLT
¹God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
²So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
³Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

Joshua 1:9 NLT
⁹This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

A reminder that:

- God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NLT)

Now I have an answer for my enemies;

This prayer can be used by Hannah to respond to her enemies (Peninnah).

The Lord gave Hannah words to say.

I rejoice because you rescued me.

More rejoicing.

Psalm 5:11 NLT
¹¹But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.

Philippians 4:4 NLT
⁴Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

Psalm 66:1 NLT
¹Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!

I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NLT)

²No one is holy like the Lord!

Hannah recognized the fact that God was a holy God.

Isaiah 6:1-3 NLT
^6:1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. ²Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

Revelation 4:6-8 NLT
(A portion of John’s vision)
⁶In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.
In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. ⁷The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. ⁸Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—
the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

A reminder that God is holy, perfect, and without sin.

- “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8 NLT)

There is no one besides you;

Isaiah 44:6 NLT
⁶This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies:
“I am the First and the Last;
there is no other God.

Isaiah 45:5-6 NLT
⁵I am the Lord;
there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle,
though you don’t even know me,
⁶so all the world from east to west
will know there is no other God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.

Jeremiah 10:6 NLT
⁶Lord, there is no one like you!
For you are great, and your name is full of power.

God is unique.

- Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. (Jeremiah 10:6 NLT)

there is no Rock (strength) like our God.

A Rock symbolizes strength, stability, and security.

Hannah recognized God’s uniqueness.

Psalm 18:31 NLT
³¹For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?

Isaiah 44:8 NLT
⁸Do not tremble; do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago?
You are my witnesses—is there any other God?
No! There is no other Rock—not one!”

A reminder that God is the stability in our lives.

- There is no other God. There is no other Rock-not one.

³“Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!

Peninnah typified this attitude.

1 Samuel 1:6-7
⁶So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. ⁷Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

This also typifies the attitudes of Eli’s sons, the Philistines, Saul, Nabal, Goliath, Absalom, Shimei and Sheba as recorded in 1^st and 2^nd Samuel.

By contrast Hannah was humbly dependent on God.

For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;

Psalm 147:5 NLT
⁵How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
His understanding is beyond comprehension!

1 John 3:20 NLT
²⁰Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

he will judge your actions.

The Lord is an all-knowing, righteous judge.

God humbles the proud.

God exalts the humble.

⁴The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
⁵Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.

God often works contrary to natural expectations and brings about surprising reversals.

The childless woman now has seven children,

Seven children communicates the picture of a women blessed with a house full of children.

1 Samuel 2:21 NLT
²¹And the Lord blessed Hannah, and she conceived and gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.

and the woman with many children wastes away.

The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
⁷The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.
⁸He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes,
placing them in seats of honor.
For all the earth is the Lord’s,
and he has set the world in order.

Hannah celebrated God’s sovereign ability to radically reverse human circumstances.

The Lord demonstrates His sovereignty in human affairs.

Life and death, as well as prosperity and adversity are all determined by the sovereignty of God.

⁹“He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.

God is able to reverse fortunes.

The Lord blesses His faithful ones, but brings the wicked to destruction.

¹⁰ Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.

The Lord will impose His righteous rule on all the nations and peoples.

Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.

He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”

Scripture frequently has multiple messages.

This is prophetic, anticipating the establishment of kingship in Israel. The kings of Israel, especially David, foreshadowed the Lord’s ultimate anointed king, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:69 NLT
⁶⁹He has sent us a mighty Savior
from the royal line of his servant David,

***********************

Rejoice in the Lord always. (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NLT)
I say it again—rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NLT)
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty—the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.” (Revelation 4:8 NLT)
LORD, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. (Jeremiah 10:6 NLT)
There is no other God. There is no other Rock-not one.
The Lord is an all-knowing righteous judge.
God humbles the proud.
God exalts the humble.

Life and death, as well as prosperity and adversity are all determined by the sovereignty of God.
The Lord will impose His righteous rule on all the nations and peoples.
Those who fight against the LORD will be shattered.

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

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Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

1 Samuel 1:19-28 NLT
¹⁹The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, ²⁰and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”
²¹The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow. ²²But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned. Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.”
²³“Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now, and may the Lord help you keep your promise.” So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.
²⁴When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine. ²⁵After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. ²⁶“Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. ²⁷I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. ²⁸Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.” And they worshiped the Lord there.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 1:19-28 NLT

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

¹⁹The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more.

From the previous lesson.

1 Samuel 1:3 NLT
³Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

The entire family would include Elkanah, Hannah, Peninnah and her children, and household servants. Possibly extended family would travel with this group.

Elkanah’s family worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.

Samuel came from a family that valued worshipping the Lord.

Scripture clearly commands us to worship the Lord.

Psalm 95:6 NLT
⁶Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,

1 Chronicles 16:29 NLT
²⁹Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.

Psalm 96:8-9 NLT
⁸Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his courts.
⁹Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him.

Luke 4:8 NLT
⁸Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’”

Psalm 92:1-2 NLT
¹It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
²It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
your faithfulness in the evening,

Then they returned home to Ramah.

When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, ²⁰and in due time she gave birth to a son.

She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

The name Samuel can mean several different things. Meanings of this name include “his name is God”, “name of God”, “asked or heard of God”, or “offspring of God”

Hannah named her son Samuel since God had heard and answered her prayer for a son.

She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

The birth of Samuel came about after Hannah had prayed to God asking Him to give her a son.

Scripture instructs us to pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT
¹⁷Never stop praying.

Prayer is powerful.

Matthew 7:7 NLT
⁷“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

John 15:7 NLT
⁷But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

John 14:13-14 NLT
¹³You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

Matthew 21:22 NLT
²²You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it.”

Samuel was born in response to Hannah’s earnest prayer. “The Lord remembered her plea…”

²¹The next year Elkanah and his family went on their annual trip to offer a sacrifice to the Lord

1 Samuel 1:3 NLT
³Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

As stated earlier, worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.

Review from previous lesson:

The law required:

Exodus 23:14-17 NLT
Three Annual Festivals (also recorded in Deuteronomy 16:1-17)
¹⁴“Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor. ¹⁵First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.
¹⁶“Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest. “Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields. ¹⁷At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord.

Why are these festivals so important?

Remember what God has done for us.

Celebrate what God has done for us.

Teach the next generation how God is working in our lives.

What would the mood or atmosphere be like at these festivals?

Psalm 100 NLT
¹Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
² Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
³Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

In Exodus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 God commanded the Israelites to celebrate three festival in His honor.

Leviticus 7:16 NLT
¹⁶“If you bring an offering to fulfill a vow or as a voluntary offering, the meat must be eaten on the same day the sacrifice is offered, but whatever is left over may be eaten on the second day.

and to keep his vow.

Numbers 30:1-2 NLT
Laws concerning Vows
^30:1 Then Moses summoned the leaders of the tribes of Israel and told them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ²A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.

Deuteronomy 23:21 NLT
²¹“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin.

Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 NLT
⁴When you make a promise to God, don’t delay in following through, for God takes no pleasure in fools. Keep all the promises you make to him. ⁵It is better to say nothing than to make a promise and not keep it.

Matthew 5:33 NLT
Teaching about Vows
³³“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’

A man (a person) who makes a vow to the Lordor makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.

God always keeps his promises.

Psalm 89:34 NLT
³⁴No, I (God) will not break my covenant;
I will not take back a single word I said.

Numbers 23:19 NLT
¹⁹God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

²²But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Wait until the boy is weaned.

Then I will take him to the Tabernacle and leave him there with the Lord permanently.”

²³“Whatever you think is best,” Elkanah agreed. “Stay here for now,

Elkanah supported Hannah’s decisions.

and may the Lord help you keep your promise.”

Elkanah knew that it would be hard for Hannah to give up her son and he knew that she would need the Lords help to keep her promise.

Hebrews 4:14-16 NLT
¹⁴So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. ¹⁵This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. ¹⁶So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

So she stayed home and nursed the boy until he was weaned.

At this point in time Samuel was totally dependent on his mother.

Hannah may have nursed Samuel two to four years.

Several years later.

²⁴When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh. They brought along a three-year-old bull for the sacrifice and a basket of flour and some wine.

Or three bulls

Apparently Elkanah could afford expensive offerings.

Numbers 15:8-10 NLT
⁸“When you present a young bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a peace offering to the Lord, ⁹you must also give a grain offering of six quarts of choice flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil, ¹⁰and give two quarts of wine as a liquid offering. This will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

Think of this as a celebration.

A time of remembrance.

Taking Samuel to the Tabernacle in Shiloh would have been a very memorable occasion for Elkanah and his family.

²⁵After sacrificing the bull, they brought the boy to Eli. ²⁶“Sir, do you remember me?” Hannah asked. “I am the very woman who stood here several years ago praying to the Lord. ²⁷I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request.

Previous lesson:

1 Samuel 1:17 NLT
¹⁷“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

²⁸Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.”

Samuel was left with Eli to serve the Lord in the Tabernacle for the rest of his life.

And they worshiped the Lord there.

More Worship.
(As stated earlier, worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.)

*********************************************

Elkanah’s family worshipping the Lord is a reoccurring theme throughout this story.

Scripture clearly commands us to worship the Lord.

The birth of Samuel came about after Hannah had prayed to God asking Him to give her a son.

Scripture instructs us to pray without ceasing.

In Exodus 23 and Deuteronomy 16 God commanded the Israelites to celebrate three festival in His honor.

A man (a person) who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.

Elkanah supported Hannah’s decisions.

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Taking Samuel to the Tabernacle in Shiloh would have been a very memorable occasion for Elkanah and his family.

Samuel was left with Eli to serve the Lord in the Tabernacle for the rest of his life.

Elkanah and His Family & Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

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Elkanah and His Family & Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

1 Samuel 1:1-18 NLT
Elkanah and His Family
¹ There was a man named Elkanah who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim. ²Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.
³Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. ⁴On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. ⁵And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children. ⁶So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. ⁷Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.
⁸“Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

⁹Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle. ¹⁰Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord. ¹¹And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”
¹²As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her. ¹³Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking. ¹⁴“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”
¹⁵“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. ¹⁶Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”
¹⁷“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”
¹⁸“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

Examine the Scriptures

1 Samuel 1:1-18 NLT
Elkanah and His Family

¹ There was a man named Elkanah

Elkanah’s name means “God has created”.

Elkanah was the father of Samuel.

Elkanah was a Levite.

His name is listed in the Levite Clans found in 1 Chronicles 6:16-30.

Levi > Kohath (a son of Levi) > Elkanah (a descendant of Kohath)

Elkanah was the father of Samuel.

Elkanah was a Levite.

who lived in Ramah in the region of Zuph in the hill country of Ephraim.

Elkanah lived in Ramah.

The ESV (and other versions of scripture) use Ramathaim-zophim instead of Ramah.

Ramah is located 5-15 miles north of Jerusalem (It is not possible to locate the town with certainty)

The Levites lived in towns scattered throughout all of the other twelve tribes.

Joshua 21:20 NLT
²⁰The rest of the Kohathite clan from the tribe of Levi was allotted the following towns and pasturelands from the tribe of Ephraim:

Elkanah was a Levite by lineage.

Elkanah was an Ephraimite by residence.

Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.

Samuel’s birthplace:
1 Samuel 1:19-20 NLT
¹⁹The entire family got up early the next morning and went to worship the Lord once more. Then they returned home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with Hannah, the Lord remembered her plea, ²⁰and in due time she gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, “I asked the Lord for him.”

Samuel’s residence:
1 Samuel 7:17 NLT
¹⁷Then he would return to his home at Ramah, and he would hear cases there, too. And Samuel built an altar to the Lord at Ramah.

Samuel’s burial place:
1 Samuel 25:1 NLT
Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.

Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.

He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, of Ephraim.

²Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

Hannah (grace, favor)

Peninnah (ruby)

Elkanah may have married Peninnah because of Hannah’s inability to have children.

In scripture children are considered a blessing from the Lord.

Deuteronomy 7:13-14 NLT
¹³He (the Lord) will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. ¹⁴You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.

Conversely the Israelites considered the inability to have children a curse.

Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.

Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

Multiple wives frequently result in serious friction between the wives.

See verses 6-7

Genesis 16 & 21: Sarah and Hagar

Genesis 29: Leah and Rachel

³Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh

15 miles north of Ramah. 20 miles north of Jerusalem

(Ramah is located 5-15 miles north of Jerusalem (It is not possible to locate the town with certainty))

Joshua 18:1 NLT
Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle.

to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

The law required:

Exodus 23:14-17 NLT
Three Annual Festivals (also recorded in Deuteronomy 16:1-17)
¹⁴“Each year you must celebrate three festivals in my honor. ¹⁵First, celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast, just as I commanded you. Celebrate this festival annually at the appointed time in early spring, in the month of Abib, for that is the anniversary of your departure from Egypt. No one may appear before me without an offering.
¹⁶“Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest. “Finally, celebrate the Festival of the Final Harvest at the end of the harvest season, when you have harvested all the crops from your fields. ¹⁷At these three times each year, every man in Israel must appear before the Sovereign, the Lord.

The title Lord of Heaven’s Armies or Lord of Hosts emphasizes the Lord as sovereign over all of the powers in heaven and on earth.

Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

The priests of the Lord at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas.

⁴On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children.

Certain sacrifices involved sharing part of the sacrificial animal in a communal meal. (Leviticus 7)

Elkanah’s sacrifice was a peace offering:

Parts of the sacrifice are burned.

Parts of the sacrifice are given to the priest.

Parts of the sacrifice are eaten by the people who brought the sacrifice.

⁵And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the Lord had given her no children.

Hannah’s barrenness was the result of divine providence like Sarah’s (Genesis 16:2) and Rachel’s (Genesis 30:2)

Psalm 127:3 NLT
³Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a reward from him.

Genesis 18:13 NLT
¹³Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ ¹⁴Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Genesis 29:31 NLT
³¹When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, he enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive.

Genesis 30:2 NLT
²Then Jacob became furious with Rachel. “Am I God?” he asked. “He’s the one who has kept you from having children!”

Genesis 30:22NLT
²²Then God remembered Rachel’s plight and answered her prayers by enabling her to have children.

⁶So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.

⁷Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle.

The House of the Lord.

The Temple of the Lord.

Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children.

Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat.

⁸“Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?”

Elkanah’s attempts to comfort Hannah were unsuccessful.

Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

⁹Once after a sacrificial meal at Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to pray. Eli the priest was sitting at his customary place beside the entrance of the Tabernacle.

¹⁰Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord.

¹¹And she made this vow: “O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime, and as a sign that he has been dedicated to the Lord, his hair will never be cut.”

Hannah prayed and pledged to give the Lord her son in return for God’s favor in giving her that son.

This dedication of her son sounds like a commitment to the Nazarite vow, described in Numbers 6.

Similar to the story of Samson

Judges 13:2-5 NLT
²In those days a man named Manoah from the tribe of Dan lived in the town of Zorah. His wife was unable to become pregnant, and they had no children. ³The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah’s wife and said, “Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. ⁴So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. ⁵You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.”

Long hair was a symbol of dedication to the service of the Lord and was one of the characteristics of the Nazarite vow. This vow was normally taken for a limited time rather than for life.

Elkanah apparently supported Hannah’s wishes.

NUMBERS 30:10
¹⁰“But suppose a woman is married and living in her husband’s home when she makes a vow or binds herself with a pledge. ¹¹If her husband hears of it and does not object to it, her vow or pledge will stand.

¹²As she was praying to the Lord, Eli watched her.

¹³Seeing her lips moving but hearing no sound, he thought she had been drinking.

Some people may have used the feast times at Shiloh as an occasion to get drunk.

¹⁴“Must you come here drunk?” he demanded. “Throw away your wine!”

Eli assumed that Hannah was drunk and therefore rebukes her.

¹⁵“Oh no, sir!” she replied. “I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord. ¹⁶Don’t think I am a wicked woman! For I have been praying out of great anguish and sorrow.”

Acts 2:13-15 NLT
¹³But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
¹⁴Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. ¹⁵These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that.

¹⁷“In that case,” Eli said, “go in peace! May the God of Israel grant the request you have asked of him.”

It was the duty and privilege of the priests to bless the people in the name of the Lord.

A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

¹⁸“Oh, thank you, sir!” she exclaimed. Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad.

Hannah believed that God would answer her prayer.

Pray believing that God will answer your prayers.

Psalm 145:18 NLT
¹⁸The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.

John 14:13-14 NLT
¹³You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. ¹⁴Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

John 15:7 NLT
⁷But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

James 5:16 NLT
¹⁶Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

1 John 5:14-15 NLT
¹⁴And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. ¹⁵And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Matthew 7:8 NLT
⁸For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

*************************

Elkanah was the father of Samuel.

Elkanah was a Levite.

Elkanah lived in Ramah.

The ESV (and other versions of scripture) use Ramathaim-zophim instead of Ramah.

Ramah was Samuel’s birthplace, the place of his residence, and the place of his burial.

Elkanah had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah.

Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

Multiple wives frequently result in serious friction between the wives.

Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the Lordof Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle.

Hannah’s barrenness was the result of divine providence like Sarah’s (Genesis 16:2) and Rachel’s (Genesis 30:2)

Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lordhad kept her from having children.

Elkanah’s attempts to comfort Hannah were unsuccessful.

Hannah prayed and pledged to give the Lord her son in return for God’s favor in giving her that son.

Elkanah apparently supported Hannah’s wishes.

Eli assumed that Hannah was drunk and therefore rebukes her.

A blessing from God’s high priest was an assurance that Hannah’s prayer would be answered.

Hannah believed that God would answer her prayer.

Pray believing that God will answer your prayers.

Introduction to 1st and 2nd Samuel

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Introduction to 1^st and 2^nd Samuel

Names used for the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel.

The Books of 1 and 2 Samuel take their names from the Prophet Samuel, who is the first important character in the first book, because of the role he played in Israel’s transition to a monarchy (Not the author of the books.)

Samuel was a prophet, priest, the last of the judges, and an anointer of kings.

The events described in 1 and 2 Samuel center about the lives of three important figures—Samuel, Saul, and David.

The earliest Hebrew manuscripts made no division between the two books.

First and second Samuel were considered as one book in the earliest Hebrew manuscripts.

They simply entitled the whole collection “Samuel.”

They were later divided into two books by the translators of the Greek version, the Septuagint (LXX). The Septuagint was the first version to divide the material into two parts. The translators of the Septuagint, or the Greek OT, divided it into two books, 1-2 Kingdoms (The First and Second Book of Kingdoms). Later Hebrew tradition also divided the book but retained the name Samuel, as do most English versions. That division into 1^st and 2^nd Samuel has continued to the present day in all translations and versions, including Hebrew-printed Bibles.

Septuagint (LXX)

The term Septuagint is the name given to the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. It contains what are now known as the apocryphal (a poc ry phal) books. The name Septuagint derives from the Latin word septuaginta, which means 70. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible is called Septuagint because 70 or 72 Jewish scholars reportedly took part in the translation process. The Septuagint Bible originated in the 3rd century B.C., (or third and second century B.C.) when the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament, was translated into Greek.

It is also called the Greek Old Testament.

This translation is quoted in the New Testament, particularly by Paul.

Names used for the books of 1^st and 2^nd Samuel:

Samuel

1-2 Kingdoms (The First and Second Book of Kingdoms).

First and Second Kings (1^st and 2^nd Kings were titled 3^rd and 4^th Kings)

1^st and 2^nd Samuel

Author of 1^st and 2^nd Samuel

Jewish tradition ascribed the writing of Samuel to Samuel himself or to Samuel, Nathan and Gad (based on 1 Chr. 29:29).

1 Chronicles 29:29 NLT
²⁹All the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in The Record of Samuel the Seer, The Record of Nathan the Prophet, and The Record of Gad the Seer.

This could not be true for several reasons.

The authorship of 1 and 2 Samuel is anonymous, though one can hardly doubt that Samuel himself may have written or supplied information for 1 Samuel 1:1-25:1, all of which describes his life and career up to and including his death.

It is impossible, however, to say anything with certainty about the authorship of the remainder of 1 Samuel and of 2 Samuel.

But Samuel cannot be the writer because his death is recorded in 1 Samuel 25:1.

1 Samuel 25:1 NLT
The Death of Samuel
^25:1 Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah.

1 Samuel has 31 chapters.

Further, Nathan and Gad were prophets of the Lord during David’s lifetime and would not have been alive when the book of Samuel was written.

Though the records of these three prophets could have been used for information in the writing of 1 and 2 Samuel, the human author of these books is unknown. The work comes to the readers as an anonymous writing, i.e., the human author speaks for the Lord and give; the divine interpretation of the events narrated.

The author of 1^st and 2^nd Samuel is unknown.

Important Dates

The date of the composition of the books cannot be determined with any degree of precision. It had to be after 971 B.C. (the death of David). Some scholars say after the division of the kingdom between Israel and Judah in 931 B.C..

The Books of Samuel contain no clear indication of the date of composition. Some scholars say that the author wrote after the division of the kingdom between Israel and Judah in 931 B.C. due to the many references to Israel and Judah as distinct entities (1 Sam. 11:8; 17:52; 18:16; 2 Sam. 5:5; 11:11; 12:8; 19:42-43; 24:1, 9).

2 Samuel 12:8 NLT
⁸I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more.

Vs. the kingdom of Israel.

This could also be indicated by the reference to Ziklag, a Philistine city which, the narrator wrote, “has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day” (1 Sam. 27:6)

1 Samuel 27:6 NLT
⁶So Achish gave him the town of Ziklag (which still belongs to the kings of Judah to this day)…

During the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon the kingdom was known as the Kingdom of Israel. Saul, David, and Solomon were kings of Israel.

Scholars believe strongly that 1^st and 2^nd Samuel was written before 722 B.C. The fall of Samaria.

Approximate chronological timeline.

1376-1050 bc The era of the judges

The 300 or so years of the history of Israel under the Judges were marked by political, moral, and spiritual anarchy and deterioration. Throughout the days of the judges, discontent grew over the lack of unity among Israel’s tribes. (see Judges 17-21). When Samuel became old and a successor was needed, it was evident to all that his own sons were unfit to take his place. This factor, coupled with the encroachments of the Ammonites on the east side of the Jordan River, prompted Israel to demand of Samuel that he give them a king “like all the other nations” to unite the nation and protect it from internal and external threats.

1200 bc The Philistines arrive in Canaan

1100-950 bc The period covered by the books of Samuel (150 years)

1100-1070 bc Eli as priest at Shiloh

1075-1040 bc The ministry of Samuel

1050-1011 _BC The reign of Saul

1025 _BC David is anointed as king

1020 _BC David fights Goliath

1011 bc The death of Saul and Jonathan

1011-971 _BC David as king of Israel

Second Samuel concludes with a story of royal succession in which David on his deathbed made provision for his son Solomon to follow him on the throne. This must be dated at 971 b.c.

Setting

The majority of the action recorded in 1 and 2 Samuel took place in and around the central highlands in the land of Israel.

The major cities of 1st and 2^nd Samuel are to be found in these central highlands:

Shiloh, the residence of Eli and the tabernacle;

Ramah, the hometown of Samuel;

Gibeah, the headquarters of Saul;

Bethlehem, the birthplace of David;

Hebron, David’s capital when he ruled over Judah;

and Jerusalem, the ultimate “city of David.”

Purpose.

1^stThe Books of Samuel provide an account of the history of Israel from the end of the 12th through the beginning of the 10th centuries before Christ. That critical period from judgeship to monarchy, from loose tribal affiliation to strong central government.

2^ndMore importantly, the books of Samuel show/teach/demonstrate theological themes.

Teach Biblical truths.

The events of David’s life recorded in Samuel foreshadow the actions of David’s greater son (i.e., Christ) in the future.

There are four predominant theological themes in 1 and 2 Samuel.

The Davidic Covenant.

This is an unconditional covenant made between God and David through which God promises David and Israel that the Messiah (Jesus Christ) would come from the lineage of David and the tribe of Judah and would establish a kingdom that would endure forever.

2 Samuel 7:12-16 NLT
¹²For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. ¹³He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. ¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. ¹⁵But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

The sovereignty of God.
The work of the Holy Spirit in empowering men for divinely appointed tasks.
The personal and national effects of sin.

Sources:
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
NLT Study Bible: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary
NLT Study Bible
ESV Student Study Bible
NIV Study Bible

The Festival of Purim & The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

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In today’s lesson we will finish studying the book of Esther.

We will be learning about the Jewish Festival of Purim

Esther 9:20 – 10:3 NLT
The Festival of Purim
²⁰Mordecai recorded these events and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes, ²¹calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days. ²²He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.
²³So the Jews accepted Mordecai’s proposal and adopted this annual custom. ²⁴Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the date determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim). ²⁵But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. ²⁶That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots.
So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, ²⁷the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year. ²⁸These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.
²⁹Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen’s full authority behind Mordecai’s letter to establish the Festival of Purim. ³⁰Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. ³¹These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther. (The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.) ³²So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

^10:1 King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire, even to the distant coastlands. ²His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia. ³Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.

Examine the Scriptures

Esther 9:20 – 10:3 NLT
The Festival of Purim

²⁰Mordecai recorded these events

The events Mordecai recorded:

Esther 9:16-19 NLT
¹⁶Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder. ¹⁷This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness. ¹⁸(The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9, making that their day of feasting and gladness.) ¹⁹So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.

and sent letters to the Jews near and far, throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes, ²¹calling on them to celebrate an annual festival on these two days.

Mordecai and Queen Esther established (proposed v.23) the Festival of Purim.

The festival of Purim was not established by Mosaic Law. It was established by Mordecai and Esther (v 29-32).

The festival of Purim is the only OT festival not established by Moses.

²²He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor.

How did the Jews celebrate Purim?

Eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor.

The Jews celebrated Purim with eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor.

This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy.

Why did the Jews celebrate Purim?

The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction.

On that fateful day, March 7, 473 BC, God miraculously rescued His people from certain death, much like He rescued His people from Egypt at the Passover.

The festival of Purim is much like the Passover celebration.

The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction.

²³So the Jews accepted Mordecai’s proposal and adopted this annual custom.

²⁴Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews, had plotted to crush and destroy them on the date determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim). ²⁵But when Esther came before the king, he issued a decree causing Haman’s evil plot to backfire, and Haman and his sons were impaled on a sharpened pole. ²⁶That is why this celebration is called Purim, because it is the ancient word for casting lots.

The above verses summarize the events leading to the Festival of Purim.

It was a common practice in the ancient world to cast purim to determine whether God favored a particular course of action.

Esther 3:7 NLT
⁷So in the month of April, during the twelfth year of King Xerxes’ reign, lots were cast in Haman’s presence (the lots were called purim) to determine the best day and month to take action. And the day selected was March 7, nearly a year later.

The date of this celebration (events leading up to this celebration) had been determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).

So because of Mordecai’s letter and because of what they had experienced, ²⁷the Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews. They declared they would never fail to celebrate these two prescribed days at the appointed time each year. ²⁸These days would be remembered and kept from generation to generation and celebrated by every family throughout the provinces and cities of the empire. This Festival of Purim would never cease to be celebrated among the Jews, nor would the memory of what happened ever die out among their descendants.

Even though Moses did not authorize this festival, Jews throughout the realm agreed to inaugurate this tradition and to pass it on to their descendants and to all who became Jews.

Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

Purim is celebrated on Adar 14 because the Jews in unwalled cities fought their enemies on Adar 13 and rested the following day.

Shushan Purim falls on Adar 15 and is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem (a walled city) celebrate Purim.

Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

²⁹Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote another letter putting the queen’s full authority behind Mordecai’s letter to establish the Festival of Purim.

Esther’s letter provided further official endorsement to Mordecai’s proposal.

³⁰Letters wishing peace and security were sent to the Jews throughout the 127 provinces of the empire of Xerxes. ³¹These letters established the Festival of Purim—an annual celebration of these days at the appointed time, decreed by both Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther.

(The people decided to observe this festival, just as they had decided for themselves and their descendants to establish the times of fasting and mourning.)

The people decided to observe the Festival of Purim.

A decree by Mordecai and Queen Esther would not have meant much without the acceptance of the Jewish people.

³²So the command of Esther confirmed the practices of Purim, and it was all written down in the records.

A copy of Esther’s letter was put into the royal archives.

The festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

Today, Jewish people fast and pray to commutate Esther’s fasting (The Fast of Esther). This fast is then followed by Purim.

Two events:

A time of fasting.

A time of celebration.

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

^10:1 King Xerxes imposed a tribute throughout his empire,

This negated an earlier remission of taxes.

Esther 2:18
English Standard Version
¹⁸Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.

Esther 2:18
New Living Translation
¹⁸To celebrate the occasion, he gave a great banquet in Esther’s honor for all his nobles and officials, declaring a public holiday for the provinces and giving generous gifts to everyone.

From lesson on Esther 2:

“Holiday” The Hebrew for this word, unique to this verse, may imply a remission of taxes,

an emancipation of slaves,

a cancellation of debt

or a remission of obligatory military service.

King Xerxes imposed a tax throughout his empire. (Showing the extent of his power.)

Persian taxes on the provinces were heavy.

even to the distant coastlands.

Esther 1:1 NLT
These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia.

Review the Map of the Persian Empire

²His great achievements and the full account of the greatness of Mordecai, whom the king had promoted, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Media and Persia.

³Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself.

Mordecai was rewarded with a high government position.

Mordecai became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself.

Joseph ranked second in the Egyptian dynasty.

Daniel ranked high in both the Babylonian and Medo-Persian Empires.

He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.

Mordecai was held in high esteem by his people, the Jews.

Nowhere in the book of Esther does it say that Mordecai was a righteous man or that he was careful to follow the Law of Moses.

There are no farther details about Mordecai or Esther.

King Xerxes was assassinated in 465 B.C. (less than ten years later.)

God’s sovereignty is clearly seen in the book of Esther. Many things happened that were beyond anyone’s control except that of God, who oversees history.

- - (Chapter 1) The king’s wise men advised King Xerxes to banish Queen Vashti from his presence forever and choose another queen more worthy than Queen Vashti.

- - (Chapter 2) Esther, a Jew, was placed in a position in which she could help the nation Israel, even before Israel needed help.

- - (Chapter 2) Mordecai is at the right place at the right time. – Mordecai heard two guards plotting to assassinate King Xerxes.

- - (Chapter 3) Lots were cast to determine the best day and month for the execution of the Jews to take place. – The Jews would have nearly a year to prepare themselves for this event.

- - (Chapter 4) Esther’s rise to power at this precise time. Esther’s position as Xerxes’ favored wife and queen allowed her to influence the king in such a way it would favor the Jewish people.

- - The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases. (Chapter 5)

- - (Chapter 6) The night between the first and second banquet hosted by Esther, the king had trouble sleeping. Listening to 12 years of recorded history being read to him, the king discovered the account of how Mordecai exposed a plot to have him (King Xerxes) assassinated. King Xerxes is reminded of the fact that nothing has been done for Mordecai for saving the king’s life.

- - (Chapter 7) The king appears to be surprised to hear that Esther is a Jew. Esther was able to ask the king to spare her life and the lives of her people.

- - (Chapter 8) A decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring that gave the Jews authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.

- - (Chapter 9) The enemies of the Jews could not make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.

The Festival of Purim

The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

Mordecai and Queen Esther established (proposed v.23) the Festival of Purim.

The Jews celebrated Purim with eating, rejoicing, giving gifts of food to each other, and giving gifts to the poor.

The festival of Purim was for remembering the goodness of God working through a number of circumstances to protect His people from extinction.

The date of this celebration (events leading up to this celebration) had been determined by casting lots (the lots were called purim).

Now more than 2,400 years later, the festival of Purim is still celebrated annually by the Jews.

The people decided to observe the Festival of Purim. (A decree by Mordecai and Queen Esther would not have meant much without it being accepted by the Jewish people.)

King Xerxes imposed a tax throughout his empire. (Showing the extent of his power.)

Mordecai was rewarded with a high government position.

Mordecai was held in high esteem by his people, the Jews.

God’s sovereignty is clearly seen in the book of Esther. Many things happened that were beyond anyone’s control except that of God, who oversees history.

The Victory of the Jews

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The Victory of the Jews. God will preserve His chosen people.

Esther 9:1-19 NLT
The Victory of the Jews
9 So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect. On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but quite the opposite happened. It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies. ²The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them. But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them. ³And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai. ⁴For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.
⁵So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them. ⁶In the fortress of Susa itself, the Jews killed 500 men. ⁷They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha— ¹⁰the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews. But they did not take any plunder.
¹¹That very day, when the king was informed of the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa, ¹²he called for Queen Esther. He said, “The Jews have killed 500 men in the fortress of Susa alone, as well as Haman’s ten sons. If they have done that here, what has happened in the rest of the provinces? But now, what more do you want? It will be granted to you; tell me and I will do it.”
¹³Esther responded, “If it please the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today, and let the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be impaled on a pole.”
¹⁴So the king agreed, and the decree was announced in Susa. And they impaled the bodies of Haman’s ten sons. ¹⁵Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed 300 more men, and again they took no plunder.
¹⁶Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder. ¹⁷This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness. ¹⁸(The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9, making that their day of feasting and gladness.) ¹⁹So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.

Examine the Scriptures
Esther 9:1-19 NLT
The Victory of the Jews

^9:1 So on March 7 the two decrees of the king were put into effect.

Esther 3:13 NLT
¹³Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.

Esther 8:10-11 NLT
Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.
¹¹The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. ¹²The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.

On March 7^th Haman’s decree and Mordecai’s decree were put into effect.

Two opposing forces will come face to face.

Many thought it was the enemies of the Jews vs. the Jews.

In reality it was the enemy of the Jews vs. God.

On that day, the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them,

According to verse 16 we know that there were at least 75,000 enemies of the Jews.

The enemies of the Jews hoped to overpower the Jews.

but quite the opposite happened.

The tables are turned.

It was the Jews who overpowered their enemies.

God was preserving the Jewish race.

Genesis 17:1-8 NLT
^17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. ²I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
³At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, ⁴“This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! ⁵What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. ⁶I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
⁷“I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ⁸And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

²The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the king’s provinces to attack anyone who tried to harm them.

But no one could make a stand against them, for everyone was afraid of them.

The enemies of the Jews were now afraid of the Jews.

The opportunity to get rich at someone else’s expense lost its appeal.

Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
¹¹For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

The enemies of the Jews could not make a stand against the Jews, for everyone was afraid of them.

³And all the nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews for fear of Mordecai.

The government authorities helped the Jews.

To be pro-Jewish would put one in favor with the king and his court.

Numbers 24:9 NLT (Genesis 12:3)
Like a lion, Israel crouches and lies down;
like a lioness, who dares to arouse her?
Blessed is everyone who blesses you, O Israel,
and cursed is everyone who curses you.”

The nobles of the provinces, the highest officers, the governors, and the royal officials helped the Jews.

⁴For Mordecai had been promoted in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as he became more and more powerful.

By God’s sovereign intervention, Mordecai was now in a position of authority.

The popular phrase found in Esther chapter 4:14, “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” could easily be adapted to apply to Mordecai by saying, “Who knows if perhaps you, Mordecai, have “been promoted in the king’s palace” for just such a time as this?”

This principle also applies to us:

Ephesians 2:10 NLT
¹⁰For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

1 Corinthians 12:18 NLT
¹⁸But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.

⁵So the Jews went ahead on the appointed day and struck down their enemies with the sword. They killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them.

They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, (8:11)

This was a defensive (self-defense) action.

⁶In the fortress of Susa itself, the Jews killed 500 men.

⁷They also killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, and Vaizatha— ¹⁰the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews.

Esther 5:11 NLT
¹¹and (Haman) boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children.

Everything Haman had boasted about was gone.

In the fortress of Susa alone, the Jews killed 500 men plus the ten sons of Haman.

But they did not take any plunder.

The enemies of the Jews were motivated by “plunder”.

The king’s decree gave the Jews permission to take plunder (Esther 8:11)

The Jews were fighting to save their lives and to preserve the Jewish race.

By not taking any plunder it made their motives clear.

The Jews killed and annihilated their enemies and did as they pleased with those who hated them. But they did not take any plunder.

¹¹That very day, when the king was informed of the number of people killed in the fortress of Susa, ¹²he called for Queen Esther. He said, “The Jews have killed 500 men in the fortress of Susa alone, as well as Haman’s ten sons.

If they have done that here, what has happened in the rest of the provinces?

But now, what more do you want? It will be granted to you; tell me and I will do it.”

This is the fifth time King Xerxes agreed to give Esther what she asked for.

(5:3, 5:6, 7:2, 8:8 similar, here)

¹³Esther responded, “If it please the king, give the Jews in Susa permission to do again tomorrow as they have done today,

Probably because Esther knew that there were still armed enemies in Susa committed to carrying out Haman’s decree.

and let the bodies of Haman’s ten sons be impaled on a pole.”

A visual warning. (This was not an unusual practice in the ancient Near East.)

¹⁴So the king agreed, and the decree was announced in Susa.

The King granted Esther’s wish, but this was also a good political move. It was not in the king’s interest to have warring parties in the capitol city plotting to kill one another.

And they impaled the bodies of Haman’s ten sons.

¹⁵Then the Jews at Susa gathered together on March 8 and killed 300 more men,

300 more men were killed in Susa.

The Jews killed an additional 300 men in the fortress of Susa. (Totaling 800 plus the ten sons of Haman.)

To allow enemies of the Jews to remain active in one of the capitols of the Persian Empire could have had long lasting negative impacts on the Jewish community.

Haman alone was a huge political threat to the Jews.

and again they took no plunder.

The Jews were not doing this for money.

¹⁶Meanwhile, the other Jews throughout the king’s provinces had gathered together to defend their lives. They gained relief from all their enemies, killing 75,000 of those who hated them.

Outside of Susa the Jews killed 75,000 of their enemies.

Anti-Semitism exists throughout history,

BUT

God promises to preserve His Chosen People.

Jeremiah 30 NLT
Promises of Deliverance
¹ The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, ²“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down for the record everything I have said to you, Jeremiah. ³For the time is coming when I will restore the fortunes of my people of Israel and Judah. I will bring them home to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and they will possess it again. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
⁴This is the message the Lord gave concerning Israel and Judah. ⁵This is what the Lord says:
…
¹¹For I am with you and will save you,”
says the Lord.
…
¹⁶“But all who devour you will be devoured,
and all your enemies will be sent into exile.
All who plunder you will be plundered,
and all who attack you will be attacked.
^…¹⁹There will be joy and songs of thanksgiving,
and I will multiply my people, not diminish them;
I will honor them, not despise them.
²⁰ Their children will prosper as they did long ago.
I will establish them as a nation before me,
and I will punish anyone who hurts them.
…
²²You will be my people,
and I will be your God.”

Anti-Semitism exists throughout history, but scripture records God promises to preserve His Chosen People.

But they did not take any plunder.

Clearly the Jews were not in this for financial gain. They were in this to defend their lives.

¹⁷This was done throughout the provinces on March 7, and on March 8 they rested, celebrating their victory with a day of feasting and gladness.

¹⁸(The Jews at Susa killed their enemies on March 7 and again on March 8, then rested on March 9, making that their day of feasting and gladness.)

It was only in Susa that the fighting lasted for two days.

The Jews rested and celebrated their victory with a day of feasting and gladness.

¹⁹So to this day, rural Jews living in remote villages celebrate an annual festival and holiday on the appointed day in late winter, when they rejoice and send gifts of food to each other.

This will be discussed in more detail in the next lesson.

A Decree to Help the Jews

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In today’s lesson:

What goes around comes around.

The tables are turned.

But

Note the similarities.

Esther 8 NLT
A Decree to Help the Jews
^8:1 On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related. ²The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.
³Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews. ⁴Again the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him.
⁵Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. ⁶For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”
⁷Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. ⁸Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”
⁹So on June 25 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews. ¹⁰The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.
¹¹The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. ¹²The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.
¹³A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day. ¹⁴So urged on by the king’s command, the messengers rode out swiftly on fast horses bred for the king’s service. The same decree was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa.
¹⁵Then Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple. And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree. ¹⁶The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere. ¹⁷In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.

Examine the Scriptures
Esther 8 NLT
A Decree to Help the Jews

Begin at Esther 7:9
⁹Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.”
“Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered. ¹⁰So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

Counsel for the Hamans of this world. (Really this is counsel for all of us.)

Isaiah 3:11 NLT
¹¹But the wicked are doomed,
for they will get exactly what they deserve.

Proverbs 26:27 NLT
²⁷If you set a trap for others,
you will get caught in it yourself.
If you roll a boulder down on others,
it will crush you instead.

Galatians 6:7 NLT
⁷Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

Colossians 3:25 NLT
²⁵But if you do what is wrong, you will be paid back for the wrong you have done. For God has no favorites.

Proverbs 22:8 NLT
⁸Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster,
and their reign of terror will come to an end.

Matthew 7:1-2 NLT
^7:1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. ²For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.

Matthew 7:12 NLT
¹²“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

^8:1 On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther.

By Persian custom, King Xerxes confiscated Haman’s property.

Just as Haman had promised the wealth of the Jews to those who would kill them, King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther.

Note the similarity:

Esther 3:13 …the property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.

Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related. ²The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman—and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.

Again the tables are turned.

Note the similarity:

Esther 3:10 NLT
¹⁰The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

The signet ring that Haman had used to seal the decree to destroy the Jewish people was now given to the Jewish person he had most wanted to destroy.

Mordecai now had the power Haman had wanted so desperately.

³Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews.

Esther went again before the king begging him to stop the evil plot devised by Haman against the Jews.

Previously King Xerxes had agreed to Haman’s request to have a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of (his) empire…, who refuse to obey the laws of the king, destroyed .

Esther 3:8-11 NLT
⁸Then Haman approached King Xerxes and said, “There is a certain race of people scattered through all the provinces of your empire who keep themselves separate from everyone else. Their laws are different from those of any other people, and they refuse to obey the laws of the king. So it is not in the king’s interest to let them live. ⁹If it please the king, issue a decree that they be destroyed, and I will give 10,000 large sacks of silver to the government administrators to be deposited in the royal treasury.”
¹⁰The king agreed, confirming his decision by removing his signet ring from his finger and giving it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹The king said, “The money and the people are both yours to do with as you see fit.”

- - - - A decree to execute all of the Jews in the Persian Empire was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

- - - - A decree sealed with the king’s signet ring was irrevocable

⁴Again the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him.

Again King Xerxes welcomed Esther into his presence.

⁵Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. ⁶For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”

Esther was asking the king to reverse a law signed with the King’s seal.
Esther was asking the king to do something he was unable to do.

⁷Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. ⁸Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”

According to Persian law whatever has been written can never be revoked. That meant that Haman’s decree could not be reversed.

Daniel 6:8 NLT
⁸And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”

However, Mordecai could write different or counter-decree to supersede the first decree and seal them with the king’s signet ring which would make it difficult to carry out Haman’s decree.

⁹So on June 25 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated. It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews. ¹⁰The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

Note the similarity:

Esther 3:12 NLT
¹²So on April 17 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Haman dictated. It was sent to the king’s highest officers, the governors of the respective provinces, and the nobles of each province in their own scripts and languages. The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring.

Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.
¹¹The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. ¹²The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.

The king’s decree did not permit the Jewish people to start a war but to defend themselves and plunder the property of those who attacked them.

Note the use of:

defend
kill, slaughter, and annihilate
take the property of their enemies

Here the king is using Haman’s words.

Esther used Haman’s words in 7:4

Again, note the similarity:

Esther 3:13 NLT
¹³(Haman’s) Dispatches were sent by swift messengers into all the provinces of the empire, giving the order that all Jews—young and old, including women and children—must be killed, slaughtered, and annihilated on a single day. This was scheduled to happen on March 7 of the next year. The property of the Jews would be given to those who killed them.

A decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring that gave the Jews authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies.

¹³A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day. ¹⁴So urged on by the king’s command, the messengers rode out swiftly on fast horses bred for the king’s service. The same decree was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa.

The king could not reverse the orders of Haman but this decree, written by Mordecai, would allow the Jews to establish justice by correcting wrongs committed against them.

¹⁵Then Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple.

Mordecai was honored.

And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree.

Note the difference:

Esther 3:15 NLT
¹⁵At the king’s command, the decree went out by swift messengers, and it was also proclaimed in the fortress of Susa. Then the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa fell into confusion.

The people of Susa celebrated the new decree. Many of the Persian people did not share Haman’s hatred toward the Jews. They understood the injustice of the original decree and the justice of the new decree.

¹⁶The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere. ¹⁷In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday.

The Jewish people saw that the king himself now favored them.

And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.

The new decree gave hope to the Jewish people.

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Category Archives: Seeking His Kingdom Bible Study

Samuel’s Call to God’s Service

A Warning for Eli’s Family

Eli’s Wicked Sons

Hannah’s Prayer of Praise

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

Elkanah and His Family & Hannah’s Prayer for a Son

Introduction to 1st and 2nd Samuel

Sources:
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
NLT Study Bible: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary
NLT Study Bible
ESV Student Study Bible
NIV Study Bible

The Festival of Purim & The Greatness of Xerxes and Mordecai

The Victory of the Jews

A Decree to Help the Jews

Sources: The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty. NLT Study Bible: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. The MacArthur Bible Commentary NLT Study Bible ESV Student Study Bible NIV Study Bible

Sources:
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
NLT Study Bible: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary
NLT Study Bible
ESV Student Study Bible
NIV Study Bible