Covenant History - The Origins Of God's PeopleSample

 The Books Of Samuel/Kings 

What are the Books of Samuel/Kings About?

The four books of 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, and 2 Kings were originally separated because they were too long to fit on one scroll. Together they tell the single story of the Israelite monarchy from beginning to end—the final chronicle of the Covenant History, which is built out of the list of Israel’s kings. Spanning several centuries, Samuel–Kings describes the reigns of the kings who presided over the united nation, and then the kingdoms of Israel and Judah it was divided into. The kings are evaluated by the standard of wholehearted dedication to God set by David, so one after another we see whether or not a king did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.

Here's What to Look for When Reading Samuel/Kings:

Although the kings of Israel and Judah practically drill Israel into oblivion because they aren’t faithful to God, look for the glimmer of hope that emerges from their place of exile in Babylon at the conclusion.

A Recommended Key Reading: 1 Samuel 13:1-14

Saul was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned over Israel forty­ two years.

Saul chose three thousand men from Israel; two thousand were with him at Mikmash and in the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan at Gibeah in Benjamin. The rest of the men he sent back to their homes.

Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. Then Saul had the trumpet blown throughout the land and said, “Let the Hebrews hear!” So all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked the Philistine outpost, and now Israel has become obnoxious to the Philistines.” And the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.

The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the sea shore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellow ship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him.

“What have you done?” asked Samuel.

Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”

“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Journal Prompt:   What is something you noticed for the first time?

Excerpted from The Books of the Bible: Covenant History.  To learn more about this series visit: https://www.thenivbible.com/community-bible-experience/