How to Rule the World

1 Samuel 1–10

Samuel, Saul, and the demand for a king

Samuel 1: Chapter 1

Hannah and Samuel’s birth

• Hannah, who is unable to have children, prays at Shiloh and promises to dedicate a son to God; Eli initially mistakes her silent prayer for drunkenness.

• God grants Hannah a son, Samuel, whom she dedicates to the Lord after weaning him.

• Key idea: Samuel’s life begins with prayer, divine intervention, and dedication to God.

Samuel 1: Chapter 2

• Hannah praises God in a song emphasizing that He reverses human fortunes: the proud are humbled and the weak are raised up.

• Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, abuse their priestly position by taking sacrificial meat and behaving wickedly.

  • Critique of Hereditary Priesthood

• A prophet warns Eli that his family will be punished; Samuel, in contrast, grows in favor with God and people.

Samuel 1: Chapter 3

God calls Samuel

• God calls Samuel 3 times during the night; Samuel initially thinks Eli is calling him.

• Eli recognizes that God is speaking and tells Samuel to answer, “Speak, LORD, for thy servant heareth.”

• God reveals judgment against Eli’s household; Samuel becomes recognized as a prophet.

Samuel 1: Chapter 4

The Ark is captured

• Israel loses a battle against the Philistines and brings the Ark of the Covenant into battle, wrongly treating it as a guarantee of victory.

• The Philistines defeat Israel, kill 30k people, capture the Ark, and kill Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas (end of the house of Eli).

• Eli dies upon hearing that the Ark has been captured; Phinehas’s wife names her newborn son Ichabod, associating the moment with Israel’s lost glory.

Samuel 1: Chapter 5

The Ark among the Philistines

• The Philistines place the captured Ark in the temple of Dagon at Ashdod.

• Dagon’s statue falls before the Ark, and the Philistines suffer afflictions.

• The Ark is moved from city to city, but each location experiences calamity, showing that Israel’s God is not defeated by Israel’s military loss.

Samuel 1: Chapter 6

The Ark returns to Israel

• Philistine priests advise sending the Ark back with a guilt offering after being faced with ailments (sores and tumors), including golden images of tumors and mice.

• The Ark is placed on a cart pulled by two cows seperated from their calves, which travel directly toward Beth-shemesh instead of returning.

  • Defies nature

  • Philistines accept chance, learn that the causal connection is God

• Some Israelites look inside the Ark and are struck down; the chapter emphasizes that the Ark must be treated with reverence.

Samuel 1: Chapter 7

Samuel leads Israel

• The Ark remains at Kiriath-jearim; Samuel urges Israel to abandon foreign gods and return wholeheartedly to the Lord.

• Israel repents at Mizpah, and God helps the Israelites defeat the attacking Philistines.

• Samuel serves as judge, traveling among Israel’s towns; repentance and divine assistance bring a period of security.

• Do right by the lord, you will succeed

Samuel 1: Chapter 8

Israel demands a king

• Samuel’s sons are corrupt, and Israel’s elders demand a king “like all the nations.”

• God tells Samuel that Israel is rejecting not Samuel but God’s kingship over them.

• Samuel warns that a king will conscript their sons, take their land and produce, and impose burdens; the people insist anyway.

Samuel 1 Chapter 9

Saul meets Samuel

• Saul, a tall and impressive Benjaminite, searches for his father’s lost donkeys with his servant.

• The servant suggests consulting Samuel, who has been told by God that Saul is coming.

• Samuel privately indicates that Saul is to become Israel’s ruler and invites him to a meal of honor.

• Prince of a new principality

Samuel 1: Chapter 10

Saul is anointed king

• Samuel anoints Saul with oil and gives him signs confirming his calling, including encounters with prophets.

  • Theologically king, politically useless as unknown

• Saul prophesies with a group of prophets, prompting the saying, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

• Saul is publicly selected by lot at Mizpah; some accept him, while others question his suitability.

• When all 12 tribes of Israel are gathered, Saul’s name is “randomly” drawn as king (manifestation of God’s will)

  • Worthless fellows say he could not lead

  • Politically King!

Samuel 1: Chapter 11

Saul rescues Jabesh-gilead

• Nahash the Ammonite threatens Jabesh-gilead (gouge out your eyes), demanding a humiliating condition from its inhabitants.

• The Spirit of God empowers Saul to rally Israel and defeat the Ammonites.

  • Sends oxen buts to them, saying your oxen will get it if you don’t listen to Saul and Samuel

    • Fortification of Saul as a new leader w/ Samuel’s support

• Saul’s military success confirms his kingship, and Israel renews the kingship at Gilgal.

  • People United

Samuel 1: Chapter 12

Samuel’s farewell address

• Samuel defends his record as judge and recounts God’s faithfulness, including the deliverance from Egypt.

• He warns Israel that both king and people must obey God; kingship does not remove their obligations.

• Thunder and rain during the wheat harvest frighten the people, who acknowledge their sin in demanding a king.

Samuel 1: Chapter 13

Saul’s unlawful sacrifice

• Johnathan lies to his father (Saul) for David

• Saul offers the burnt offering himself at Gilgal rather than waiting 7 days for Samuel, who arrives after Saul has acted.

• Samuel declares that Saul’s kingdom will not endure because he has failed to obey God’s command; Israel also suffers from its military disadvantage.

  • Military Necessity < Theological commands

Samuel 1: Chapter 14

Jonathan’s daring attack

• Jonathan and his armor-bearer attack a Philistine outpost, trusting that God can save by many or by few.

• Their attack triggers confusion among the Philistines, and Israel gains a victory.

• Saul’s rash oath forbidding food until evening nearly leads to Jonathan’s death, because Jonathan unknowingly eats honey; the people rescue him.

• The rest of the army fights until exhaustion and then others eat food not properly slaughtered

Samuel 1: Chapter 15

Saul rejected as king

• God commands Saul to destroy the Amalekites and their possessions, but Saul spares King Agag and the best livestock.

• Saul claims the animals were preserved for sacrifice; Samuel replies that “to obey is better than sacrifice.”

• Samuel announces that God has rejected Saul as king; Samuel kills Agag, and Samuel and Saul part ways.

Samuel 1: Chapter 16

David is anointed

• God sends Samuel to Jesse’s household and tells him not to judge by outward appearance: God looks at the heart.

• Samuel anoints the youngest son, David, and the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him.

• David enters Saul’s service by playing the lyre to soothe Saul’s troubled spirit.

Samuel 1: Chapter 17

David and Goliath

• The Philistine champion Goliath challenges Israel, and the army fears him.

• David rejects Saul’s armor and defeats Goliath with a sling and stone, declaring that the battle belongs to the Lord.

• David kills Goliath with the giant’s own sword; the Philistines flee, and David becomes a celebrated warrior.

Samuel 1: Chapter 18

Saul grows jealous of David

• Jonathan forms a deep covenantal friendship with David and gives him his robe and weapons.

• After women praise David more highly than Saul, Saul becomes jealous and repeatedly tries to kill him.

• Saul offers David his daughter Michal as a wife, hoping the bride-price requirements will get David killed; David instead succeeds and grows more popular.

Samuel 1: Chapter 19

Saul pursues David

• Jonathan persuades Saul temporarily to spare David, reminding Saul of David’s service and innocence.

• Saul again tries to kill David with a spear; David escapes with Michal’s help.

• David flees to Samuel at Ramah, where Saul’s messengers and eventually Saul himself prophesy under God’s influence.

Samuel 1: Chapter 20

David and Jonathan’s covenant

• David and Jonathan arrange a signal involving arrows to determine whether Saul intends to kill David.

• Jonathan confirms Saul’s murderous intentions after Saul becomes furious and even tries to strike Jonathan.

• Jonathan and David renew their covenant and part in grief, with Jonathan protecting David despite his loyalty to his father.

Samuel 1: Chapter 21

David at Nob and Gath

• David asks Ahimelech the priest for food and receives the holy bread of the Presence.

• He takes Goliath’s sword and flees to Gath, where the Philistines recognize him.

• Fearing the Philistine king Achish, David pretends to be insane and escapes.

Samuel 1: 21–31

David as fugitive and Saul’s downfall

Samuel 1: Chapter 22

Saul massacres the priests

• David gathers a group of followers at the cave of Adullam, while his family seeks refuge.

• Doeg the Edomite tells Saul that Ahimelech helped David; Saul orders the priests at Nob killed.

• Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, escapes to David; the massacre illustrates Saul’s increasingly destructive rule.

Samuel 1: Chapter 23

David saves Keilah

• David asks God whether he should rescue Keilah from the Philistines and successfully saves the city.

• David learns that Keilah’s inhabitants may hand him over to Saul, so he leaves with his followers.

• Jonathan finds David at Horesh, strengthens his faith in God’s promise, and renews their covenant.

• David= the Fox

Samuel 1: Chapter 24

David spares Saul in the cave

• Saul pursues David into the wilderness of En-gedi and enters a cave where David and his men are hiding.

• David cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe but refuses to kill him, saying he will not harm the Lord’s anointed.

• Saul acknowledges David’s righteousness and predicts that David will become king, but David remains wary.

• Reconciliation Scene 1

Samuel 1: Chapter 25

Abigail prevents bloodshed

• Samuel dies, and David’s men request provisions from the wealthy Nabal, who insults David.

• David prepares to attack Nabal’s household, but Nabal’s wife Abigail brings provisions and persuades David not to take vengeance (keep hands clean of blood).

• Nabal dies after learning what happened (Killed by the Lord); David praises Abigail for preventing bloodguilt and later marries her.

Samuel 1: Chapter 26

David spares Saul again

• David enters Saul’s camp at night with Abishai and takes Saul’s spear and water jug while Saul sleeps.

• David refuses Abishai’s suggestion to kill Saul, again insisting that Saul is the Lord’s anointed.

• From a distance, David calls out to Saul and proves he could have killed him; Saul admits wrongdoing, and the two separate

• Reconciliation Scene 2

Samuel 1: Chapter 27

David among the Philistines

• David concludes that Saul will eventually kill him and seeks refuge with Achish, the Philistine king of Gath.

• Achish gives David the town of Ziklag, where David lives for sixteen months.

• David raids neighboring groups while misleading Achish about his targets, creating an uneasy alliance with the Philistines.

Samuel 1: Chapter 28

Saul consults the medium at Endor

• The Philistines prepare for war, and Saul fears their army.

• Because God does not answer him through dreams, prophets, or the Urim, Saul secretly consults a medium at Endor despite having outlawed mediums himself.

• Samuel appears and foretells Saul’s defeat and death, along with the deaths of his sons.

Samuel 1: Chapter 29

The Philistines reject David

• Philistine commanders object to David joining them in battle against Israel.

  • God’s Will!

• They fear David may turn against them to regain Saul’s favor.

• Achish reluctantly sends David and his men back to Ziklag, avoiding a direct conflict between David and Israel.

Samuel 1: Chapter 30

David recovers Ziklag

• David returns to find Ziklag burned and the women and children taken captive by Amalekite raiders.

• His followers turn against him, but David strengthens himself in the Lord and seeks God’s guidance.

• David pursues and defeats the raiders, rescues the captives, and shares the recovered goods with those who stayed behind.

• Parallel to Saul who God refused to speak to

  • Political Success!

Samuel 1: Chapter 31

Saul’s death

• The Philistines defeat Israel at Mount Gilboa; Saul’s sons, including Jonathan, are killed.

• Wounded and fearing capture, Saul falls on his own sword; the Philistines display his body and the bodies of his sons.

• The men of Jabesh-gilead recover and bury the bodies, honoring Saul for his earlier rescue of their city.

2 Samuel 1–10

David becomes king and establishes his kingdom

2 Samuel: Chapter 1

David mourns Saul and Jonathan

• An Amalekite reports Saul’s death and claims he killed Saul, apparently hoping for a reward.

• David orders the messenger killed for claiming to have killed the Lord’s anointed.

• David’s lament mourns Saul and especially Jonathan, ending with the famous description of their love as surpassing the love of women.

2 Samuel Ch 2

David and Ish-bosheth

• David is anointed king over Judah at Hebron, while Abner makes Saul’s son Ish-bosheth king over the northern tribes.

• The forces of David and Ish-bosheth clash at Gibeon, where Abner’s men are defeated.

• Asahel pursues Abner and is killed; the conflict between the houses of Saul and David continues.

2 Samuel Ch 3

Abner defects to David

• The war between Saul’s house and David’s house continues, but David’s position strengthens.

• Abner breaks with Ish-bosheth after a dispute involving Saul’s concubine Rizpah and negotiates to bring Israel to David.

• Joab murders Abner in revenge for Asahel; David publicly mourns Abner and denies responsibility for his death.

2 Samuel Ch 4

Ish-bosheth is murdered

• Ish-bosheth loses courage after Abner’s death.

• Rechab and Baanah murder Ish-bosheth while he rests and bring his head to David, expecting a reward.

• David condemns them for murdering an innocent man and orders their execution, refusing to gain power through assassination.

2 Samuel Ch 5

David becomes king of all Israel

• Israel’s tribes recognize David as king over all Israel, and he rules from Jerusalem.

• David captures Jerusalem from the Jebusites and makes it his capital, the City of David.

• The Philistines attack David twice; David seeks God’s guidance and defeats them.

2 Samuel CH 6

The Ark comes to Jerusalem

• David attempts to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem on a cart; Uzzah touches it and dies.

• David temporarily leaves the Ark with Obed-edom, whose household is blessed, before bringing it to Jerusalem with sacrifices and celebration.

• Michal criticizes David for dancing before the Lord; David defends his worship, and Michal remains childless.

2 Samuel Ch 7

God’s covenant with David

• David wants to build God a temple, but God tells Nathan that David will not build it.

• God promises to establish David’s “house”: his dynasty will endure, and his son will build the temple.

• David responds with prayer and humility, recognizing that Israel’s future rests on God’s promise rather than royal achievement.

2 Samuel CH 8

David’s victories

• David defeats the Philistines, Moabites, Hadadezer, and other neighboring powers, expanding Israel’s influence.

• He dedicates captured silver, gold, and bronze to the Lord.

• David administers justice and righteousness throughout his kingdom; his officials and military leaders are listed.

2 Samuel Ch 9

David honors Mephibosheth

• David asks whether anyone from Saul’s family remains to whom he can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake.

• He brings Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s disabled son, to court and restores Saul’s land to him.

• Mephibosheth eats regularly at David’s table, demonstrating David’s covenant loyalty and generosity.

2 Samuel Ch 10

War with Ammon and Aram

• David sends envoys to comfort Hanun, king of Ammon, after his father’s death, but Hanun humiliates them.

• Ammon hires Aramean mercenaries, prompting Joab and Abishai to coordinate Israel’s defense.

• David’s forces defeat the Arameans and Ammonites, reinforcing his military dominance.

2 Samuel 11–20

David’s sin, family conflict, and rebellion

2 Samuel CH 11

David and Bathsheba

• David remains in Jerusalem while his army fights Ammon; he sees Bathsheba bathing and summons her, though she is married to Uriah.

• Bathsheba becomes pregnant, and David attempts to conceal the affair by bringing Uriah home from battle.

• When Uriah refuses to enjoy the comforts David offers, David arranges for him to be placed in the fiercest fighting and abandoned; Uriah dies, and David marries Bathsheba.

2 Samuel Ch 12

Nathan confronts David

• Nathan tells David a parable about a rich man who steals a poor man’s beloved lamb; David condemns the rich man before Nathan reveals, “Thou art the man.”

• Nathan declares that David’s wrongdoing will bring violence into his own household; the child born to Bathsheba dies despite David’s fasting and prayer.

• David and Bathsheba have another son, Solomon, whom the Lord loves; David’s forces capture the Ammonite city of Rabbah.

2 Samuel Ch 13

Amnon and Tamar

• David’s son Amnon desires his half-sister Tamar and, following Jonadab’s advice, tricks and rapes her.

• Amnon then hates Tamar and casts her out; Tamar’s brother Absalom takes her into his household.

• David is angry but does not adequately punish Amnon; Absalom nurses resentment and begins planning revenge.

2 Samuel CH 14

Absalom returns

• Joab arranges for a wise woman from Tekoa to persuade David to allow Absalom to return from exile.

• David permits Absalom to return to Jerusalem but initially refuses to see him.

• Absalom is described as exceptionally handsome, with remarkable hair; after two years, he uses Joab’s fields to force a meeting with David.

2 Samuel Ch 15

Absalom’s rebellion

• Absalom wins popular support by presenting himself as more accessible and just than David, undermining the king’s authority.

• He declares himself king at Hebron, and many Israelites join his rebellion, including Ahithophel.

• David flees Jerusalem to avoid a battle in the city; he sends Hushai back to frustrate Ahithophel’s counsel.

2 Samuel Ch 16

David’s flight and Shimei’s curse

• Ziba tells David that Mephibosheth hopes to regain Saul’s kingdom; David gives Ziba Mephibosheth’s property, though the report will later be disputed.

• Shimei curses and throws stones at David, accusing him of bloodguilt against Saul’s house; David refuses to kill him, considering that God may have permitted the curse.

• Ahithophel advises Absalom to publicly take David’s concubines, symbolically asserting that the break with David is irreversible.

2 Samuel Ch 17

Hushai defeats Ahithophel’s plan

• Ahithophel advises an immediate attack on David, hoping to kill him before he can regroup.

• Hushai persuades Absalom to delay, appealing to David’s reputation as a warrior and recommending a larger force.

• Hushai’s advice gives David time to escape; Ahithophel, realizing the rebellion will fail, goes home and hangs himself.

2 Samuel Ch 18

Absalom’s death

• David organizes his forces and orders his commanders to deal gently with Absalom.

• Absalom’s hair becomes caught in an oak tree as he rides beneath it; Joab kills him despite David’s order.

• David grieves bitterly, crying, “O my son Absalom,” until Joab rebukes him for neglecting the soldiers who saved his life.

2 Samuel Ch 19

David returns to Jerusalem

• Joab confronts David over his public mourning, warning that he risks alienating the people who fought for him.

• David returns to Jerusalem, reconciles with some former opponents, and deals with disputes involving Shimei, Mephibosheth, and Ziba.

• Tension arises between Judah and the other tribes over who has the stronger claim to David’s allegiance, foreshadowing further division.

2 Samuel Ch 20

Sheba’s rebellion

• Sheba the Benjaminite declares, “We have no part in David,” and leads a new revolt against the king.

• Joab kills Amasa, whom David had appointed commander, and resumes leadership of the army.

• At Abel-beth-maacah, a wise woman negotiates with Joab, and the city’s people kill Sheba to prevent the city’s destruction.

2 Samuel CH 21

Famine and battles with the Philistines

• A three-year famine leads David to seek God’s explanation; the cause is Saul’s bloodguilt against the Gibeonites.

• David hands over seven male descendants of Saul to the Gibeonites for execution, while sparing Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth because of David’s covenant with Jonathan.

• David’s warriors fight the Philistines, including descendants of giants; the men urge David not to risk his life in battle again.

2 Samuel 21–24:

Judgments, victories, and David’s final reflections

2 Samuel Ch 22

David’s song of deliverance

• David sings a song praising God as his rock, fortress, deliverer, and source of salvation.

• He describes God rescuing him from enemies and responding to his cries for help.

• The song presents David’s victories as evidence of divine protection and emphasizes God’s faithfulness to His anointed king.

2 Samuel Ch 23

David’s last words and mighty warriors

• David’s “last words” describe the ideal ruler as one who governs justly and in the fear of God.

• The chapter lists David’s mighty warriors and recounts their extraordinary feats in battle.

• The stories celebrate military loyalty and courage while reminding readers that David’s kingdom was built through the actions of many people.

2 Samuel Ch 24

The census and the altar

• David orders a census of Israel and Judah; Joab objects, but David insists.

• David recognizes his sin, and God offers a choice of punishments through the prophet Gad; a plague kills many Israelites.

• David buys Araunah’s threshing floor, builds an altar, and offers sacrifices; the plague stops, and the site later becomes associated with the temple.

3 Episodes of Saul

1) Saul substitutes God’s command; 7-day wait for Samuel; doesn’t wait and Samuel says his kingdom will not stand

2) Saul’s rule of not eating or else he will kill; Jonathan accidentally defies but is not killed. Soldiers eat without ritual which is another sin

3) Samuel comes to Saul, pit Amalekite, who both kill every living thing excepy the best sheep/livestock, blames the soldiers when confronted

4) Has Deog kill priests

1st Samuel

1) Rule of Samuel

• King like others have

  • Samuel warns how other kings will treat them

  • Critique of kingship/polities in general

2) Saul Lord’s annointed king

• Fails

  • Weak and the lorn withdraws support or vice versa

3) David on the run from Saul

• Sees David as threat

4) Saul’s Breaking point

• Defying God

  • 1st by not waiting 7 days for Samuel

  • 2nd by decree of waiting to eat until proper sacrifice

  • 3rd by not killing all the Amekelites

5) David new King of Israel