Local Examination Manual. NOTES ON I. SAMUEL. BY J. DAVIES, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, Author of Manuals" of Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Judges, Mark, 0:0 LONDON: GEORGE PHILIP & SON, 32, FLEET STREET; 1871. 101.9 379 (3) NOTES ON I. SAMUEL. I. and II. Samuel make in the Jewish Canon but one book,-bearing the prophet's name. The division of the work originated in the Septuagint and Vulgate versions, in which the two parts are called I. and II. Kings. The authorship of Samuel is pretty clearly indicated in I. Chron. xxix, 29,-"Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer." It is generally supposed that Nathan, who lived on into Solomon's reign, compiled the work from three sources:- 1. The national annals kept by the scribes. 2. The special records of contemporary events written by Samuel, Gad, and himself. As Samuel's death is the first thing mentioned in I. Sam. xxv., we must limit his share in the narrative to cs. i.-xxiv. of that book. 3. Some collection of Hebrew poetry,-whence were taken, in I. Samuel, Hannah's Song, and the Chorus sung by the women in celebration of David's valour. The title of the work may have been bestowed1. Because Samuel was the most distinguished of the writers contributing to it, or 2. Because he had so much to do with the most prominent persons and events in the book, especially with regard to the change of government. The date of the compilation of Samuel is not known; it must, however, have been written in its present form before the death of David, since it does not narrate that event. I. Samuel extends from Samuel's birth, 1171 B.C., to Saul's death, 1056 B.C. It admits of three divisions: I. Portion of Eli's judgeship. II. Samuel's judgeship. III. The reign of Saul, which ended the Federative PART I. Portion of Eli's Judgeship. Eli was Judge and high-priest; his judgeship extended from B.c. 1181 to 1141, and embraced South and SouthWest Palestine. He was contemporary with Jair and Jephthah, and during his days the part of the country under his rule was under oppression by the Philistines, a fresh and large immigration of whom is supposed to have occurred at this time, and to have given that strength to the nation which enabled it so long to harass the Israelites. The high-priesthood belonged to the family of Eleazar, Aaron's third son; Eli was descended from Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son, so that there was, in his case, a transfer of the office from its proper representatives. The reason of this change is not known; but it is supposed most probable that the legal heir to the dignity was too young to occupy it. CHAPTER I. Samuel's Parentage, Birth, and Dedication. v. 1. "A certain man." We learn from I. Chron. vi, 22, 23, that Elkanah was a Levite, of the family of Kohath. "Ramathaim-Zophim," is called Ramah in v. 19, and elsewhere. It was the birthplace, usual abode, and burialplace of Samuel. Its site is a very disputed point,—the weight of evidence seeming to be, however, in favour of the modern Soba, west of Jerusalem. = Ramathaim double eminence, the place being, probably, built on the sides of two hills. It is called Ramathaim-Zophim to indicate that it was inhabited by the Levitical family of the Zophites, so named after Zuph, the great-great-grandfather of Elkanah. v. 3. "Went up out of his city yearly." All the Jewish males were commanded to appear before the Lord three times in the course of the year. The words of the text, as they stand, convey the impression that Elkanah went to Shiloh only once a year, and, when it is remembered how lax the observance of the Law had become during the time of the Judges, no surprise need be felt if such were the case. However, the word translated "yearly" will bear the construction "at stated times,”—so that it is not out of the question that he was in the habit of being present at all the three great annual festivals. "Shiloh," where the Tabernacle was. vs. 4 and 5. The sacrifices made would be Peace-offerings. Of these there were three descriptions,—the Thankoffering, the Freewill-offering, and the Vow. The animal offered might be taken from the herd or the flock, might be either male or female, and must be accompanied by a meat-offering. The victim was brought to the Brazen Altar,―the offerer laid his hands on its head, and slew it, the priest sprinkled the blood on the altar, divided the animal, burnt on the altar the caul, the great lobe of the liver, the kidneys with their fat, and, if the victim were a sheep, the fat of the tail. He then cut out the right shoulder and breast, waved them before the Lord, and took them as his own portion,— and returned the rest of the sacrifice to the offerer, who, with his family, provided they were ceremonially clean, feasted together on it. If the sacrifice were a Thankoffering, the feast must be on the same day, and any flesh remaining on the morrow must be burned; in the case of a Freewill offering, or a Vow, the festivities might last two days, and the remnant must be burned on the third day. This Sacrificial Feast was a season of great rejoicing. It was intended to intimate that, by the preceding sacrifices, full atonement had been made for the sin that had separated between God and the offerer, and that the latter was now welcomed to the table of Jehovah. When the parts of the animal to be eaten by him and his were restored to him by the priest, Elkanah evidently |