1 Samuel 8

SECTION 1. The Birth, Rise, Prophetic Ministry And Judgeship of Samuel (1-12).

This first section of the book covers the life of Samuel from his birth to the setting up of Saul as king in response to the people’s request. The first three chapters deal with the birth and spiritual growth of Samuel. This is then followed in chapter 4 by the Philistine invasion in which the Ark of YHWH of hosts is lost to Israel, something which takes place while Samuel is still a youth. That loss indicates YHWH’s demonstration of the fact that He no longer sees Himself as king over an Israel that has forsaken Him. However, He then goes on to demonstrate His authority over the gods of the Philistines by bringing disaster on them, so that His Ark is restored to Israel by the Philistines, who also pay Him generous tribute. The Ark is then placed with due honour (after a previous unfortunate incident) in the house of Abinadab where it will remain for many years. It is a recognised symbol that YHWH is still present as King over His people, and will therefore, once they turn back to Him, act on their behalf through His appointed deliverers.

This will firstly be through Samuel in this section, then through Saul before he is finally rejected, in the next section, and then through the young David in the final section, until he is outlawed and then exiled as a result of Saul’s activities. As a result of his exile there will be a lull, and the Philistines triumph. But in the second part of the book David will become the Spirit inspired king, the Philistines will be defeated, and then the Ark will be restored for public worship, having been ‘purified’ by its period spent in the house of Abinadab. The Kingship of YHWH has triumphed.

C). The Judgeship of Samuel At The End Of Which The People Seek And Are Granted A Human King (7:15-12:25).

In this subsection from 7:15-12:25 the writer describes the desire of the people for a king and the way in which that king is appointed. Such an appointment would inevitably be a tricky one in Israel, for Israel was comprised of a number of semi-independent tribes, each of which was jealous for its own position, with Judah and Ephraim, the two largest, being especially protective about their rights. And yet someone had to be found who once appointed would have the support of them all. Furthermore, on top of this, Samuel would want to ensure that whoever was appointed was YHWH’s choice.

Samuel clearly recognised the dangers and therefore waited on YHWH’s guidance, and it is the reconciling of these different problems that explains the slow process towards the appointment of the king, a process which in fact went as follows:

1). Samuel waits and prays for YHWH to indicate the right man for the position. When YHWH brings that man to him he must have been relieved to discover that the man was a Benjaminite. They were only a small tribe (which would serve to prevent tribal jealousy among the larger tribes) and were famed for their warlike ability. So he first interviews him, and then secretly anoints him with oil as YHWH’s chosen appointee. The man’s name is Saul. This satisfies Samuel that he has found the right man (1 Samuel 9:1 to 1 Samuel 10:1).

2). He subsequently arranges for Saul to prophesy among the prophets indicating both to him and to others his suitability as a man of God, and that he is acceptable YHWH. This will serve to satisfy the righteous in Israel, and the prophets themselves, who seemingly had an important part to play in the running of affairs. They too are now satisfied that this is their man (1 Samuel 10:5-13).

3). The next step is to have him accepted in the eyes of popular opinion. So Samuel arranges for the assembly of the tribes of Israel to be called together and in view of the fact that there was no precedent for choosing a king, choice is then made by sacred lot in the sight of all. As expected by Samuel the lot falls on Saul. This method of choice by sacred lot was an accepted one in Israel and was seen as revealing the mind of YHWH. We can compare its use under different circumstances in Joshua 7:16-18. In view of the fact that the choice by sacred lot was seen as publicly revealing the mind of YHWH, was carried out before their eyes, and was accepted as a standard way of making such decisions in Israel, it would be enough to satisfy the people that Saul was their man. Thus this would satisfy the common people (1 Samuel 10:17-24).

However, there was inevitably some dissension, from some ‘worthless men’ who did not see how this upstart from a small tribe could ‘save Israel’. Nevertheless the vast majority were with Saul, and preparations would begin for having him officially enthroned and acclaimed in accordance with practise elsewhere.

4). Meanwhile an Ammonite invasion across the Jordan in Transjordan provides an opportunity for Saul to prove his suitability by gaining a victory over the invading Ammonites. This quells the dissension and makes him acceptable to all (1 Samuel 11:1-13).

5). Having been fully established as the right candidate Saul is then acclaimed as king at Gilgal before YHWH (1 Samuel 11:14-15).

6). Samuel resigns his judgeship and YHWH expresses His anger at the people’s decision with a storm at harvest time (1 Samuel 12:1-25).

By these means the acceptability of Saul as king was established, both among the prophets and throughout all the tribes. This would ensure that there would only be minimal dissension in the future, because Saul was now seen as ‘YHWH’s anointed’. All recognised that Samuel had selected him, that YHWH was pleased with him, that the lot had confirmed his acceptability to God, that he had proved himself a suitable war-leader (a most necessary qualification in those days), and that he had been finally and officially crowned and acclaimed.

The whole subsection may be analysed as follows:

a Samuel judges Israel faithfully and well (1 Samuel 7:15-17).

b Samuel’s sons prove unworthy and the people call for a King (1 Samuel 8:1-6).

c The manner of the King that they will receive (1 Samuel 8:7-22).

d Saul is brought to Samuel by God and is revealed and greeted by him as the new king (1 Samuel 9:1-21).

e Saul is feasted and then secretly anointed, and learns that the asses have been found (1 Samuel 9:22 to 1 Samuel 10:2).

f The signs of Saul’s acceptance and his coming enduing with the Spirit of YHWH (1 Samuel 10:3-7).

g Saul is to go to Gilgal and wait seven days for Samuel to come in order to offer offerings and sacrifices and to show him what he is to do (1 Samuel 10:8).

f The promised signs are fulfilled and the Spirit of YHWH comes on Saul (1 Samuel 10:9-13).

e Saul returns to his uncle and informs him that Samuel had told him that the asses had been found, but maintains the secret of the kingship (10:14-16).

d Saul is brought before the people, revealed as their king by lot and greeted by them as the king (1 Samuel 10:17-24).

c Samuel records ‘the manner of the kingship’ and writes it in a book (1 Samuel 10:25-27).

b YHWH delivers His people from the Ammonites through Saul and the kingship is finally confirmed at Gilgal (1 Samuel 11:1-15).

a Samuel hands back the judgeship to the people and charges the people to be faithful to YHWH (1 Samuel 12:1-25).

Chapter 8.

While Samuel was fit and well and did not flag in looking after the people they remained fully loyal to him and to YHWH. It was a minor golden age. All fear of the Philistines had gone, and they knew the way in which they should walk, and responded to Samuel’s authority. There was no question of ‘every man doing what was right in his own eyes’ as they often had during the period preceding his arrival (Judges 21:25). All responded to the prophet Samuel.

But as he grew older they became wary. For he had appointed his sons as judges over a section of Israel in the territory of Judah which was almost due west of the southern end of the Dead Sea. Its main town was called Beersheba, the southernmost city in Israel, and beyond it lay the semi-desert of the Negev. They had probably applied to him for help in finding suitable oversight, and who better than his sons? They had had no objection to the appointment of his sons, but his sons then proved unsuitable and took advantage of their positions to further their own wealth by unscrupulous means.

This rang alarm bells in the minds of the people of Israel, for they could foresee trouble once Samuel was gone. They did not want a repetition of what had happened with the sons of Eli. What this should have done, of course, was to turn their thoughts towards seeking YHWH. But that required continual repentance, and genuine trust and obedience and they were not really ready for either.

So, probably without fully realising it (so dark is man’s heart), they were rejecting their heritage. Perhaps they remembered back to stories about the period of the Judges, when, in between YHWH’s successful appointees, there had always been those dreadful periods of humiliation which were made clear in their history. Those days were something that they did not want to go back to. They conveniently overlooked the fact that each time those humiliations had occurred it was because the people had fallen away from YHWH. What they really wanted was a stable and permanent government under a king who could fight their battles for them and which would not be dependent on the ups and downs of history (in other words would carry on whether they were totally loyal to YHWH or not). So they came to Samuel pleading with him to set a king over them. After all, had not God promised that one day they would have such a king (as the writer has already made us aware - 1 Samuel 2:10)? Let Him then appoint one for them now. They were sure that this would then solve all their problems. They would never have to worry about leadership again.

Unknown to them YHWH had already been planning a king for them, but as yet he was too young to take up the position, and had not yet been shaped by YHWH. Thus YHWH would provide them with a king who would both teach them a lesson about kingship and would in the end have to make way for David. They could have no complaint. They had asked for a king like all the nations round about, and that was what God gave them, a kingly figure who fought well for them, but also manoeuvred things to his own advantage, and had not been especially prepared by YHWH. We must presume that YHWH gave them the best that was available.