Studies In 1 Samuel

By James Dobbs

This is a verse by verse study of 1 Samuel as it relates to Christian living today as I understand it to apply to us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Dobbs
• Release date: Nov 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223275398

James Dobbs

I graduated from Dallas County High School in Plantersville, Alabama and from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.  I have pastored churches in Arkansas, Idaho, Alabama, Oregon and South Dakota.  I retired from the U.S. Air Force.  I am married to Pam, and we have five children and twelve grandchildren.

Book preview

Chapter 1

1 Samuel 1:1 says, Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:  Verse two adds, And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. We first have a record of Elkanah, who had two wives, Matthew Henry points out that this was during the time of the last two judges of Israel, Eli and Samuel, who were not military men, but priests.  It then moves on to the reign of the first two kings, Saul and David, and their anointing by Samuel.  The book begins before the birth of Samuel though, when his mother Hannah, one of the two wives of Elkanah, was one barren.  Verse three adds, And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.  Elkanah was a Godly man and went out of his hometown to Shiloh once a year to worship and sacrifice to the LORD when two of Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas were the priests there.  So, evidently Eli's sons were priests as well, though they may have been so because of their birth and not by a calling from God.  Sometimes, a preacher's child will be called to the ministry today, but simply being a preacher's child does not mean that a person is called into to preach. Verse four states, And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions. Verse five adds, But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.  When the time came for the family to eat their portion of the feast, Elkanah gave Peninnah and her children ample portions, but gave Hannah the choice parts of the feast.  Matthew Henry says Elkanah married Hannah first, and since she was barren, then married Peninnah, who bore him sons and daughters, but that still did not make her the favorite of Elkanah.  Families that are divided by jealousy will never be happy families.  Neither wife was responsible for the situation, but they both suffered for it.  We as Christians may sometimes suffer for a situation that we have no control over, but if so, we need to continue to put our faith in God and ask Him for guidance in the situation.  Verse six continues, And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. Peninnah is said to have provoked Hannah because she was barren.  This may have led to her feeling superior to Hannah, but if we are blessed by the LORD with things that others may lack, we should never feel superior to them as followers of Christ, and we certainly shouldn't put others down because of our blessings.  Verse seven says, And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.  This didn't just happen once, but happened year after year, leaving Hannah so upset by the provocation of Peninnah that she couldn't eat.  We should never put others down because we feel more blessed by God but should offer them our support in their need and lift them up in prayer instead.  Verse eight adds, Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?   Elkanah asked why Hannah was so upset, asking her if he were not better than ten sons. Either he was oblivious to what was going on between Peninnah and Hannah, or he chose to ignore it. Though we should offer words of comfort to those in distress, that is not enough if we ignore the reason for their distress.  

1 Samuel 1:9 says, So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.  Hannah arose early while they were at Shiloh.  Eli the priest was at a post by the temple after Hannah and her family had eaten.  He was one of the last two judges of Israel, though he wasn't included in the book of Judges.  Verse ten adds, And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.  Hannah was bitter in her soul because she had not been able to conceive and was being put down by Peninnah.  Sometimes, if people today believe that life is treating them unfairly, even Christians, they can become bitter in their soul instead of still thanking God for all that He has blessed them with.  Verse eleven continues, And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head.  Hannah made a vow to God concerning Him blessing her with a son.  It was an if-then vow, her obedience being dependent on God's blessing her with what she desired.   I believe that we should really avoid these type vows as Christians and be content in the Lord no matter what.  She said she would give her son to God and no razor would come on his head, which was a part of the Nazarite vow.  I believe we should do our best to give our children to God if we are blessed with them, without any special requirements from Him.  Verse twelve states, And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.  While Hannah was pouring out her soul to God, Eli saw her and watched her lips moving.  Verse thirteen adds, Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.  Since she was moving her lips without any words coming out, Eli thought she was drunk, even though it was early in the day. We should never make assumptions when we see someone in distress but should ask them what is wrong and how we can help them.  Verse fourteen continues, And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.   Eli then asked her how long she would be drunken and advised her to put away the wine. He was actually being judgmental without knowledge of all the facts. This is not how we should be as followers of Christ today.  Verse fifteen declares, And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.  Hannah didn't lash out at Eli's faulty assumption but told him what was really going on.  She was not drunk, but was pouring out her soul in prayer, which had become bitter at least before her time in prayer.  Verse sixteen adds, Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.  Hannah asked Eli to not think she was a worshipper of Baal, but to know instead of her great complaint against God.  If we believe that we have a complaint against God as Christians today, we need to pour out our heart to Him, and if we are doing so, we need to pray that our fellow believers will support us and not wrongly judge us.  Hannah had done nothing wrong except become bitter in her soul.  Verse seventeen continues, Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.  Eli then told her to go in peace and asked that God would grant her petition.  Verse eighteen concludes, And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.  Hannah asked that she might gain grace in Eli's sight, but it was God's grace that she needed.  Still, she left no longer sad and bitter in her thoughts.  If we pour out our soul to God, we should be able to go away with no more sadness and bitterness in our soul if we have truly turned the problem over to Him. 

1 Samuel 1:19 says, And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.  After worshipping, they returned home and Elkanah and Hannah were intimate once more.  After we attend a worship service today, even one in which we pour out our heart to God, we need to then return home and get on with life.  Verse twenty adds, Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.  After the necessary time passed, Hannah had a son. God had heard her prayer and had answered it yes.  She named him Samuel, which meant I have asked him of the LORD.  If someone has a child today, she and the father should acknowledge that the child is a gift from God, especially if they have been trying for a long time unsuccessfully to have a child.  Verse twenty-one continues, And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.  Elkanah and all his household again went to offer their yearly sacrifice and his vow to God.  Though we should worship God daily, and as followers of Christ we have already vowed to give everything to God, we still need to attend worship services regularly and may need at times to make a special vow to God.  Verse twenty-two states, But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever, Hannah did not go on this trip, saying she wasn't going until the child was weaned, and then she would go and present him to God, where he would abide forever. She wasn't backing out on her vow but was simply doing what was practical in order to be able to fulfill it.  God had blessed her with a child as she had asked, and she was willing to give him back to God as she had promised.  We need to fulfill our promises to God, even if at times we cannot do so immediately, and even if it costs us a lot emotionally.  Verse twenty-three adds, And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.  Elkanah told her to do what she thought was best, but to remember her promise to God.  We need to do our best to support others if they have made a promise to God and not rush them in fulfilling that promise.  Verse twenty-four declares, And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.  After Samuel was weaned, Hannah took him and some other sacrifices to the house of God, even though he was still very young.  I believe it was probably hard for her to do this, but she was fulfilling her vow.  It may be hard for us to fulfill our vows to God today, but that doesn't make it any less necessary.  Verse twenty-five continues, And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.  After sacrificing the bullock, Hannah brought Samuel to Eli.  Verse twenty-six says, And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.  Hannah reminded God of who she was, though that really wasn't necessary.  He knew, just as He knows who each of us is as Christians today.  Verse twenty-seven adds, For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him:  She also acknowledged that God had answered her prayer by giving her a son. We need to acknowledge today that children are always a gift from God, no matter the circumstances of their birth.  Verse twenty-eight continues, Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there.  Hannah said that she had loaned Samuel to God for as long as he lived.  We cannot force our children to serve God today, but we can do our best to give them back to Him to serve Him as long as they live.  They are God's gift to us, and we should acknowledge that we need to treat them as our gift back to Him.  Though he was young, we are told Samuel worshipped God there.  We need to teach our children from a young age to worship God.

Chapter 2

1 Samuel 2:1 says, And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.  Hannah began to pray, rejoicing in the fact that God had heard and answered her earlier prayer and had blessed her with a son, which stopped people from being able to put her down because she was barren.  Verse two adds, There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.  Hannah acknowledged the superiority of God over any other supposed god, and acknowledged He was a Rock like no other.  God is indeed the only God, and we need to build our life with Him as the Rock upon which we build. Verse three continues, Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. Hannah called on people to not act out of arrogance, because God is the source of all knowledge, and He weighs our actions.  Verse four states, The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.  Hannah then said that God had the power to bring down mighty men, and He still does today and always will.  Verse five adds, They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.  Verse six continues, The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.  Hannah then declared that God had the power over life and death. This included life after death, since she said God brought people down to the grave and brought them up out of the grave.  Through our faith in Jesus Christ, we have this victory over death.  Verse seven says, The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.  Hannah then gave God credit for our financial situation.  We like to think that God is always going to help us become rich, but she said that He makes some rich and some poor.   We might be a part of those that God keeps poor, and if so, that should be alright with us.  Verse eight adds, He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he hath set the world upon them.  Hannah next proclaimed that God lifted up the poor and set them among the princes on glory, because He is in charge of the world.  No matter our status in this life, we will one day be with Jesus Christ in heaven forever if we have accepted Him as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse nine continues, He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.  Hannah then said that no man would ever prevail over God, and this will never change.  Verse ten concludes, The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.  One day, when Jesus Christ returns, this will happen, and nothing can change that fact.

1 Samuel 2:11 says, And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.  When Elkanah returned home, he and Hannah left Samuel with Eli.  As she had promised, she gave Samuel to God for His service.  It could not have been an easy thing for her to do, but she fulfilled her vow, just as we must today as followers of Christ when we make a vow to God.  Verse twelve adds, Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.  Eli's sons served Baal and did not know God, even though Eli was a priest of God and a judge of His people.  We can be the most devout Christian today, but that does not mean that our children will be. Verse thirteen states, And the priests’ custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;  Verse fourteen adds, And he struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.  After a sacrifice of a burnt offering, the priest was giving a portion for his use, and this practice continued at Shiloh.  Verse fifteen says, Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.  Before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and ask the one offering the sacrifice for some of the raw meat, so the priest wouldn't have sodden meat.  Verse sixteen adds, And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force.  If any man refused, Eli's sons would threaten to come and take the raw meat by force.  They were not satisfied with God's provision but wanted more.  There are still religious leaders today who are not satisfied with God's provisions, but demand more from those who are providing for them.  Verse seventeen continues, Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.  The sins of the sons of Eli were very great, because they caused people to abhor the offerings of God.  If we are not satisfied with God's provisions for us today as Christians, bur attempt to take the things dedicated to God as our own, then our sin is great.  Verse eighteen says, But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.  As Samuel was growing up, he faithfully ministered before the LORD.  Some children and young people today are more faithful in following God than others are.  We need to teach our children to be faithful to God.  Verse nineteen adds, Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. Hannah, Samuel's mother, had made him a little coat that she brought with her year after year when she came with her husband to sacrifice.  Verse twenty adds, And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home.  Eli blessed Elkanah and Hannah and said that God had loaned the child Samuel, and that is all that God really does with our children today.  Elkanah and Hannah then returned home. Verse twenty-one continues, And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.  After she gave Samuel to God's service, He blessed her with three more sons and two daughters, while Samuel continued to grow before the LORD. We may at times cut off blessings because we refuse to give back to God what He has blessed us with.  

1 Samuel 2:22 says, Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.  Eli was very old by this time, but he heard about all the sinful things that his sons were doing. Just because a person is a faithful follower of Christ does not mean that their children will be.  Verse twenty-three adds, And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.  Samuel asked his sons why they dis such evil things that he had heard about from the people.  If our children are involved in evil things, we should confront them about it.   Verse twenty-four continues, Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the LORD’s people to transgress.  Eli said that he hadn't heard a good report about his sons, but instead heard that they led the people of Israel to transgress. Anytime someone is supposed to be a leader of the church today and they allow anything that is not of God to enter the teachings of the church, they may lead people to sin.  Verse twenty-five states, If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.  Eli told his sons that if a man sinned against another man that a