1 Samuel

1 Samuel 1

Elkanah, a devout man from Ephraim, visits Shiloh with his two wives and children each year to worship and sacrifice to the Lord. His wife Hannah is childless and provoked by her rival Peninnah, but she prays to the Lord for a son and vows to dedicate him to the temple if granted. The chapter concludes with Hannah's prayer answered, and she gives birth to Samuel.

1 Samuel 2

Hannah prays and praises God after giving birth to Samuel. Meanwhile, Eli's sons are corrupt priests who take bribes from people offering sacrifices. A man of God prophesies judgment on Eli's house for their wickedness, predicting that his family will be cut off.

1 Samuel 3

Eli's sons are disobedient, and God warns Eli that he will judge his house forever due to their iniquity. Meanwhile, a young Samuel is called by God three times, but initially doesn't understand who is speaking to him. After receiving instructions from Eli on how to respond, Samuel hears God's voice clearly and receives a vision of God's judgment against Eli's household.

1 Samuel 4

The Israelites are defeated by the Philistines at Ebenezer, and they decide to bring the Ark of the Covenant into battle in hopes it will save them. However, the Philistines are initially intimidated but then rally and defeat the Israelites again. The chapter concludes with the death of Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, and the capture of the Ark.

1 Samuel 5

The Philistines capture the ark of God, but it falls on its face before Dagon in Ashdod, causing the priests to be hesitant. The hand of the Lord is heavy upon them, and they are plagued with emerods (boils). Eventually, they send the ark away to Ekron, where the people cry out for it to be removed.

1 Samuel 6

The Philistines return the Ark of the Lord after seven months, sending a new cart with golden emerods and mice as a trespass offering. The kine carrying the Ark miraculously travel directly to Bethshemesh, where the people rejoice at its arrival. However, the men of Bethshemesh are subsequently punished for looking into the Ark.

1 Samuel 7

The men of Kirjathjearim bring back the Ark of the Lord, which had been in their care for twenty years. Samuel calls on the Israelites to return to God, putting away foreign gods and idols, and they gather at Mizpeh to fast and repent. The Philistines attack, but God thunders against them, and the Israelites are victorious.

1 Samuel 8

The elders of Israel gather around Samuel at Ramah, expressing concern that his sons are not following in his footsteps as judges. They ask for a king to rule over them like other nations, which displeases Samuel but is ultimately approved by God. The chapter describes the manner in which the king will take from the people: their sons, daughters, fields, and livestock.

1 Samuel 9

Saul's father's donkeys go missing, and Saul is tasked with finding them. He meets a man of God named Samuel, who anoints him as future king over Israel. The chapter concludes with Saul eating with Samuel and receiving guidance for his future role.

1 Samuel 10

Samuel anoints Saul as king with oil, and then sends him to find the asses that have gone missing. Along the way, Saul meets two men who tell him the asses were found, and then he encounters a group of prophets who prophesy with him. The people are amazed when they see Saul among the prophets.

1 Samuel 11

The Ammonite king Nahash threatens Jabesh-gilead, demanding that its people surrender their right eyes as a sign of submission. The people seek help from the rest of Israel, and Saul responds by sending out messengers to rally the troops. He then leads a successful battle against the Ammonites, saving Jabesh-gilead and earning himself recognition as king.

1 Samuel 12

Samuel addresses the Israelites, reminding them that he has faithfully served as their leader and judge. He warns them of the consequences of rejecting God's rule and asks them to consider the blessings they have received from Him. The chapter concludes with Samuel praying for rain to demonstrate God's power.

1 Samuel 13

Saul's reign is marked by a series of events, including his selection of 3,000 men to fight against the Philistines and Jonathan's victory over the Philistine garrison in Geba. However, Saul's disobedience to God's commandments leads to Samuel's rebuke and the prediction that God will establish a new king. Meanwhile, the Philistines gather their forces for battle.

1 Samuel 14

Jonathan secretly goes to the Philistine garrison with his armorbearer, and they discover themselves. The Philistines are deceived into thinking Jonathan is alone, and he kills them. Meanwhile, Saul's forces are unaware of the battle and mistakenly attack each other. Jonathan is accused of sinning against God by eating honey, but the people defend him. Saul ultimately spares Jonathan's life.

1 Samuel 15

Saul is instructed by God through Samuel to destroy the Amalekites, but instead he spares their king Agag and some of their livestock. This disobedience angers God, who rejects Saul as king and gives the kingdom to another. Samuel confronts Saul about his actions and ultimately has him killed in a symbolic gesture.

1 Samuel 16

The prophet Samuel is instructed by God to anoint a new king among Jesse's sons. He passes by Eliab, Abinadab, Shammah, and seven other sons before finally choosing David, who is described as handsome and skilled in music. Meanwhile, the Spirit of the Lord departs from King Saul, and he becomes increasingly troubled by an evil spirit.

1 Samuel 17

The Philistines gather their armies at Shochoh and challenge Israel to battle, led by Goliath, a giant from Gath. David, a young shepherd from Bethlehem, volunteers to fight Goliath with nothing but a sling and stones. David defeats Goliath with a single stone to the forehead, killing him instantly.

1 Samuel 18

Jonathan and David form a close bond, with Jonathan giving David his robe and sword. Meanwhile, Saul becomes increasingly jealous and resentful towards David, who is gaining popularity among the people. The chapter concludes with Saul's growing fear of David and his decision to make him captain over a thousand men.

1 Samuel 19

Saul orders Jonathan to kill David, but Jonathan warns David of the danger and helps him escape. Meanwhile, an evil spirit afflicts Saul, causing him to try to attack David with a javelin. Michal helps David flee by pretending he is sick and then sending him away in her bed. Eventually, Saul becomes so obsessed that he sends messengers to capture David, but they end up prophesying instead.

1 Samuel 20

David flees from Naioth in Ramah after King Saul seeks his life, and David makes a secret covenant with Jonathan to protect him. Jonathan agrees to warn David if his father's intentions are evil, and they devise a plan using arrows shot into the field as a signal. The chapter concludes with David escaping through the city, while Jonathan returns to the palace.

1 Samuel 21

David visits Ahimelech the priest at Nob and asks for bread, but Ahimelech is wary of David's intentions. David claims he has been sent on a secret mission by King Saul and requests food that will not be considered common or profane. Meanwhile, Doeg the Edomite, a servant of Saul, is also present at the temple.

1 Samuel 22

David flees to Adullam and gathers a group of outcasts who join him as his followers. He then visits the king of Moab, asking him to care for his parents until he knows what God will do for him. Meanwhile, Saul becomes suspicious of David's growing popularity and begins to conspire against him.

1 Samuel 23

David learns of a Philistine attack on Keilah and asks God if he should go to defend it. After receiving confirmation, David leads his men to fight the Philistines and successfully saves the town. Meanwhile, Saul is tracking David's movements, but ultimately abandons the pursuit when the Philistines invade.

1 Samuel 24

David and his men are hiding in a cave when Saul arrives, seeking to kill him. However, instead of attacking David, he falls asleep, allowing David to cut off a piece of his robe without harming him. David spares Saul's life and later confronts him about his pursuit.

1 Samuel 25

David sends a message to Nabal, asking for food and drink in exchange for protecting his shepherds from harm. However, Nabal refuses, leading David to prepare an attack on him. Abigail, Nabal's wife, learns of the situation and takes matters into her own hands by preparing gifts for David and intercepting him before he can harm her husband. She convinces David not to attack Nabal, and instead offers herself as a servant to wash his feet.

1 Samuel 26

David sends spies to confirm that Saul is in the wilderness of Ziph. He then goes down to Saul's camp at night with Abishai, but instead of attacking him, he takes a spear from Saul's bolster and leaves without harming him. The next morning, Saul realizes what happened and apologizes for pursuing David.

1 Samuel 27

David flees to Gath, where he is given Ziklag by King Achish and stays there for a year and four months. During this time, David raids the surrounding areas, killing everyone and taking their livestock. He then returns to Achish, who believes that David has turned against his own people.

1 Samuel 28

Saul seeks the help of a woman with a familiar spirit to contact Samuel's spirit for guidance in battle against the Philistines. However, when he sees Samuel's ghostly appearance, Saul is overcome with fear and guilt, knowing God has rejected him as king. The chapter concludes with Saul eating bread provided by the woman, but still facing an uncertain future.

1 Samuel 29

David and his men are part of the Philistine army, but their presence is questioned by the Philistine lords due to David's past as a servant of King Saul. Achish defends David, saying he has found no fault in him, but ultimately orders him to leave with his men before the battle. David obeys and departs early in the morning.

1 Samuel 30

David's men return from battle to find their city of Ziklag burned by the Amalekites, who have taken their families captive. After being encouraged by God, David pursues the Amalekites and recovers all that was taken, including his two wives. He then establishes a law for Israel regarding spoils of war.

1 Samuel 31

The Philistines defeat Saul's army, killing him and his three sons in the Battle of Gilboa. After discovering Saul's body, the Philistines strip and mutilate it, displaying his head as a trophy. The people of Jabeshgilead later rescue and bury the bodies of Saul and his sons.