ELI’S JUDGESHIP GIVES WAY TO SAMUEL’S

(1 Samuel 1:1–7:17)

It is time for the Festival of Ingathering, and Hannah, who lives in Ramah, is beside herself with joy.a Jehovah has answered her prayers, and she has given birth to a son. To fulfill her vow, Hannah presents her son Samuel for service at “the house of Jehovah.” There the boy becomes “a minister of Jehovah before Eli the priest.” (1 Samuel 1:24; 2:11) When Samuel is still of tender age, Jehovah speaks to him, pronouncing judgment against the house of Eli. As Samuel grows older, all the people of Israel come to recognize him as a prophet of Jehovah.

In time, the Philistines come up against Israel. They capture the Ark and slay Eli’s two sons. Upon hearing the news, aged Eli dies, having “judged Israel forty years.” (1 Samuel 4:18) Possession of the Ark proves to be disastrous for the Philistines, so they return it to the Israelites. Samuel now judges Israel, and there is peace in the land.

ISRAEL’S FIRST KING​—A SUCCESS OR A FAILURE?

(1 Samuel 8:1–15:35)

Samuel is faithful to Jehovah all his life, but his sons do not walk in godly ways. When the older men of Israel request a human king, Jehovah permits them to have one. Samuel follows Jehovah’s direction and anoints Saul, a handsome Benjamite, as king. Saul strengthens his position as king by defeating the Ammonites.

Saul’s valiant son Jonathan strikes down a Philistine garrison. The Philistines come up against Israel with a huge army. Saul panics and disobediently offers a burnt sacrifice himself. Taking along only his armor-bearer, courageous Jonathan attacks another Philistine outpost. Saul’s rash oath, however, weakens the force of the victory. Saul goes “warring round about” against all his enemies. (1 Samuel 14:47) Upon defeating the Amalekites, though, he disobeys Jehovah by sparing what had been “devoted to destruction.” (Leviticus 27:28, 29) Consequently, Jehovah rejects Saul as king.

A SHEPHERD BOY IS CHOSEN FOR THE KINGSHIP

(1 Samuel 16:1–31:13)

Samuel anoints David of the tribe of Judah to be the future king. Shortly thereafter, David slays the Philistine giant Goliath with a single slingstone. A bond of friendship develops between David and Jonathan. Saul places David over his warriors. In response to David’s many victories, the women of Israel sing: “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” (1 Samuel 18:7) Consumed with envy, Saul seeks to kill David. After three attacks by Saul, David flees and becomes a fugitive.

During his years as a runaway, David spares Saul’s life twice. He also meets and eventually marries beautiful Abigail. As the Philistines come up against Israel, Saul inquires of Jehovah. But Jehovah has left him. Samuel has died. Desperate, Saul consults a spirit medium, only to hear that he will be killed in the battle against the Philistines. During that battle, Saul is severely wounded, and his sons are killed. The account closes with Saul dying as a failure. David is still in hiding.