Book of Samuel Essay

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document

Total Length: 1126 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 4

Page 1 of 4

Book Of Samuel

Establishing a Monarchy

The Book of Samuel holds a plethora of information and history concerning the ancient Israelites and Canaan. "Jewish tradition, the Book of Samuel is a single volume; the SEPTUAGINT and the Latin translation, the Vulgate, divided it into two parts and that division was followed in printed Hebrew Bibles from the early 16th century" (Wigoder, Skolnik & Himelstein, 2002). The writings themselves comprise some of the oldest Hebrew manuscripts. The social and political climate discussed in the Book of Samuel was that of a young nation, establishment of monarchy, and a desire for stability. The Book of Samuel begins with Samuel's birth and after weaning, his life with priests. It is mentioned in the Book he assisted with religious services and heard three times the voice of the Lord. This prompted him to tell Eli of the words he listened to and enabled the first instance of his connection to God. From there he became a leader, helped the Israelites through victories, and was eventually given the title of the kingmaker. Through his actions, Saul became the first king of Israel. From there David took his place as king and the book ends with David's reign over Israel and Judah.

Body

The narrative of the development of the monarchy is offered through the life and action of three main characters. They are Samuel, the last judge, Saul, the first king, and David, Saul's successor. Each character's lives directly linked to one another, showing the various ways religion, politics and social forces shaped the development of the nations in the Arab Spring.

Stuck Writing Your "Book of Samuel" Essay?

View All Our Example Book of Samuel Essay

Have A Custom Example Essay Written

For instance, although Saul was king and acted so, Samuel saw early on the kind of person the new king was. Samuel knew Saul would be replaced as king because of his impatience and selfish actions with the Philistines. This is mentioned in 1 Samuel. "Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors -- to one better than you" (NIV, 1 Samuel 15:28). From a religious standpoint, Saul did not follow the word of God. God ultimately serves as king, ruling in the kingdom of heaven. Saul did things that led to his ruin and David's succession as king by going against the word and rules of God. Even kings must respect God's sovereignty. "A thread that runs through all the discussions of kingship and of the effects of sin, as well as through the stories of David's exploits, is that of God's sovereignty. In the end it is He who is in control of all" (Howard, 2007, p. 188).

God said unto Samuel that a new kind must be chosen and David would eventually inherit the throne after the Philistines killed Saul. By David uniting the tribes and establishing the capital city of Jerusalem, he fulfills the social needs of being a good king. Religiously, he brought the Ark of the Covenant to importance in Jerusalem. Speaking from a social perspective,….....

Show More ⇣

     Open the full completed essay and source list


OR

     Order a one-of-a-kind custom essay on this topic


sample essay writing service

Cite This Resource:

Latest APA Format (6th edition)

Copy Reference
"Book Of Samuel" (2015, March 28) Retrieved May 18, 2024, from
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/book-samuel-2149297

Latest MLA Format (8th edition)

Copy Reference
"Book Of Samuel" 28 March 2015. Web.18 May. 2024. <
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/book-samuel-2149297>

Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

Copy Reference
"Book Of Samuel", 28 March 2015, Accessed.18 May. 2024,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/book-samuel-2149297
   

Open, View, and/or
Download this Document
order custom essay example