PREFACE TO THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. THE Books of SAMUEL were originally undivided. In the Septuagint they are called the 1st and 2nd Books of the Kings, and those now so called are there termed the 3rd and 4th Books of the Kings (or Kingdoms). The Books of SAMUEL record the reigns of Saul and David, and in the Hebrew Canon have the simple heading "The Book of Samuel "-not only as containing the life and acts of that prophet, but to shew how the monarchy of Israel rested upon and was embued with the spirit of this great prophet's teachingwith the spirit which he himself received from God-a monarchy which found its strength only in so far as it rested upon the Lord. The 1st Book of Samuel passes on beyond the time of the prophet's death to the death of Saul, the first appointed King of Israel. According to the dates in the A.V. it embraces a period of about 115 years, from B.C. 1171 to B.c. 1056. In this Book (ch. 1. 3, &c.) the God of Israel is for the first time called "Jehovah Sabaoth" (Lord of the heavenly hosts). With respect to the "origin" of the Books of SAMUEL, they could not have been compiled until after the division of the kingdoms upon the death of Samuel; for it is stated in 1 Sam. 27. 6 that "Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day"an expression which could only apply to a date subsequent to the division of the kingdoms, but probably soon after that event. The frequent expressions "unto this day" (see 1 Sam. 5. 5; 6. 18, &c.) give no clue to the date beyond the fact of the compila tion having taken place subsequently to the facts related. The author is unknown, but is presumed to have been a prophet of the kingdom of Judah (possibly "Nathan")--for it is B highly probable that all documents connected with the national history and religion were written by members of the "Schools of the Prophets," and the records themselves preserved there. The only co-temporary history mentioned is the "Book of Jasher" (2 Sam. 1. 18), as in Josh. 10. 13. The only clue which the Sacred History itself gives is in 1 Chr. 29. 29, with respect to "the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of Samuel the seer, and in the Book of Nathan the prophet, and in the Book of Gad the seer." These were all co-temporaries of the history, and were either eye-witnesses or received faithful records from eye-witnesses of many of the events-to which the accuracy and fidelity of the narrative continually testifies, H. M. C. Hannah in grief prayeth for a child. 12 Eli first rebuking her, afterwards blesseth her. 19 Hannah having born Samuel, stayeth at home till he be weaned. 24 She presenteth him, according to her vow, to the LORD. OW there was a certain man of a Ra NOTES. CHAPTER 1. (of the) Zopbites," seems here given to disaThis name, meaning "the two heights tinguish this town from other Ramahs, and was probably named Zophim from the Levitical family of Zuph or Zophai, "which had emigrated thither from the tribe of Ephraim, and from which Elkanah was descended" (Keil and Delitzsch's Commentary on Samuel, p. 16). It is subsev. 19, &c.). N mathaini-zophim, o of mount Ephraim, only as "Ramah" see and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an d Ephrathite: 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. 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. 4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but she was barren. And her madversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because she was barren. R.V. Of the hill country of Ephraim. c Elkanah was probably a name given in service in the Sanctuary ("God has acconnection with his being "set apart" for quired"). d R.V. Ephraimite. e Resulting, as was invariably the case, in domestic unhappiness. f His wives were named Hannah (grace) and Peninnah (coral, or pearl). R.V. From year to year. h Where the tabernacle of the congregation was set up (Josh. 18. 1). R.V. And when the day came that Elkanah sacrificed. * R.V. Double. He gave to Hannah a double portion (literally, a portion of a double face) of flesh from the sacrificial meal, as a mark of greater affection towards her. For God had not granted her the blessing of children-a trial similar to Sarai's before the birth of Isaac (Gen. 16. 1). m R.V. And her rival provoked her sore. sacrifice showed his preference for Hannah n As Elkanah invariably at the yearly by the double portion, so did jealousy and petty spite cause Peninnah to provoke Han nah even unto tears and fasting. • R.V. And Elkanah her husband said unto her. p "Am not I dearer to thee, and is not my love for thee better than if thou hadst ten sons?" 9 But after the sacrificial meal was ended, she took refuge alone with God in deep and earnest prayer in His Holy Tabernacle. Before Him she pours out her whole soul's desire, her inmost troubles, the bitterness sorrow. of her life, and wept for very agony and r R.V. His seat by the door post. N.B.-References not in full in the NOTES will be found on pages 83-89. TEXT. 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 razor come upon his head. NOTES. Then from her heart, with scarcely moving lips, she prays her prayer, and dedicates to God the son which His power alone could give her. t As in the case of Samson (see my Selections from Judges, ch. 13. 5, note f)." "But in the place where she prayed Eli the High Priest (v. 2) was enabled to notice that her lips only moved whilst her voice was not heard, and too hastily concluded praying before the LORD, that Eli marked ly the lesson that we must judge righteous that she was drunken-teaching us assuredjudgment (see Matt. 7. 1, 2). 12 And it came to pass, as she "continued her mouth. The question and the very thought of Eli reveal the degradation to which the people of Israel had sunk, as well as do the sins which his own sons committed (see ch. 2. 12-18, &c.). w How different was the spirit of Hannah, from what Eli had wrongly imagined and imputed to her; for it was the spirit of a good woman in sorrow pouring out her soul to God! R.V. I poured out. y Her meek and respectful words-not words of retaliation and resentment at so unfounded and cruel a charge are in keeping with all that we are told of her. A That is, a wicked, worthless woman. term more generally applied to men, "Sons of Belial," as in 1 Sam. 2. 12; 25. 17, 25, &c. a R.V. And my provocation. Then Eli, as God's messenger, spake peace to her, and strengthened her prayer. CR.V. Thy servant find grace. Whereupon Hannah begged his favour and intercession upon her behalf, and went away comforted, strengthened, and thenceforth able to bear her troubles. So does faithful prayer always bring its consolation. d The last act of Elkanah and Hannah was that of worshipping before the Lord in His tabernacle at Shiloh, after which they returned to their own home at Ramah (v. 1, note a). e In the sense of having heard her prayer, and of granting her request in due season. Samu-el (heard of God). The student will notice how frequently the syllable "El," meaning "God," is incorporated in the names of persons and of places in the Old Testament, as in the names Ishma-el, Isra-el, Beth-el, Peni-el. &c., from circumstances connected with their history. Not only Elkanah himself, but his whole family, just as in much later times Joseph went up with the Virgin Mary and the child Jesus (Luke 2. 41) "to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover." hA vow not recorded, but probably a sacrificial offering of thanksgiving to God for His answer to their prayer in the birth But Hannah went not up; for she said of Samuel. |