1 Samuel

Question 1

Cycle of Ark stories? What ideas about the Ark do these stories assume?

Answer 1

Ark getting passed around by the Philistines eventually to Kiryat-Yearim (?) - brings plagues. David later tries to bring it to Jerusalem and it kills the people who try and steady it. Then he finally brings it to Jerusalem. Later there is a plague, and David builds an altar where the Ark is. Ark has power - seems volatile.

Question 2

Narrator’s POV re: Saul, David, David’s rise to power, and their conflict?

Answer 2

Saul starts out okay, but quickly turns selfish, disobedient, unbalanced and jealous - a bit tragic. David is an underdog and a dreamboat perfect hero (at least in 1 Samuel). Saul loves David and hates him also.

Question 3

What do we learn about various priestly families/lineages?

Answer 3

Eli’s ends. Possibly at Nov with Ahimelekh.

Question 4

Hannah, Peninah, Elkanah

Answer 4

Elkanah, an Israelite who had two wives. One had many children, Penina, and she tormented the other wife who had no children, Hannah - she prayed to God for a son and she received one - Samuel. She gave him to Eli the priest to serve God.

Question 5

Beit Dagon

Answer 5

Temple of Dagon - Philistines bring the Ark here at first, but Dagon, the statue of the Philistine fish idol, falls down in front of it twice.

Question 6

Kiryat Yearim

Answer 6

After many adventures in Philistia, Ark rests here.

Question 7

Beit El, Gilgal, Mitzpeh, Ramah

Answer 7

Shmuel’s circuit - where he judged, sacrificed, and taught.

Question 8

Yavesh Gilead

Answer 8

the city that was besieged by Nahash the Ammonite and Saul saved it.

Question 9

Ya’arat haDvash

Answer 9

the honey that Jonathan ate, not hearing his dad Saul’s order forbidding all soldiers to eat anything during a Philistine battle - though Jonathan doesn’t care.

Question 10

Meirav and Michal

Answer 10

Saul’s daughters. He offers Meirav to David as a bride, but she’s married off to someone else soon after. Then Michal, who’s in love with David is offered to him, and he marries her. She helps him escape from Saul and is married off to Paltiel. Later, David brings her back from Ishbosheth - she later criticizes him for dancing lewdly in front of the Ark. She supposedly has no children because of that.

Question 11

AvNer Ben Ner

Answer 11

Saul’s general and cousin - later brought Ishboshet, Saul’s son to power, but defects to David. Murdered by Yoav, David’s general, for killing Yoav’s brother in self-defense - Asahel.

Question 12

Agag

Answer 12

King of the Amalekites whom Saul was supposed to kill along with the rest of them - Samuel kills him himself.

Question 13

Galyat MeGat

Answer 13

Goliath from Gat - big Philistine who everyone’s too scared to fight - David does, killing him with a sling and a sword.

Question 14

Meah Aralot Plashtim

Answer 14

100 philistine foreskins - Michal’s bride-price. David brings back 200! Possible that he wanted to pay for Merav, too.

Question 15

Doeg, Nov, Ahimelekh, EvYatar

Answer 15

David sought refuge at Nov, a city of priests led by AhiMelekh, who granted him Goliath’s sword. by the time Saul got there, David had fled. Doeg, an Edomite, could slaughter the priests since he wasn’t an Israelite, which he did. Only EvYatar, one of Ahimelekh’s sons remained, and he ran away and joined David’s ranks.

Question 16

Naval, Avigail

Answer 16

Naval owned a vineyard and was apparently cruel, but actually probably reasonable. He refused to serve David and his band, prompting David to want to kill him, but his wife Avigail persuaded him not to. Naval conveniently drops dead and David marries Avigail.

Question 17

Eshet Baalat-Ov B’Ein-Dor

Answer 17

The Medium woman from Ein-Dor. Assists Saul in bringing Samuel’s ghost to assist him in a Philistine battle. He says see you soon!

Question 18

Mt. Gilboa

Answer 18

Where Jonathan and Saul die, killed by Philistines.