Week 14: Ruth 1-4, 1 Samuel 1-14

[Vinna TanModerator]

Ruth chapters 1 to 4 and 1 Samuel chapters 1 to 14 — Study Guide

 

The Book of Ruth begins “In the days when the judges ruled…”   The events of the book of Ruth took place, then, in a time of spiritual, moral and social anarchy; a time filled with ruthlessness, lust, war, chaos and lawlessness.  Yet the story concerns ordinary people who are godly and decent, living wholesome lives.  One of the finest short stories ever written, it shows that people can live beautiful lives in bad times.

1:1-18 – Naomi was left a widow in Moab, a foreign country.  Ruth insisted on going with her                    mother-in-law back to Naomi’s home in Bethlehem, a land foreign to Ruth.  In doing so she                chose the LORD God as her God (16,17).

1:19-22 – Naomi evidenced despair as they came to Bethlehem “at the beginning of barley                           harvest.”

2:1-16 – Ruth gleaned (Lev. 19:9,10; Deut. 24:19-22) in Boaz’s field and was recognized as                       “family” (1:2; 2:1,3), for her hard work, and for her loyalty to Naomi.

2:17-23 – Naomi recognized the relationship and that Boaz was one of “our kinsmen-                        redeemers” (Heb. goel –kinsman, protector, deliverer, avenger).

            3:1-5 – Naomi instructed Ruth as to how to approach Boaz.

            3:6-18 – Ruth bravely followed instructions.  Boaz recognized what was being asked, noted          that another man was ahead of him re kinsman responsibility and promised to act on        the  matter “in the morning.”  Regarding verse 9, compare Ezekiel 16:8.

            4:1-6 – The next-of-kin declined to accept the responsibility.

            4:7-12 – Boaz publicly accepted being the kinsman-redeemer for his relative Elimelech,                which included marriage to Ruth.  How is the transaction confirmed and who are the            witnesses to it?  What is the importance of these matters?

4:13-22 – Boaz and Ruth produce a son, who is named Obed (short for Obadiah, “servant           of the Lord”).  Obed is to become an ancestor of David.  Thus Ruth the Moabitess                  became an ancestress of Jesus Christ (see v. 5,6 in the genealogy, Matthew 1:1-16). 

 

            1 Samuel continues the history of Israel from the period of the judges to the death of the first king of Israel, Saul. It does this primarily through the stories of the leading characters:   Eli, Samuel, Saul, David, and Jonathan.

            1:1-9 – The sadness of the divided household of Elkanah, apparently a Levite who lived in            Ephraim.   He had two wives, one (Peninnah) who had children, and the other        (Hannah) who was childless.  Note the conflict that was produced, although Elkanah         tried to  comfort Hannah.

                1:3 – The tabernacle was at Shiloh at this time, with Eli being the high priest and                  his two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, being priests.    

            1:9-18 – Hannah’s vow.  What did she ask and what did she promise if her request was                   granted?

            1:19, 20 – The birth of Samuel (“God heard”).

            1:21-28 – After Samuel was weaned (at this time a child was nursed for three years and                    perhaps even longer) he was brought to Shiloh and left there to serve the LORD .                    Hannah kept her vow (note v. 28).

            2:1-10 – Hannah’s song of praise. 

            2:11-17 – The sad actions of Eli’s sons as they served as priests. 

            2:18-26 – The contrast of two households and of Samuel and the sons of Eli. Compare v. 26             with Luke 2:52.

2:27-36 – Prediction of the doom of Eli’s house.  Abiathar, Eli’s great-grandson, was the last priest of Eli’s line (see 1 Kings 2:25-27).   He was replaced by Zadok, “a faithful  priest”, whose line served David,  the anointed one, and his descendants (1 Kings 2:35).

            3:1-18 – The LORD revealed the end of Eli’s house to Samuel.

            3:19-21; 4:1 – Samuel established as a trustworthy prophet of the LORD.

            4:2-11 – The ark of the covenant taken to the battlefield and captured by the Philistines;                 the two corrupt priests, Hophni and Phinehas, killed.

            4:12-22 – The death of Eli and the birth of Ichabod (“without glory”). 

            5:1-12 – The Philistines find the ark “too hot to handle” and pass it from city to city:                     Ashdod to Gath to Ekron. Finally they decide it must be sent back to Israel.

            6:1-12 – The ark returned by the Philistines to Israel.  Notice their careful plans in doing                 so.

            6:13-7:2 – The people of Beth-shemesh, a city of priests in the territory of Judah (Joshua               21:13,16) rejoiced at first when the ark came to their city, but changed their minds          when men died for not treating it with reverence (19,20)(note Numbers 4:20).  

            6:21-7:2 – The ark ended up in Kiriath-jearim at the house of Abinadad, whose son                        Eleazar was put in charge of it.  It remained there some 20 years.

            7:2-4 – A call to repentance.

            7:5-17 – The defeat of the Philistines.

                  7:12 – Have you raised your “Ebenezer”?

                  7:15-17 – Samuel’s circuit.

            8:1-22 – The Israelites demand a king.

                  8:1-3 – The sadness of the godly Samuel’s sons.

      8:4-9 – The people demand a king, “like other nations.” The LORD points out to                   

      Samuel that this is not a rejection of Samuel, but of the LORD as their king.

                  8:10-18 – Samuel warns of the price Israel will pay for having an earthly king.

            9:1-26 – The choice identified.

                  9:1,2 – Saul, of a wealthy family in Benjamin, handsome and tall.

                  9:3-26 – In search of lost donkeys , Saul meets Samuel.

            9:27-10:16 – Samuel anoints Saul privately.  Signs given to Saul.

            10:17-27 – Saul presented to the people at Mizpah. “Long live the king!”  But some                       Israelites despised Saul as king.

            11:1-15 – Saul (and Samuel) lead Israel to victory over the Ammonites.  The dissenters are             threatened but not put to death (12,13). The kingdom renewed before the LORD at                 Gilgal.

            12:1-25 – Samuel’s farewell speech as judge.  His honesty as he served Israel.  He                         challenges Israel to be faithful to the LORD. A sign of approval from the LORD (17,18).        A promise by Samuel to continue to pray and teach (23).

            13:1 – There are manuscript problems with this verse.  In Acts 13:21 Paul gives the round             number for Saul’s reign as 40 years.

            13:2-7 – Frightening pressure from the Philistines.  Jonathan (2,3) was a son of Saul.

13:8-15 – Saul intruded into the priest’s office. Samuel rebuked him and reported that the            LORD would replace Saul with “a man after his own heart.”

            13:16-22 – Israel’s army, very poorly armed, was attacked by the Philistines.

            13:23-14:15 – Jonathan and his armor-bearer attack and unnerve the Philistines.

            14:16-23 – The Philistines were put to flight.

            14:24-35 – Saul issued a foolish order and curse on his troops, which Jonathan unwittingly             violated and which led to the troops eating meat with blood and thus violating the law.

            14:36-46 – Jonathan’s violation of his father’s order was discovered and Saul sentenced                  him to death.  But the solders overruled Saul and saved Jonathan’s life.

            14:47-48 – Saul’s wars against other nations.

            14:49-52 – Saul’s family and his army commander, Abner.

[Author]

Posts