1 Samuel: Bible Study and Commentary

Samuel, Saul and David

A Bible Study in EasyEnglish (2800 word vocabulary) on the Book of 1 Samuel

Keith Simons

EasyEnglish is a system of simple English designed by Wycliffe Associates (UK).

Free download: Useful Bible Study course (450+ pages)

Go to chapter: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 study guide

1 Samuel chapter 1
1:1-2 - God uses weak and humble people to do great things
1:3-8 - Elkanah and his family
1:9-11 - Hannah’s reaction to her sad feelings
1:12-20 - Eli gives God’s promise to Hannah
1:21-28 - Hannah gives her son to God
1 Samuel chapter 2
2:1 - Hannah’s prayer
2:2 - The one and only God
2:3 - God’s judgements against his proud enemies
2:4 - God saves his people from their enemies
2:5 - Safety, satisfaction and peace for God’s people
2:6 - God’s power over life and death
2:7-8 - God’s attitude towards humble people
2:9 - God will separate good people from wicked people
2:10-11 - The king and the Messiah
2:12-17 - Evil priests at Shiloh
2:18-21 - The boy Samuel
2:22 - The priests who had wrong sex
2:23-25 - The chief priest who would not stop his sons’ wicked behaviour
2:26 - A child who chooses to serve God
2:27 - God’s message to the priests
2:28 - The work of the priests
2:29 - Priests who were greedy
2:30 - How Eleazar’s family became Israel’s chief priests
2:31-33 - God removes the authority from wicked people
2:34 - Hophni and Phinehas
2:35 - A loyal priest: Zadok
2:36 - How the evil deeds of Eli’s family would end
1 Samuel chapter 3
3:1-7 - Samuel hears God’s voice
3:8-9 - The most important lesson in life
3:10-14 - God’s message to Samuel
3:15-18 - Samuel’s fear to speak God’s message
3:19-21 - Samuel becomes a prophet
1 Samuel chapter 4
4:1-3 - Why Israel’s leaders sent for the ark
4:4-5 - The priests bring the ark to the battle
4:6-11 - How the Philistines took the ark of the covenant
4:12-18 - The death of Eli
4:19-22 - About Ichabod
1 Samuel chapter 5
5:1-2 - How to deal with a sacred object
5:3-5 - The ark in Dagon’s temple
5:6-8 - The ark in Ashdod
5:9-12 - The ark in Gath and Ekron
1 Samuel chapter 6
6:1-3 - The Philistines decide to send back the ark
6:4-6 - The Philistines’ strange gifts to God
6:7-9 - How the Philistines sent the ark back to Israel
6:10-12 - How God brought his ark back to Israel
6:13-16 - The ark arrives in Beth Shemesh
6:17-18 - Official records in the Bible
6:19-21 - The men in Beth Shemesh look inside the ark
1 Samuel chapter 7
7:1 - The ark in Kiriath Jearim
7:2-6 - Israel’s people decide to serve God again
7:7-9 - The Philistines attack Israel at Mizpah
7:10-11 - How God used a storm to win a battle
7:12 - About the name: EBENEZER
7:13-17 - Samuel, Israel’s judge
1 Samuel chapter 8
8:1-6 - The request for a king
8:7-9 - God’s reaction to a foolish decision
8:10-18 - How a powerful ruler behaves
8:19-22 - When people refuse good advice
1 Samuel chapter 9
9:1-2 - Saul, Israel’s first king
9:3-5 - Saul’s donkeys
9:6-10 - Why Saul went to see Samuel
9:11-14 - Saul meets Samuel for the first time
9:15-17 - Why God sent Saul to Samuel
9:18-21 - Samuel’s first conversation with Saul
9:22-24 - Saul receives great honour
9:25-27 - Saul stays with Samuel
1 Samuel chapter 10
10:1 - The anointing of Saul
10:2-4 - Three events to prove that God had chosen Saul
10:5 - What would happen to Saul at Gibeah
10:6 - Saul would prophesy at Gibeah
10:7-8 - God’s instructions to Saul
10:9-12 - God works in Saul’s life
10:13-16 - Saul in his own town
10:17-19 - The meeting to introduce Israel’s king
10:20-21 - The process that selected Saul
10:22-24 - Saul hides
10:25-27 - Saul begins his rule
1 Samuel chapter 11
11:1-3 - Nahash attacks Jabesh Gilead
11:4-7 - Saul’s powerful leadership
11:8 - Saul gathers a vast army
11:9-11 - Saul defeats Nahash’s army
11:12-15 - Saul becomes popular
1 Samuel chapter 12
12:1-5 - Samuel’s last speech
12:6-8 - God does not always refuse a wrong request
12:9-11 - Why God handed his people over to their enemies
12:12 - A powerful king
12:13 - Saul: the king that the people chose
12:14-15 - Personal and national duty to God
12:16-18 - A storm during the wheat harvest
12:19-21 - Serve the real God, not a false god
12:22 - God’s character makes his promises certain
12:23 - A leader’s duties to pray and to teach
12:24-25 - Respect God because of his greatness and his kindness
1 Samuel chapter 13
13:1 - Are there errors in the Bible?
13:2-3 - Israel fights for freedom from the Philistines
13:4 - Saul gathers Israel’s men at Gilgal
13:5-7 - Saul’s plan fails
13:8-9 - Saul chooses not to obey God’s command to him
13:10-12 - We cannot pay God to help us
13:13-14 - Saul’s rule would not be permanent
13:15-18 - Saul waits at Geba
13:19-21 - How the Philistines controlled Israel
13:22-23 - God’s power and Israel’s weakness
1 Samuel chapter 14
14:1 - A son who was not like his father
14:2-5 - Saul’s camp at Migron
14:6 - Jonathan’s faith
14:7 - Evidence that Jonathan’s faith was genuine
14:8-12 - Evidence that God was guiding Jonathan
14:13-14 - Jonathan fights the Philistines
14:15 - God uses an earthquake to win a battle
14:16-19 - Saul’s order to bring the ark
14:20-23 - More men join the fight
14:24-30 - Saul’s command and Jonathan’s reaction
14:31-35 - Israel’s soldiers eat meat with blood in it
14:36-37 - God refuses to answer Saul
14:38-42 - Jonathan is guilty
14:43-45 - Israel’s men save Jonathan
14:46-48 - An account of Saul’s wars
14:49-51 - Saul’s family and government
14:52 - Constant wars between Israel and Philistia
1 Samuel chapter 15
15:1-2 - Judgement against Amalek
15:3 - An especially severe act of judgement
15:4 - Saul’s vast army
15:5-6 - Desert nomads
15:7-9 - The defeat of Amalek
15:10-15 - God tells Samuel that Saul has not obeyed God
15:16-21 - Saul protests against God’s message
15:22 - Why Saul did not obey God
15:23 - The result of Saul’s decision not to obey God
15:24-26 - God does not forgive people without repentance
15:27-28 - Saul holds on to Samuel’s clothes
15:29 - Does God repent?
15:30-31 - Why did Samuel change his mind?
15:32-33 - Samuel kills King Agag
15:34-35 - Samuel separates from Saul
1 Samuel chapter 16
16:1 - God tells Samuel to anoint a new king
16:2-3 - Samuel’s sacrifice in Bethlehem
16:4 - Ancient Bethlehem
16:5 - ‘Consecrate yourselves’
16:6-10 - God sees what people cannot see
16:11 - Jesse’s youngest son
16:12 - The boy whom God chose to be king
16:13 - The anointing of David
16:14 - Saul’s evil spirit
16:15-18 - David’s harp
16:19-22 - David works for Saul
1 Samuel chapter 17
17:1-3 - A battle in the valley of Elah
17:4-7 - Goliath and the giant people of Canaan
17:8-11 - Goliath insults Israel’s army
17:12-20 - David arrives at Israel’s camp
17:21-24 - Goliath’s behaviour astonishes David
17:25-27 - David gives hope to Israel’s soldiers
17:28-30 - David’s brother is angry with him
17:31-32 - David offers to fight Goliath
17:33 - Goliath: Saul’s personal enemy
17:34-36 - David had killed the lion and the bear
17:37 - How a weak person can defeat a strong enemy
17:38-39 - David refuses armour
17:40 - Goliath’s weapons and David’s weapons
17:41-44 - Goliath insults David
17:45-46 - David’s reply to Goliath
17:47 - Everyone present would know that God saves
17:48-50 - David fights Goliath
17:51-54 - The head of Goliath
17:55-58 - Saul asks the name of David’s father
1 Samuel chapter 18
18:1-2 - Jonathan’s love for David
18:3-4 - Jonathan’s gift to David
18:5 - David’s wisdom
18:6-9 - The song about David’s success
18:10-11 - Saul tries to kill David
18:12-16 - David commands 1000 soldiers
18:17-19 - Saul offers for David to marry Merab
18:20 - Michal’s love for David
18:21-25 - Saul’s plan to cause David’s death
18:26-27 - How David paid for his first wife
18:28-30 - Saul’s fear of David becomes worse
1 Samuel chapter 19
19:1-3 - Jonathan warns David about Saul
19:4-6 - Jonathan persuades Saul
19:7-8 - The last period when David worked for Saul
19:9-11 - Saul tries to kill David again
19:12-14 - Michal saves David’s life
19:15-17 - Michal’s lies and Saul’s cruelty
19:18 - David goes to Samuel
19:19-21 - Saul’s men prophesy
19:22-24 - Saul prophesies
1 Samuel chapter 20
20:1-4 - Saul’s secret plan to kill David
20:5-7 - A test to establish Saul’s attitude towards David
20:8-11 - David and Jonathan remain loyal
20:12-13 - Jonathan explains his covenant with David
20:14-17 - Jonathan taught David how to rule as king
20:18-23 - Jonathan’s secret message to David
20:24-25 - The importance of the meals at the new moon
20:26 - What made a person unclean?
20:27-29 - Jonathan tests whether Saul is plotting against David
20:30-31 - Saul’s anger against Jonathan
20:32-34 - Saul tries to kill Jonathan
20:35-39 - Jonathan tells David to escape
20:40-41 - David and Jonathan separate
20:42 - Jonathan reminds David about their covenant
1 Samuel chapter 21
21:1 - Ahimelech, the chief priest
21:2 - David’s untrue words to Abimelech
21:3-4 - Sacred bread
21:5-6 - The proper use of something holy
21:7 - Doeg from Edom
21:8-9 - The sword of Goliath
21:10 - Gath in Philistia
21:11-15 - David pretends that his mind is ill
1 Samuel chapter 22
22:1-2 - The cave of Adullam
22:3-4 - David’s parents in Moab
22:5 - The prophet Gad
22:6-8 - Saul’s speech
22:9-10 - Doeg tells Saul how Ahimelech helped David
22:11-15 - Saul accuses the chief priest
22:16 - Saul orders the death of the chief priest
22:17 - Saul orders the deaths of the priests from Nob
22:18-19 - Doeg kills the priests
22:20-23 - Abiathar escapes to David
1 Samuel chapter 23
23:1-2 - David inquires of God about Keilah
23:3-6 - God tells David to defend Keilah
23:7-8 - Saul tries to attack David at Keilah
23:9-13 - David’s experience at Keilah
23:14 - Life in the deserts of Israel
23:15 - David at Horesh
23:16-17 - Jonathan’s last meeting with David
23:18 - Jonathan’s third covenant with David
23:19-20 - The Ziphites offer to hand David over to Saul
23:21-25 - Saul tries to bless the Ziphites
23:26-29 - How God saved David from Saul at Maon
1 Samuel chapter 24
24:1-2 - David at En Gedi
24:3-4 - Saul enters the cave where David is hiding
24:5-7 - David cuts off part of Saul’s coat
24:8-15 - David appeals to Saul as his judge
24:16-19 - Saul makes a judgement between himself and David
24:20-22 - Saul declares that David will be Israel’s next king
1 Samuel chapter 25
25:1 - Samuel’s funeral
25:2-3 - Nabal in Maon
25:4-8 - Customs for the payment of guards
25:9-13 - Nabal refuses to pay David’s men
25:14-17 - Nabal’s servant appeals to Abigail
25:18-22 - Abigail goes to meet David
25:23-27 - Abigail urges David not to attack Nabal
25:28-31 - Abigail, a holy woman
25:32-35 - David confesses his wrong plans
25:36-39 - The death of Nabal
25:40-44 - Abigail becomes David’s wife
1 Samuel chapter 26
26:1-4 - The Ziphites again cause trouble for David
26:5 - David goes to see Saul’s camp
26:6 - Abishai and Ahimelech the Hittite
26:7-9 - Contrast between the attitudes of Abishai and David
26:10-12 - Why David would not punish Saul
26:13-16 - David calls to Abner
26:17 - Saul’s change of attitude
26:18-20 - David’s second appeal to Saul
26:21 - Saul urges David to return to him
26:22-24 - It is better to please God than to achieve your ambitions
26:25 - Saul blesses David
1 Samuel chapter 27
27:1-4 - David goes to live in Philistia
27:5-7 - David in Ziklag
27:8 - David organises attacks against robbers
27:9 - Desert robbers
27:10-12 - David’s plan to help the people in southern Israel
1 Samuel chapter 28
28:1-2 - Achish orders David to join Philistia’s army
28:3 - Saul forces everyone who uses witchcraft to leave Israel
28:4-5 - Philistia’s plan for Saul’s last battle
28:6 - How God gave messages to Israel’s kings
28:7 - Saul chooses to use witchcraft
28:8-10 - Saul urges a woman to contact a spirit for her
28:11-12 - An evil spirit takes control of the woman
28:13-14 - A strange spirit appears
28:15 - The spirit says and does wrong things
28:16-19 - The spirit declares that Saul’s fears were right
28:20-25 - Saul’s last meal
1 Samuel chapter 29
29:1-3 - David’s men arrive at the camp of Philistia’s army
29:4-5 - Philistia’s rulers tell Achish to send David home
29:6-9 - Achish’s opinion of David
29:10-11 - David and his men return to Ziklag
1 Samuel chapter 30
30:1 - The Amalekites attack Ziklag
30:2 - The Amalekites take away the wives and children of David’s men
30:3-6 - David finds strength in God
30:7-8 - God tells David to attack the robbers
30:9-10 - 200 of David’s men stop at Besor
30:11-12 - David’s men rescue a dying slave
30:13-15 - David asks the slave about the robbers
30:16-19 - David’s battle against the robbers
30:20 - How David began to rule as king
30:21-22 - Greedy and selfish attitudes among David’s men
30:23 - Why David urged his men to be generous
30:24-25 - All must share alike
30:26-31 - David sends gifts to Judah’s leaders
1 Samuel chapter 31
31:1 - Israel suffers a terrible defeat
31:2 - The death of Jonathan
31:3 - Philistia’s soldiers attack Saul
31:4 - Saul wants to die
31:5 - How Saul died
31:6-7 - The results of the battle
31:8 - Philistia’s soldiers find Saul’s body
31:9-10 - Philistia’s army show their disgust for Saul
31:11-13 - The inhabitants of Jabesh rescue Saul’s body
1 Samuel: a study guide
About the Book of 1 Samuel - its author, date and purpose
Why the Book of 1 Samuel is important
1 Samuel – a study guide

1 Samuel: Bible Study and Commentary

1 Samuel chapter 1

1 Samuel chapter 2

1 Samuel chapter 3

1 Samuel chapter 4

1 Samuel chapter 5

1 Samuel chapter 6

1 Samuel chapter 7

1 Samuel chapter 8

1 Samuel chapter 9

1 Samuel chapter 10

1 Samuel chapter 11

1 Samuel chapter 12

1 Samuel chapter 13

1 Samuel chapter 14

1 Samuel chapter 15

1 Samuel chapter 16

1 Samuel chapter 17

1 Samuel chapter 18

1 Samuel chapter 19

1 Samuel chapter 20

1 Samuel chapter 21

1 Samuel chapter 22

1 Samuel chapter 23

1 Samuel chapter 24

1 Samuel chapter 25

1 Samuel chapter 26

1 Samuel chapter 27

1 Samuel chapter 28

1 Samuel chapter 29

1 Samuel chapter 30

1 Samuel chapter 31

1 Samuel: a study guide