The Book of 1 Samuel records Israel's transition from a federation of tribes to a centralized kingdom. Israel's first king, Saul, was not faithful to God. However, God's plan to save Israel- and the world- began to unfold in the person of King David.
God had told Moses (Deut 17:14-20) that the people of Israel would ask for a king to reign over them.
In 1 Samuel chapters 1-7, Samuel was born to a devout woman who had been barren. He became an apprentice in the Tabernacle as a young child under the supervision of Eli the priest. Samuel was probably being groomed to be a Tabernacle assistant. Instead, he became a great prophet of God, with a growing national reputation. Samuel was also a strong leader: when the Philistines took the Ark of God in chapter 7, he calls Israel to repent, and acting like a judge, he drives out the Philistines and recovers the Ark- something even Samson had failed to do.
Samuel's leadership as a Levite, prophet, and judge spanned religious, spiritual, and political spheres. But his sons did not prove worthy of carrying on in his place (ch 8:1-3) so Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king, and the Lord instructed Samuel to anoint Saul. In Samuel's farewell address, (ch 12) he reminded the Israelites of God's power and care for them. He wanted them to realize their sin in asking for a king rather than trusting in the Lord.
Saul ended up being a corrupt king, even though he started off as a very good king. So the Lord had Samuel secretly anoint David as the next king while Saul was still in power. (ch 16)
Ch 17: David beats Goliath, with a sling shot, and at this time, David was a young man, probably still a teenager who was in charge of his father's sheep. David had killed lions and bears protecting the sheep- so he was strong and confident, but to volunteer to kill a huge man (about 7 feet tall was the estimate) whom even the Israel army would not volunteer to kill? David's success made Saul very jealous, and Saul began to try to kill David to protect his kingship, sensing how the people really took to David. He even had David marry one of his daughters to keep him close to make it easier to kill him. But by this time Saul's son, Jonathon and David were best of friends and Jonathon helped him to escape his father's wrath and plots to kill him.
God had told Moses (Deut 17:14-20) that the people of Israel would ask for a king to reign over them.
In 1 Samuel chapters 1-7, Samuel was born to a devout woman who had been barren. He became an apprentice in the Tabernacle as a young child under the supervision of Eli the priest. Samuel was probably being groomed to be a Tabernacle assistant. Instead, he became a great prophet of God, with a growing national reputation. Samuel was also a strong leader: when the Philistines took the Ark of God in chapter 7, he calls Israel to repent, and acting like a judge, he drives out the Philistines and recovers the Ark- something even Samson had failed to do.
Samuel's leadership as a Levite, prophet, and judge spanned religious, spiritual, and political spheres. But his sons did not prove worthy of carrying on in his place (ch 8:1-3) so Israel asked Samuel to appoint a king, and the Lord instructed Samuel to anoint Saul. In Samuel's farewell address, (ch 12) he reminded the Israelites of God's power and care for them. He wanted them to realize their sin in asking for a king rather than trusting in the Lord.
Saul ended up being a corrupt king, even though he started off as a very good king. So the Lord had Samuel secretly anoint David as the next king while Saul was still in power. (ch 16)
Ch 17: David beats Goliath, with a sling shot, and at this time, David was a young man, probably still a teenager who was in charge of his father's sheep. David had killed lions and bears protecting the sheep- so he was strong and confident, but to volunteer to kill a huge man (about 7 feet tall was the estimate) whom even the Israel army would not volunteer to kill? David's success made Saul very jealous, and Saul began to try to kill David to protect his kingship, sensing how the people really took to David. He even had David marry one of his daughters to keep him close to make it easier to kill him. But by this time Saul's son, Jonathon and David were best of friends and Jonathon helped him to escape his father's wrath and plots to kill him.