J. W. McGarvey's Class Notes on Sacred History II [First Samuel].

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J. W. McGarvey
Class Notes on Sacred History, Volume II (1894)

Part First. The Judgeship of Samuel. I. Sam. 1:1-12:25.
Part Second. The Reign of Saul. I. Sam. 13:1-21:13.
Review of First and Second Samuel.

FIRST SAMUEL.

PART FIRST.

THE JUDGESHIP OF SAMUEL.

i. 1-xii. 25.

§ I. THE BIRTH AND CONSECRATION OF SAMUEL. i. 1-ii. 11.

1. Elkanah and His Wives. i. 1-8.

Meaning of Ramathaim-zophim. 1. [Ramathaim, dual of Ramah. Cf. 19. Zophim, people of Zuph.]
Of what tribe and family? 1, cf. I. Chron. vi. 33-38.
Why called an Ephraimite? 1.
What kind of sacrifices? 4-7, cf. Lev. vii. 15-17.
What effects of polygamy here seen? 5-8.
Why go to Shiloh? 3, cf. Josh. xviii. 1.

2. Hannah Prays and Makes a Vow. 9-18.

How give him to the Lord? 11.
Why no razor? 11, cf. Num. vi. 18.
Meaning of "daughter of Belial"? 16.
Why "no more sad"? 18, cf. 17.
Who was Eli? 3, 9; iv. 18.
What "the temple of the Lord"? 9. [1]

3. The Child Born and Consecrated. 19-28.

Meaning of the name? 20.
Why only a yearly sacrifice? 21.
Why three bullocks, and only one offered?
Why the meal? and wine? 24, cf. Num. xxviii. 11-14.

4. Hannah's Hymn of Praise. ii. 1-11.

Was she inspired?
What king referred to in 10?
What the child's age? and his ministry? 11, cf. ii. 18, 19, 24.
What typical in Samuel?

§ II. WICKEDNESS OF ELI'S SONS. ii. 12-iv. 1.

1. Their Extortion. ii. 12-17.

Why was the flesh seething? 13.
What the point about the fat? 15, 16.
Why abhor the offering? 17.

2. Elkanah and Hannah Rewarded. 18-21.

Why an ephod? 18.

3. Eli Rebukes His Sons. 22-26.

What women were these? 22, cf. Ex. xxxviii. 8.
Distinction about sins? 25.
Bearing of "because the Lord would slay them"?

4. Eli Rebuked for the Sins of His Sons. 27-36.

Who meant by "man of God"? 27.
Who the father? 27.
Meaning of "kick ye at my sacrifice"? 29.
How had he honored his sons above God? 29.
Rule as to honoring men? 30.
The penalty? 31, 34-36.

5. Eli Rebuked through Samuel. iii. 1-18. [2]

In what sense "precious"? 1.
What lamp, and what time of night? 3.
Why sleep in the temple? 3.
What doors of the house? 15.
Character of Eli? 18.

6. Remarks About Samuel. iii. 19-iv. 1.

How did all Israel learn that Samuel was to be a prophet? 20.
Meaning of "from Dan ever to Beer-sheba"? 20.
In what way did his word come to all Israel? iv. 1.

§ III. THE PHILISTINES DEFEAT ISRAEL AND CAPTURE THE
ARK. iv. 1-vii. 1.

1. The Battle and the Defeat. iv. 1-11.

Where was Eben-ezer? 1, cf. vii. 12.
Aphek? 1. [Aphek means, the fortress].
Why attack the Philistines? 1, cf. Judg. xii. 1; xvi. 31.
Why send for the ark? 3.
Why the effect on the Philistines? 7.

2. The Effect on Eli. 12-18.

Why such anxiety for the ark? 13, 18.
Did his judgeship overlap that of Samson? 18, cf. Judg. xiii. 1; xvi. 31.
Describe Shiloh. Lands of the Bible, 281.
At what gate was Eli? 18, cf. 13, 14.

3. Effect on the Wife of Phinehas. 19-22.

Meaning of Ichabod? 21.
Its proverbial use?
Lessons from Eli and his sons?

4. The Ark in the Temple of Dagon. v. 1-7.

Why placed there?
Who was Dagon?
Why not tread the [3] threshold? 7, 4.

5. The Ark Plagues the Philistines. v. 8-12.

Location of these cities?

6. The Ark Sent Back to Israel. vi. 1-16.

How acquainted with the guilt offering? 3.
Why the golden mice? 5, cf. 1, margin.
Why a new cart? 7.
Why heifers that were not broken? and why take their calves away? 7, cf. 9.
What season of the year? 13.
What kind of road from Ekron to Beth-shemesh? Lands of the Bible, 263.
Who the Beth-shemites? Josh. xxi. 13-16.

7. Organization of the Philistines and Another Movement of
the Ark. vi. 17-vii. 1.

What kind of government? 17, 18.
Whence the fifty thousand men? 19.
Why so great an offense? Num. i. 50, 51.
Why to Kirjath-jearim? vii. 1.
Lessons taught?

§ IV. THE PEOPLE REFORMED, AND THE PHILISTINES DRIVEN
OUT. vii. 2-17.

1. The Reformation. vii. 2-4.

Connection of the twenty years? 2, cf. 3.
Meaning of "lamented after the Lord"? 2.
What the Baalim and Ashtaroth? 4.
How did Samuel speak to all? 3.

2. A Penitent Assembly at Mizpah. 5, 6.

Why pray for them? 5.
Where was Mizpah? Lands of the Bible, 241.
Why the water and the fasting? 6.
In what way [4] did Samuel judge them there? 6.

3. The Philistines Attack and Are Routed. 7-14.

Why the attack at that time? 7.
Why depend so on Samuel? 8.
Meaning of Eben-ezer? 12.
Meaning of "hand of the Lord was against the Philistines"? 13.

4. Samuel's Circuit as Judge. 15-17.

How old when he became judge? 2, cf. iii. 1.
Why his home at Ramah? 17, cf. i. 19.
Why not at Shiloh?
Why an altar at Ramah? 17, cf. 2.

§ V. A KING IS DEMANDED AND SAUL IS ANOINTED. viii. 1-x. 16.

1. The Demand, and Its Cause. viii. 1-9.

Why are Beer-sheba? 2.
Why Samuel displeased? 6.
Why was it rejecting God? 7.
What is it to change God's church government?

2. The Evils of Monarchy Set Forth. 10-22.

Why no reversal to be permitted? 18.
What motive most prominent? 20.
Why?

3. Saul Is Brought before Samuel. ix. 1-14.

Where the land of Zuph? 5, cf. i. 1; vii. 17.
Describe Ramah. Lands of the Bible, 238.
Why propose to pay the man of God? 7, 8.

4. Saul Is Honored before the Elders. 15-24.

Why had the feast been prepared? 16, 22.
What of the question about the asses? 20.
What Saul's estimate of himself? 21.
Point about the reserved thigh? 23, 24.
Samuel's design in [5] all this?

5. Saul Is Secretly Anointed. ix. 25-x. 1.

Why the secrecy?

6. Saul Is Assured by Signs. x. 2-13.

Where was Rachel's tomb? 2.
Why going up to God at Beth-el? 3, cf. iv. 4.
How yet a garrison of Philistines? 5, cf. vii. 13.
Why go to Gilgal? and when? 8, cf. xiii. 4-14.
Who the company of prophets? 5, 10.
How the proverb applied? 12.

7. The Secret Kept. 14-16.

Who was this uncle? xiv. 50.
Why keep the secret from him?

§ VI. THE KINGDOM FULLY ESTABLISHED. x. 17-xii. 25.

1. Saul Is Publicly Chosen. x. 17-27.

Why at Mizpah? 17.
What the method? and why?
Why did Saul hide? 22, cf. ix. 21.
What the form of salutation? 24.
What "the manner of the kingdom"? 25, cf. Deut. xvii. 14-20.
How did he lay the book "up before the Lord"? 25.
Where was Gibeah? Lands of the Bible, 237.
Wisdom of holding his peace? 27.

2. Jabesh-gilead Rescued by Saul. xi. 1-13.

Who "the Ammonite"? 1.
How would it be a reproach on Israel? 2.
Relation of Benjamin to Jabesh-gilead? 4, cf. Judg. xxi. 8-15.
Why was Saul yet with his oxen? 5.
Connection of the spirit of God with Saul's anger? 6.
Why the pieces of oxen? [6] 7, cf. Judg. xix. 29, 30.
Why the message to Nahash? 10.
Why the victory so easy? 11.
Saul's wisdom again. 12, 13.

3. The Kingdom Renewed. 14, 15.

Why to Gilgal? and which way was it?
In what sense renewed?
Why sacrifices there? 15.

4. Samuel's Farewell Address. xii. 1-25.

Samuel's personal appearance? 2; i. 11.
His integrity as a judge? 3-5.
What his argument in 9-12.
Condition of future prosperity? 14, 15.
Why the storm? and why its effect? 16-19.
Why a sin to cease praying for them? 23.
Can you trace in ix-xii two separate and conflicting accounts of Saul's being made king?

PART SECOND.

THE REIGN OF SAUL.

xiii. 1-xxi. 13.

§ I. VICTORIES OVER THE PHILISTINES AND OTHER ENEMIES.
xiii. 1-xiv. 52.

1. War Provoked and the Cowardice of Israel. xiii. 1-7.

What of Saul's age? 1, cf. margin.
Purpose of the three thousand. 2.
Why Jonathan's attack? 3.
Why the people so alarmed? 6, 7, cf. 5.
Why retreat to Gilgal? 7.

2. Saul Commits Sacrilege. 8-14.

When the seven days appointed? 8, cf. x. 8.
Purpose of the offering? 12.
Why was it such a sin?
Meaning of "man [7] after his own heart"? 14.

3. Saul at Geba, and the Country Ravaged by the Philistines. 15-22.

Why did Samuel go to Gibeah? 15.
Why did Saul return with so few? 15.
What had become of the smiths? 19, cf. 17.
How were Saul's men armed? 22.

4. A Bold Attack by Jonathan. xiv. 1-15.

Why was Ahijah not at Shiloh? 3.
What the advantage of the two crags to the two armies?
Describe the place. Lands of the Bible, 236.
What was Jonathan's reliance? 6.
Why had he not told his father? 7.
Why say "Come up," etc.? 12.
Meaning of 14?
Why the trembling and flight? 15, 16.

5. The Philistines Routed and Pursued. 16-31.

Why call for the ark? 18, cf. margin. 3.
Why say "Withdraw thine hand"? 19.
Who the Hebrews with the Philistines? 21.
Where was Beth-aven? 23, cf. Josh. vii. 2.
Purpose of the curse? 24.
Meaning of "eyes were enlightened"? 27, 29.
Where was Aijalon? 31.
Why the people so faint? 31.

6. The People Sin in Eating. 32-35.

Why the stone? 33.
Purpose of building the altar? 35.

7. Jonathan in Danger, but Saved by the People. 36-46.

Why think that some one had sinned? 38, cf. 37.
Why willing to slay Jonathan? 39, 44, cf. 24.
How did the people rescue him? 45. [8]

8. Saul's Other Victories. 47, 48.

Where are these countries?

9. Saul's Family. 49-51.

Had he more than one wife?

10. Hostility of Philistines and Promotions by Saul. 52.

§ II. THE SLAUGHTER OF THE AMALEKITES. xv. 1-35.

1. Saul's Commission. 1-3.

Whose quarrel to be avenged? 2.
Propriety of such a command?

2. How the Commission Was Executed. 4-9.

Who the Kenites? 6, cf. Judg. i. 16.
Where Havilah and Shur? 7.

3. Samuel Sent to Rebuke Saul. 10-23.

Why was Samuel so grieved? 11.
Why the monument, and where Carmel? 12.
Why to Gilgal? 12, cf. 21.
What change in Saul?
Why say he had obeyed God? 13, 20.
What the exact nature of his sin?

4. Saul Repents. 24-31.

His excuse? 24.
Why say, "the Strength of Israel"? 29.

5. Samuel Slays Agag and Departs. 32-35.

Meaning of Agag's remark? 32.
Why kill him? 33.
Why did Samuel visit Saul no more? 35.
Why say, "the Lord repented"? 35, cf. 29. [9]

§ III. DAVID IS ANOINTED AND BROUGHT TO SAUL. xvi. 1-23.

1. Samuel Sent to Anoint a King. xvi. 1-5.

Why afraid of Saul. 2.
Why the elders alarmed? 4.
How did they sanctify themselves? 5.

2. David Selected and Anointed. 6-13.

Why was David absent? 11.
To what sitting down is reference made? 11, cf. 5.
In what way, the Spirit on David? 13.

3. Saul's Evil Spirit and David's Harp. 14-23.

Meaning of the remark about the spirits?
Was the evil spirit jealousy? 14.
Why propose music as the remedy? 16.
David's reputation? 18.
How known as a man of valour and of war? 18, cf. xvii. 34, 35.
Why the bread, wine and kid? 20.
When did he become an armourbearer? 21, cf. xviii. 5.

§ IV. DAVID'S COMBAT WITH GOLIATH. xvii. 1-xviii. 5.

1. Positions of the Armies, and Goliath's Challenge. xvii. 1-11.

Where the places named? 1-3; Lands of the Bible, 259.
Goliath's height in feet? 4.
Weight of his mail in pounds? 5. [A sheckel is a half-ounce.]
Weight of the head of the spear? 7.

2. Further Account of David and the Family. 12-16.

Why Jesse call an Ephrathite? 12, cf. Ruth, i. 2; Gen. xxv. 19.
What need of this account? Cf. xvi. 5-12.
Where was David living? 15.

3. David Is Sent into the Camp. 17-22.

Why the corn, bread and cheese? 17, 18.
Meaning of "place [10] of the wagons"? 20.
Why the battle in array? 21.

4. He Accepts Goliath's Challenge. 23-27.

How make his father's house free? 25.
Why Eliab's rebuke? 28.
Why David's words reported to Saul? 31.
Why did Saul at last consent? 33-37.

5. Goliath Slain and the Philistines Routed. 38-54.

Meaning of "have not proved them"? 39.
Where was the brook? 40.
Why ask "am I a dog"? 43.
David's reliance and motive? 46, 47.
Why did David run? 48.
How far the pursuit? 52.
When the head brought to Jerusalem? and in what tent the armour? 54.
Correspondence of this account with the place? Lands of the Bible, 383.

6. Saul Inquires as to the Father of David. 55-58.

Why he and Abner so ignorant of David? Cf. xvi. 16-19, 21.
Could this be, if he had yet become Saul's armourbearer?

7. Jonathan's Love and David's Promotion. xviii. 1-5.

Significance of the presents? 4.
Why this effect on Jonathan?
When did David remain permanently with Saul? 2, cf. xvii. 15.
When did he become armourbearer? 5.
Who meant by "Saul's servants"? 5.

§ V. SAUL'S JEALOUSY AND DAVID'S FLIGHT. xviii. 6-xx. 42.

1. Beginning of the Jealousy. xviii. 6-11.

Point in the allusion to the kingdom? 8, cf. xv. 28.
Meaning of "eyed David"? 9.
How Did David escape the spear? 11. [11]

2. David's First Promotion. 12-16.

Motive of this appointment? 13.
Meaning of "went out and came in before them"? 16, cf. Num. xxvii. 17; II. Chron. i. 10.

3. Saul Lays Plots for the Death of David. 17-30.

Why the promise not kept? 19.
Why demand the foreskins? 25.
General effect of these plots? 27, 30.

4. Jonathan Intercedes for David. xix. 1-7.

Why did Saul yield so readily? 6.

5. Third Attempt to Kill David. 8-17.

Why the spear in hand? 9.
What the teraphim? 13.
Was Michal's answer true? 17.
Of what were pillows made then? 13.

6. David Protected by Samuel. 18-24.

What was Naioth of Ramah? 19.
What caused the prophesying? 20, 21, 23.
Who the company of prophets? 20, cf. x. 5, 6, 10.
In what sense naked? 24.
Why the proverb twice? 24, cf. x. 12.

7. David Appeals to Jonathan. xx. 1-11.

Why Jonathan's denial? 2, cf. xix. 6.
Why should David be present at the new moon? 5.
Was the statement about the family feast true? 6.

8. An Oath of Friendship and a Sign Agreed Upon. 12-23.

Why go out in the field? 11.
What Jonathan's expectation? and why? 14, 15.
Meaning of "The Lord do so to Jonathan, and more also"? 13.

9. The Scene at the Feast. 24-34. [12]

Why did Jonathan stand up? 25, cf. 34.
Why think David unclean? 26.
Why expect him at all when in such danger?
Why Jonathan's fierce anger? 34.

10. The Signs Given, and the Friends Part. 35-42.

Why did David show himself? 41.
Show the superiority of Jonathan's friendship?

§ VI. DAVID OUTLAWED, AND HIS FRIENDS PERSECUTED.
xxi. 1-xxii. 23.

1. David Obtains Bread and a Sword from the Priest. xxi. 1-9.

Where the tabernacle now? 1.
Why say, "no man with thee"? 1, 4.
Was it right for them to eat the bread? See Lev. xxiv. 9, cf. Matt. xii. 4.
How excuse David's falsehood? 2.

2. He Seeks Refuge in Gath. 10-15.

Why go to the old enemy?
What was his danger? 12.
Why call him "king of the land"? 11.

3. He Flees to Cave and Becomes Captain of a Band. xxii. 1, 2.

Where was Adullam? 1; Lands of the Bible, 222.
Why did his family come to him? 1.
Why the debtors? 2, cf. Lev. xxv. 39, 47, 48; II. Ki. iv. 1.

4. He Provides for His Parents. 3-5.

Why to the king of Moab? 3, 4, cf. Ruth, iv. 10-17.
Why the prophet Gad with David? 5.
An incident of this period. I. Chron. xi. 15-19.

5. Doeg Betrays and Kills the Priests. 6-23. [13]

How was David discovered? 6.
How in Gibeah, and in Ramah? 6.
Why say, "ye Benjamites"? 7.
Why charge them with treachery? 8.
What was false in Doeg's charge? 10.
Why an Edomite with Saul? 9, cf. xxi. 7.
Why the refusal of the soldiers? 17.
Of whose kindred were these eighty-five priests? 18, cf. ii. 31-34.
How know that Doeg would tell? 22, cf. Ps. lii. 1-9.

§ VII. SAUL'S ATTEMPTS TO CAPTURE DAVID. xxiii. 1-xxvii. 12.

1. David Rescues Keilah from the Philistines. xxiii. 1-5.

David's motive?
Where was Keilah? See Josh. xv. 20-44.

2. Saul's First Attempt. 6-13.

Was the oracle true?
Why the increase of David's men? 13, cf. xxii. 2; xxiv. 22.

3. Jonathan and David Renew Their Covenant. 14-18.

Why this?

4. The Ziphites Betray David, and Saul's Second Attempt. 19-29.

Where is Ziph? Lands of the Bible, 255.
Where was Maon? and what the Arabah? 24.
Where is En-gedi? and what the strong holds? 29, Lands of the Bible, 252-254.
David's poem on the Ziphites Ps. liv. 1-7.

5. Saul's Third Attempt. xxiv. 1-22.

Meaning of "rocks of the wild goats"? 2.
Why David caught in the cave? 3.
Why was Saul spared? 6, 10.
How did David dare to show himself? 8.
Why say, "after a dead dog, after a [14] flea"? 14.
Why did Saul weep? 16.
Why conclude that David would be king? 20.
Why the oath exacted? 21, 22.

6. The Death of Samuel. xxv. 1.

Why all Israel together?
Why buried in his house?

7. David is Insulted by Nabal. 2-13.

Where Carmel and Maon? 2.
Ground of the request? 5-8, cf. 15, 16.
Point in the remark about servants? 10.
What David's purpose? 13.

8. Abigail Is Warned, and Intercedes. 14-31.

Why think that evil was determined? 17.
Meaning of allusion to "the bundle of life" and to the sling? 29.

9. The Results to all Parties. 32-44.

Why David so thankful? 33.
Why Abigail so willing? 41.
When did he take Ahinoam? 43.
Why Michal given to another? 44.

10. Saul's Fourth Attempt. xxvi. 1-25.

Why did David send spies this time? 4.
Meaning of "place of the wagons"? 5.
Why propose to go into the camp? 6.
Why venture to talk? 8, 9, cf. 12.
Why the rebuke of Abner? 15, 16.
Why David's proposal? 19.

11. David Goes again to Achish. xxvii. 1-7.

Why safer among the Philistines? 1, cf. 4.
Why ask for a town? 5.
Bearing of 6 on the date of this book?

12. A Raid upon Heathen Tribes. 8-12.

His purpose?
Why the deception? [15]

§ VIII. SAUL'S LAST WAR. xxviii. 1-xxxi. 13.

1. The Philistines Invade the Land. xxviii. 1-4.

What the understanding between Achish and David? 1, 2.
Point in the remark about Samuel and the wizards? 3.
Where Shunem and Gilboa? 4, cf. Lands of the Bible, 300, 302.

2. Saul Resorts to a Witch. 5-25.

Why was Saul so alarmed? 5, cf. 4.
What God's ways of answering? 6.
Why inquire for such a woman? 7.
Where is En-dor? and how related to the two camps? 7, cf. Lands of the Bible, 300-304.
Why disguise himself? 8.
Why the woman's suspicion? 9, cf. Ex. xxii. 18; Deut. xviii. 10-12.
How did she learn that it was Saul? 12.
How know that it was Samuel? 14.
In what sense disquieted? 15.
Why name David as the successor? 17.
How would Saul be with Samuel? 19.
Why Saul's fast? 20.
Why did Samuel appear?

3. Previous March of the Philistines, and Rejection of David. xxix. 1-11.

Who was right in the dispute?

4. A Disaster at Ziklag. xxx. 1-6.

Why this? Cf. xxvii. 8-12.
Why blame David? 6.

5. Those Making the Raid Overtaken and Routed. 7-29.

Why the two hundred so faint? 10, cf. xxix. 11, 4.

6. The Spoil Distributed. 21-31.

When made a statute and ordinance? 25.
Why some of the spoil sent to the elders of cities? 26-31, cf. 31. [16]

7. The Battle, and the Death of Saul. xxxi. 1-7.

Why wish the armourbearer to slay him? 4.
General result of the battle? 7.
Who was Abinadab? 2, cf. xiv. 49.

8. Disposal of the Bodies of Saul and His Sons. 8-13.

Where was Beth-shan? xxxi. 10, cf. Lands of the Bible, 301.
Why did the men of Jabesh-gilead rescue the bodies? 11, 12.
Why burn them? 12 . [17]

[CNSH2 1-17]

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J. W. McGarvey
Class Notes on Sacred History, Volume II (1894)

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