Explore the book of Samuel with Dr. David Lamb. Learn more about the book’s complex narrative and its role in the canon. Dig into the poetry within Samuel, as well as key themes, including wisdom, folly, obedience, the consequences of sin, and leadership.
This is the audio only version of OT321 Book Study: 1 & 2 Samuel. To purchase the full course, click here.
Course Outline
Unit 1: Introductory Issues
Let’s Call It Samuel
Composition of Samuel
Theories of Deuteronomistic Redaction
Samuel and the Canon
Prophets in the Former Prophets
Overview of Samuel
Textual Problems in the Book of Samuel
Unit 2: Eli and His Evil Sons, Hannah and Her Righteous Son
Working through the Text of Samuel
Eli and Hannah
Poetry in the Book of Samuel
Hannah’s Prayer
Eli’s Evil Sons and the Elide Judgment
Unit 3: The Call of Samuel and the Ark Narrative
The Call of Samuel
The Ark Narrative: The Ark Is Captured
The Ark Narrative: Sending the Ark back to Israel
Unit 4: Samuel: Prophet, Priest, and Judge
Samuel as Prophet
Samuel as Priest
Samuel as Judge
Unit 5: Samuel and Saul: Establishing the Monarchy
Legitimacy, Longevity, and Legacy
The Law of the King
The Transition from Samuel’s Judgeship to Saul’s Kingship
Saul’s Anointing
Saul Is Declared King by Samuel
Samuel’s Final Address to the People
Unit 6: The Downfall of Saul
Saul’s Premature Sacrifice
The Amalekites: The Divine Command to Wipe Out the Amalekites
The Amalekites: Samuel’s Response and Saul’s Disobedience
The Amalekites: Saul’s Confession
Unit 7: Royal Legitimation: Divine Election and Prophetic Anointing
Divine Election
Prophetic Anointing
Unit 8: David’s Rise
Comparing the Sins of David and Saul, and David’s Anointing
David and Goliath
David and the Tel Dan Stele
David Hunted by Saul
David Inquires of Yawheh
David Doesn’t Kill Saul and Nabal, but God Does
Wise Women in Samuel: Abigail
Wise Women in Samuel: The Woman of Tekoa and the Woman of Abel
David and the Ark
The Davidic Promise: Part 1
The Davidic Promise: Part 2
The Davidic Promise: Part 3
Unit 9: David’s Fall
David’s Family: Murder, Rape, and Adultery: Part 1
David’s Family: Murder, Rape, and Adultery: Part 2
Nathan’s Parable
David’s Family: Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom
The Rebellion of Absalom: Part 1
The Rebellion of Absalom: Part 2
The Rebellion of Absalom: Part 3
David’s Return to Jerusalem and the Rebellion of Sheba
Unit 10: The “Appendices” of Samuel and Conclusion to the Course
The Gibeonites Are Avenged, and David’s Mighty Men
Dr. David Lamb is associate professor of Old Testament at Biblical Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He has been teaching Old Testament at Biblical Seminary since 2006, and has been blogging (www.davidtlamb.com) since the spring of 2011. His dissertation, Righteous Jehu and His Evil Heirs, was published in 2007 (Oxford) and his book God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist? was published in 2011 (InterVarsity Press).