Bible Study: I Samuel


There are lots of names in I Samuel 1:1. Can you tell what the man’s name is that the story is concerned with?

What are the names of his two wives? (1:2)

Which wife is not able to have children? (1:2)

Where does this man go to worship every year? (1:3)

Who does he worship? (1:3)

What are the names of the priest and his sons? (1:3)

Elkanah gives offerings for Penninah and his children to give to the priest. But he doesn’t forget Hannah. What does he give to her? Why? (1:5)

Is Penninah a good friend and support to Hannah? (1:6)

What does Hannah do, every year, at the house of the Lord? (1:7)

Does your heart ache for Hannah?

Elkanah tries to cheer Hannah up, by saying he is better than ten sons, and that she shouldn’t be so sad. But she is. On one of these occasions, at Shiloh, she makes a vow to the Lord. What is her vow? (1:11)

Eli is watching her, as she makes this vow. Her mouth is moving, but Eli doesn’t hear any words. He hears mumbling. What does Eli think about Hannah? (1:13)

Hannah denies his accusation. What does she say she has been doing? (1:15)

After learning this, what does Eli say to her? (1:17)

When Hannah leaves the sanctuary, how is her heart? (1:18)

The Lord answers Hannah’s prayers. She has a child, a son! What does she name him? (1:20) (Does your Bible say, in a footnote, what this name means?)

The next year, does Hannah go to worship at Shiloh? (1:21-22)

What is her plan f or returning to Shiloh? (1:22)

The next time they go to Shiloh, what do Hannah and Elkanah take with them, along with their son, when she does go to worship the Lord? (1:24)

Who does Hannah hand her son over to? (1:25)

How does she describe her action? That is, what is doing with her son, and for how long? (1:28)

Hannah’s prayer is given to us in Chapter 2:1-10. It is a beautiful, and powerful, prayer. It is often compared to the song of Mary, in Luke 1:46ff. Read Hannah’s prayer, and Mary’s song, and see how both these women see God’s movement in history as being on the side of the lowly, the poor, the barren, and the forgotten.

In I Samuel 2:10, who will God give strength to, and what will be exalted?

Elkanah and Hannah return home, to Ramah. What does their child do? (2:11)

Who is corrupt? Why? (2:12)

It seems that these men were stealing, for themselves, from the meat offerings that should have been offered to God in the sacrifices of the people. Verses 13-16 describe what they are doing wrong, taking for themselves what is not theirs. How are theirs actions described? (2:17)

Contrasted with these evil men, who is doing right before the Lord? How is he described? (2:18)

What does Hannah bring to her son every year? (2:19)

Eli blesses Elkanah and Hannah for their sacrifice. What happens to Hannah? (2:21)

What does Eli hear about his sons? (2:22)

Eli confronts them, but do they listen and heed his words? (2:25)

How does Samuel grow? (2:26) (Luke describes Jesus in a similar way: compare this with Luke 2:52)

Who visits Eli and gives him a word of judgment? (2:27)

This man says that great things were promised to Eli’s house by God, but those things are now going to be taken back. What is prophesied in 2:31?

What is in store for Phinehas and Hophni? (2:34)

Does God leave the situation hopeless? (2:35)

How is the word of the Lord described in these days? (3:1)

How is Eli’s eyesight? (3:2)

Has the lamp of God gone out? (3:3)

Where is Samuel lying down? (3:3)

Who calls Samuel? (3:4)

What is Samuel’s response? (3:4)

Who does Samuel think has called him? (3:5)

Does Samuel know the Lord yet, in a personal way? (3:7)

This happens several times. On the third time, what does this man tell Samuel to do? (3:9)

What is the news, being told to Samuel, going to do to everyone who hears of it? (3:11)

What is this news? (3:12-13)

Is Samuel eager to tell Eli of this news? (3:15)

Does Eli seem to know that the message from the Lord is about him? (3:17)

Nothing happens right away. Instead, we are told the Samuel grows up before the Lord. How is Samuel described in 3:19-20?

Are people beginning to hear about Samuel’s power and leadership? (4:1)

Who is going to battle Israel now? (4:1)

Where do the Israelites encamp? (4:1)

Who wins this battle? (4:2)

What do the elders of Israel think they need in order to fight the Philistines? (4:3)

Who brings this thing to them? (4:4)

What does Israel do when they see this mighty thing brought into their camp? (4:5)

What happens to the Philistines when they hear that the ark has brought to the battlefield? (4:6-7)

In spite of this, who wins the battle? (4:10)

How many Israelites are killed? (4:10)

What is captured by the Philistines? (4:11)

Who else has been killed? (4:11)

How is the runner described, who brings news of the army’s defeat to Shiloh? (4:12)

Where is Eli? (4:13)

What is Eli’s heart beating for? (4:13)

How old is Eli? (4:15)

The messenger describes the defeat of the army. He tells Eli that his sons have died. What happens when the messenger tells Eli of the capture of the ark of God? (4:18)

How long had Eli judged Israel? (4:18)

Now attention turns to someone else. Who? (4:19)

What happens to her? (4:19-20)

What is her child named, and why? (4:21)

The ark is taken to Ashod. Where do the Philistines put it? (5:2)

What do the Philistine people find when they come to worship the next day? (5:3)

What do they find the next day? Is the damage worse? (5:4)

Who do you think is winning this “Battle of the Gods?” The Lord or Dagon?

What happens to the people of Ashdod now? (5:6)

What do the people of Ashdod decide to to do with the ark? (5:8)

What happens to the people of the Gath? (5:9)

What do these people do with the ark? (5:10)

What do the people of this new city say we they see the ark coming? (5:10)

All the leaders of the Philistines gather together to figure out what to do with the ark. What do they think is the best thing to do with it? (5:11)

What “offering gifts” are included with the ark when it is returned? (6:4)

What question do the Philistine priests and diviners ask of the people? (6:6)

What animals will be used to pull t he cart with the ark on it? (6:7)

What do they do with these animals offspring? (6:7)

What are the people to watch? (6:8)

Where do the cows go? Back to Israel (Beth Shemesh), or after their calves? (6:12)

What do the people of Beth Shemesh do when the ark returns to them? (6:13-15)

A strange thing now occurs. The Lord strikes the people of Beth Shemesh, maybe even worse than the Philistines! Why are they struck down? (6:19)

Where does the ark go next? (6:21)

How long does the ark remain in this place? 7:2)

What does Samuel tell the people to do? (7:3)

Do the people do it? (7:4)

Where does Samuel tell the people to gather, to consecrate themselves to the Lord? 7:5)

When the Philistines hear that all these people have gathered together in one place, not as any army, but as worshipers, what do the Philistines do? (7:7)

Are the Israelites afraid? (7:7)

What do the ask Samuel to do? (7:8)

As the Philistines prepared to attack, what does the Lord do? (7:10)

The Philistines are chased away and Samuel sets up a stone to commemorate this event. What is the name of the stone, and what is it’s meaning? (7:12)

While Samuel judged Israel, how did the Philistines fare? (7:13)

Israel gets back some of its land and it also has peace with other neighbors. Would you say that Samuel has been a good judge and leader?

Samuel travels throughout the land of Israel, being a unifying force for the country. But he has a home base. Where is it? (7:17)

As Samuel gets older, his sons begin to take his place as judges. What are their names? (8:2)

Are they good judges? (8:3)

The people come to Samuel and confront him with some harsh realities. What do they demand of him? (8:5)

Samuel does not think this is a good idea. He talks to God about it. What does God say? Who have the people rejected? (8:7)

What does God say the people should be warned about? (8:9)

Samuel warns the people. What does he say a king will do?
(8:11-17)

What does Samuel predict the people will do, after they’ve had a king for awhile? (8:18)

Even after these warnings, what do the people still want, and why? (8:19-20)

What is the name of the man written about in I Samuel? (9:1)


What is his son’s name? How is he described? (9:2)


What is lost and who goes looking for them? (9:3)


Is this an easy search? (9:4)


Why does Saul think they should stop looking? (9:5)


What does his servant suggest? (9:6)


What is now their concern? (9:7)


Who has the solution? (9:8)


Before people were called “prophets,” what were they called? (9:9)


Who tells them where to find the man of God? (9:11)


Who is this seer? (9:14)


Was Samuel expecting Saul to come and see him? (9:15-16)


What does the Lord tell Samuel to do to Saul? What is Saul to be? (9:16-17)


Saul and Samuel meet and talk. Samuel invites him to join him for the sacrifice, and eat with him. What does he tell Saul not to worry about? (9:20)


Samuel tells Saul that all of Israel will look to him and his father’s house. Does Saul know what Samuel is talking about, or want any part of it? (9:21)


What place does Saul get at the banquet? (9:22)


Samuel spends some time talking to Saul about something, in I Samuel 9:25. We don’t know what they talked about, but might it not be about the idea of kingship?


The next morning, Samuel makes sure he is alone with Saul, by sending the servant on ahead. What does Samuel he needs to announce to Saul? (9:27)


What does Samuel do to Saul to mark him as God’s choice to be king? (10:1)


(The “anointed one” is very important in Israel. He is marked to be the king. And there is even more for Christians to understand. The word for anointed in Hebrew is “messiah” and the word for anointed in Greek is “christ.” This tells us that Jesus Christ is the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ of God. “Christ” is not Jesus’ name, therefore, it is His title!)


Where does Samuel say that Saul will meet two men on his way home? (10:2)


What will they say about Saul’s father worrying? (10:2)


Where will Saul meet the next group of men? (10:3)


Where will they be going? What will they be carrying? (10:3)


What will they give to Saul? (10:4)


What will Saul encounter next? (10:5)


What will come upon Saul there? (10:5)


What will happen to Saul there? (10:6)


When Saul left Samuel, what did God give him? (10:9)


All the things that Samuel said would happen came true. What saying came about after Saul was filled with the Spirit and prophesied? (10:12)


When he gets back close to him, Saul see his uncle. What does Saul’s uncle ask him? (10:14)


Saul tells him they couldn’t find the donkeys and ended up going to see Samuel. Does he tell his uncle what Samuel said about him, or about the anointing? (10:16)


Where does Samuel tell the people to gather, to receive their king? (10:17)


How are the people to present themselves before the Lord? (10:19)


Eventually, the tribe of Benjamin is called forth. Samuel was chosen and Samuel is expecting Saul to be among his tribe. Is he? (10:21)


Everyone starts looking for Saul. Where is he found? (10:22)


He is pulled out of hiding, and he is described as looking very kingly.


Was everybody happy to have Saul chosen as their king? (10:27)

Who comes up and makes a stand against Jabesh-Gilead? (11:1)


What do the men of Jabesh Gilead suggest to their enemy? (11:1)


What is the condition that is added by the enemy? (11:2)


Do the elders of Jabesh Gilead accept this condition? (11:3)


What do they ask for? (11:3)


When the messengers deliver this news to the people of Israel, what do they do? (11:4)


Where is Saul coming from when he gets the news? (11:5)


What comes upon Saul when he hears what is happening? (11:6)


What does Saul do to a yoke of oxen? (11:7)


How many people respond to his call? (11:8)


What word is sent to the people of Jabesh Gilead? (11:9)


Were the people of Jabesh Gilead glad to hear this? (11:9)


What do the people Jabesh Gilead say to their enemy after they hear this? (11:10)


Saul and his army attack the Ammonites the next day. Do they win the battle? (11:11)


What people of Israel are now remembered by the victorious army, and what do they want to do with them? (11:12)


Does Saul agree with this action? (11:13)


Samuel is back in the picture. What does he say the people should do? (11:14)


(Why do you think Samuel thinks this is necessary, or at least a good idea?)


Who rejoices gladly in I Samuel 11:15?


I Samuel 12 gives us Samuel’s view of things, and how he believes kingship is still an abandonment of God. When he asks the people if he has ever done them wrong, what do they say? (12:4)


Samuel reviews some of the great leaders that God has raised up for Israel. Who are they? (12:6, 11)


But, Samuel says, now that the latest trouble has come, what do the people want? (12:12)


What advice & warning does Samuel give in 12:14-15?


To show that he is truly telling the truth, and is indeed a prophet, what does Samuel say the Lord will send on this day of wheat harvest? (12:17)


The people know they are sinning when they ask for a king, because of the thunder and rain that the Lord sends. Samuel advises the people to follow the Lord. If they don’t, and turn aside after false gods, what will happen to them? (12:21, 25)



What years are mentioned in your Bible in I Samuel 13:1?



How many men does Saul choose for his army and how are they divided? (13:2)


Who attacks the garrison of the Philistines? (13:3)


How many men do the Philistines gather to fight back a little later? (13:5)


What do the Israelites do when they see the Philistines’s army? (13:6)


What do some of the Hebrews do? (13:7)


Apparently, Samuel has told Saul he will meet him at Gilgal to call upon the name of the Lord and receive His help. How many days does Saul wait for Samuel? (13:8)


What was happening by the time the seventh day arrived? (13:8)


Who ends up offering the burnt offering? (13:9)


As soon as offering is over, who shows up? (13:10)


Does he praise Saul for his initiative? (13:11, 13)


What is the result of Saul’s not waiting for Samuel? (13:14)


Who has the Lord now sought? (13:14)


How many men are now with Saul? (13:15)


Does it sound like the Israelites had good weapons to fight with? (13:19-22)


As the two sides go out to face each other, who, on the Israelites side, has a spear & sword? Does this even seem fair? (13:22)


Who decides to attack the garrison of the Philistines? Who does he take with him? (14:1)


Do they tell anybody where they are going? (14:1)


Saul has a priest with him, and he is wearing the ephod. Are they alerted to what is going on? (14:3)


Does Jonathan seem to trust in the Lord? (14:6)


What is the test Jonathan will use to know whether they should attack the Philistines or not? (14:10)


What do the Philistines say to them? (14:11)


This response is the sign that the Lord is with Jonathan and his armor bearer. Do they win this skirmish? (14:13-14)


Saul, from his camp, sees that something the Philistines seem to be fleeing, or at least, or running in confusion. What does he want to know? (14:17)


Surprise! Who is not in the camp? (14:17)


What does Saul ask the priest, Ahijah, to bring to him? (14:18)


Before the priest can inquire of God, what does Saul tell him to do? Why? (14:19)


Saul and his men join the battle. Who else comes and fights with them? (14: 21-22)


Who is credited with saving Israel that day? (14:23)


Earlier that day, what had Saul sworn an oath that he and his army would not do until the battle was won? (14:24)


Everyone seems to have heard this oath, except Jonathan, because he was busy fighting against the garrison. What does he do? (14:27)


How is the army affected by Saul’s oath? (14:28)


When he is told about his father’s oath, what does Jonathan say? Does he feel this was a good or bad thing to do? (14:29-30)


What does this hungry army do? (14:32)


Does this please Saul? (14:33)


This eating of the meat without ritual draining of the blood is seen as a great sin. (Another consequence of Saul’s rash oath!). What does Saul ask be rolled to him? (14:33)


What does he use this thing for? (14:35)


Saul proposes that his army go after the Philistines and plunder them even more. What does the priest say he should do first? (14:36)


What is the answer that God gives? (14:37)


Saul believes the divine silence is because someone broke the oath that he took on their behalf that day. Prophetically, he even says that if the person is his own son, his son should die. Do the people tell him who broke the oath? (14:39)


Saul makes the army stand in one group and he and Jonathan are in by themselves. The cast lots (Urim & Thummim) to decide who is the guilty person. Who does the lot fall upon? (14:42)


Jonathan is astonished that he should die because he took a little honey! Nevertheless, what does Saul say? (14:44)


Who intercedes for Jonathan and saves him from the hand of his father? (14:45)


Do these sound like peaceful days? (14:47)


Who are the sons of Saul? (14:49)


Who are his daughters? (14:49)


What is the name of Saul’s wife? (14:50)


Who is the commander of Saul’s army? Is he related to Saul? (14:50)


Because of these turbulent times, what does Saul do whenever he sees a strong, brave man? (14:52)

What does Samuel tell Saul that God wants him to do? (15:3)


Who does Saul tell to get out of the way of the battle that is to come? (15:6)


Does Saul kill Agag, the king of the Amalekites? (15:8)


Do Saul and his army kill everything they were told to kill? (15:9)


Do these actions of Saul sit well with the Lord? (15:11)


What kind of a monument does Saul set up on Mt. Carmel? (15:12)


What does Saul tell Samuel he has done? (15:13)


What is Samuel’s response? (15:14)


Why does Saul say his army spared the good animals? (15:15)


I’m not sure that Samuel believes him! What does he tell Saul to do? (15:16)


Saul tries to plead his case (which we might even be sympathetic to!) but what does Samuel say is better than sacrifices? (15:22)


What is rebellion as bad as? (15:23)


What about stubbornness or arrogance? (15:23)


Samuel say that Saul has rejected the word of the Lord. Therefore, what is the Lord doing to Saul? (15:23)


Saul asks Samuel to forgive him and let him go and worship the Lord. Who do you think Saul should have asked for forgiveness from?


Samuel repeats the words that Saul is rejected by God.. As he turns to leave Saul, what does Saul do? (15:27)


This action becomes a symbol of God’s action. What does Samuel say it stands for? (15:28)


What words does Samuel use to describe the Lord in I Samuel 15:29?


Will He change His mind? (15:29)


Samuel finally agrees to go with Saul so that they can worship the Lord. Who does Samuel ask to be brought before him when they return to the people? (15:32)


Does this king think the worst is over for him, that maybe now he will be freed? (15:32)


What does Samuel say and do? (15:33)




Samuel and Saul then go their separate ways. Do they see each other again? (15:35)


God tells Samuel to stop grieving over Saul. God says it is time for prepare for the future. Where is Samuel supposed to go, and for what purpose? (16:1)


Why does Samuel hesitate in going? (16:2)


What is to be Samuel’s excuse for going to this place, and who is he supposed to invite to join him? (16:2-3)


The people of the Bethlehem meet Samuel as he comes into town. Are they glad to see him? (16:4)


Jesse and his sons are consecrated before the sacrifice is offered. As Samuel looks at these sons of Jesse, he seems to be hopeful. What does he think when Eliab comes and stands before him. (16:6)


But Eliab is not the one that God has chosen. Is Samuel to judge by outward appearances? (16:7)


What does the Lord look at? (16:7)


How many of Jesse’s sons pass before Samuel? Are any of them the Lord’s chosen one? (15:10)


What is Samuel’s question to Jesse? (15:11)


Which of Jesse’s sons isn’t there? Where is he? (15:11)


When he arrives, how is he described? (15:12)


What does the Lord say to Samuel? (15:13)


Samuel anoints this boy and the Spirit comes upon him. What is this boy’s name? (15:13)


What troubles Saul, now that the Lord has departed from him? (16:14)


What do Saul’s servants think he needs? (16:16)


Do they have anyone in mind? (16:17)


(He is described as being a man of war here; perhaps some years have passed since the previous verses about David, or it could be that the writer is giving a prophetic glimpse into David’s life. There is much scholarly debate about this part of the story).


What does Jesse send to Saul, besides his son? (16:20)


David becomes Sauls’ servant. Does he like his new job? What is the job? (15:21)


HIs other job, I think his main one, is to play the harp for Saul. What would happen to Saul when David played his harp? (15:23)


What do you think this is saying about David?