Samuel and the end of the Tribal Confederacy

I. Situation at Samuel's birth and during his childhood

A. Central sanctuary was at Shiloh

1. See Judges 21:19

2. Hereditary priesthood: I Samuel 1:3 and 9; 2:28-9 and chieftain: 4:18

3. But has become corrupt: 2: 12-17

4. Ark is present there: 3:4

B. Major defeat by the Philistines

1. Ark captured

2. Shiloh priests killed

3. Shiloh sanctuary destroyed; ark eventually moved to another town

4. Mizpah becomes new gathering place: 6: 6

C. Samuel becomes new chieftain: 7: 15

1. Establishes dynasty who also become corrupt: 8:1-4

II. Israel establishes a monarchy

A. First kingship origin story: 8: 4-22

1. kingship is rejection of G-d: 8:7

2. Samuel's prediction: 8: 10 - 18

a. prediction is eerily similar to Solomon's practices

B. First kingship story: 9:15 - 10:16 (unrelated to A)

1. Saul does not seek kingship nor know anything about it

2. He has been chosen by G-d

3. He is anointed by a prophet, priest, and chieftain (Samuel)

4. See fuller statement of kingship in note to 10:1

5. Kingship represented positively as salvation from Philistines

6. Saul himself becomes a prophet inspired by God 10: 9-11

7. G-d gave him "another heart": he acts differently than before

8. Yet returns home and doesn't mention he has become king! 10: 16

C. Second kingship story: picks up where A left off -- 10: 17-25

1. Samuel chooses by lot from among all the assembled tribes

2. Saul does not want to become king: 10:22-23

3. Samuel explains "rules of the monarchy" 10:25

4. Much skepticism about his abilities

D. Third kingship story (loosely related to C): 11:1-14

1. Saul is inspired military leader: 11:3-12

2. Chosen and inaugurated by the people: 11-14-15

3. Samuel's bitter farewell: 12: 1-23

4. Chapter 13 picks up thread from B (see 10:8)

5. Samuel rejects Saul and predicts failure 13:15

6. Philistines camp at pass of Michmas; Saul and his group are across a ravine at Geba

7. Israelite forces do not have iron weapons

8. Jonathan's victory via the cliffs