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