The Book of Samuel is the continuation of the Book of Judges and the Book of Ruth. As it opens, the period of the Judges is not yet over: Eli the priest was one of these judges (1 Sam. 4:18), and Samuel, the first prophet (Acts 3:24; Acts 13:20), was also a judge over Israel (1 Sam. 7:6). He thought he could establish his sons as judges after himself (1 Sam. 8:1), but their unfaithfulness put an end to this dispensation. Moreover, the period of the judges had a rather transitory character: the judges brought temporary relief to the wretchedness of the guilty people of Israel who, instead of exterminating the enemies of the Lord, had allowed them to live. Drawn away into iniquity and idolatry by these nations, Israel, as chastening for her disobedience, was obliged to bear their yoke. Under this tyranny, the people groaned and cried out to the Lord. Full of pity, He sent them deliverers who gave them respite by delivering them from the the hand of their spoilers. Alas! this did not change their heart. “And it came to pass when the judge died, that they turned back and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down to them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way” (Judges 2:19). During the period of the judges, the priesthood remained the immediate and recognized link, the point of contact, between the people and God. It represented the people in their relations with God who was Himself the King of Israel. Sometimes in those days when “every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25), the role of the priesthood might appear to have been eclipsed, but the link subsisted nonetheless. The Book of Ruth is inserted, as it were, toward the end of the history of the Judges, in order to reveal God's secret thought concerning a new dispensation, that of kingship or the kingdom. There we see God preparing a king according to His own heart; like Shiloh in Jacob's prophecy, he must proceed from Judah. Therefore this book begins with Elimelech, a man of Judah, and in closing it proclaims the name of King David, showing us beforehand who will be the Lord's anointed. Let us note here that the relationship with the Lord differs under the priesthood and under the kingdom. Under the priesthood, this relation was immediate, for the priest represented the people before God, whereas the kingdom is an authority established over the people. The people were subjected to the king who was to govern according to the mind of God. It was the king whom God expected to be faithful; he it was who was responsible before God for Israel's unfaithfulness, and the destiny of the people depended on his conduct. Until the final establishment of the king, we have in the First Book of Samuel a period of transition. The first great fact noted in this book is that the priesthood had proven unfaithful and could no longer serve as the foundation of a relationship between the people and God. Without doubt, the priesthood was still necessary and could not be abolished, but it ceased to have the first place. A new basis of relationship was established in the kingship. God was about to raise up “a faithful priest, who [should] walk before [His] anointed continually, instead of being, as in the past, the link between the people and God (1 Sam. 2:35). All this explains why the First Book of Samuel begins with the tribe of Levi and the priesthood, and not, as the Book of Ruth, with Judah and the kingdom. Elkanah was a Levite.1 Eli was the high priest;2 thus we are on the ground of the priesthood. Had the priesthood remained faithful, there would have been no occasion for a change of dispensation; therefore it was necessary, first of all, to ascertain that it was ruined before the true king should enter the scene, for God could not remain in relationship to the people through the medium of a corrupted priesthood. But, on the other hand, it was necessary to show, now that God was introducing His king as the intermediary between Israel and Himself, that this relationship could not be established on the basis of the flesh. This is the reason for Saul's entire history from 1 Samuel 9 to the end of the book. God could, without doubt, use a king according to the flesh to deliver His people, but this function did not qualify him morally to be the leader of Israel. The Book of Judges presents the same truth in the history of Samson. The gift and the moral state of a man are two very different things. Saul, who was later reproved, might be “among the prophets”; Balaam might bless Israel; Judas might do works of power together with the other disciples and all the while be an instrument of the enemy to betray the Lord, his Master.

Integrity is often discussed, challenged, occasionally vindicated; but what does it look like? Sometimes the best highlight of the diamond is the velvet against which it is cast. Likewise, narrative artistry subtly depicts flaws in character and flaws in leadership. When some ancients moved from insignificant provincials to emperors in a generation, why did those of the United Monarchy of Israel only achieved the "mini-empire" (Kitchen) and varying degrees of regional influence? Dr. Vreeland maintains that how leaders respond to God's rules of engagement and how they treat people make the difference between greatness and mediocrity. Lest this book be confused with a commentary, it must be said that it can be read ad loc. However, each section is designed to be a stand-alone essay that might be read ad seriatim. Throughout, Dr. Vreeland endeavors to be personable but professional, playful but pointed, impassioned at times but always thought provoking. Dr. Vreeland received his Ph.D. from Trinity International University in Theological Studies (Old Testament) in 1994. After raising support as a missionary he served for four years at the Nairobi International School of Theology. He was then invited to be part of the faculty of Northwest Baptist Seminary. He has concluded six years there (July '07) as Associate Professor of Semitic Languages and Biblical Literature. He teaches Hebrew and English Bible and other special topics. So far as the church in America is concerned, his love is serious biblical study as related to integrity and leadership - hence this work on First Samuel and its sequel in Second Samuel. Dr. Vreeland has been married for 26 years to the love of his life, Donna - who is the finest English Bible scholar on the planet and to whom this volume is gratefully dedicated. They have 3 grown children.

"A masterpiece of contemporary Bible translation and commentary."—Los Angeles Times Book Review, Best Books of 1999 Acclaimed for its masterful new translation and insightful commentary, The David Story is a fresh, vivid rendition of one of the great works in Western literature. Robert Alter's brilliant translation gives us David, the beautiful, musical hero who slays Goliath and, through his struggles with Saul, advances to the kingship of Israel. But this David is also fully human: an ambitious, calculating man who navigates his life's course with a flawed moral vision. The consequences for him, his family, and his nation are tragic and bloody. Historical personage and full-blooded imagining, David is the creation of a literary artist comparable to the Shakespeare of the history plays.

A well thought out treatment of the Old Testament from First Samuel to Psalms by one of the most influential Arminian theologians that was caused by the Reformation. This is the third book in a series that encompasses the whole Bible and gives us a look into the thinking of John Wesley and the church that arose around his powerful relationship with God.

Bible study notes and commentary on the Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Samuel. Emphasizes understanding the text with practical applications. Intended to be helpful to all Christians, including teachers and preachers, while avoiding an emphasis on technical issues. Written from the conservative viewpoint of faith in the Bible as the absolute, inerrant, verbally inspired word of God. Comments include discussion of these topics: * Lives of Samuel, David, and Saul * End of the period of Judges * Beginning of the United Kingdom in Israel * David's defeat of Goliath * Reign of David * David's sin with Bathsheeba and its consequences

판권지 KJV Reference Bible 07 Samuel 발행일 2021년 8월 30일 발행처 기독출판 소금 광주광역시 광산구 사암로57번길 20-11 이상현 010-2491-4620 등록일 2014년 10월 1일 가격 2,000원 ISBN 979-11-90104-82-1 세트 979-11-90104-89-0 작성한 저작물에 대한 저작권 기타 지적재산권은 기독출판 소금에 있습니다. 이용자는 기독출판 소금이 제공하는 서비스를 이용함으로써 얻은 정보를 사전 승낙없이 복제, 송신, 출판, 배포, 방송 기타 방법에 의하여 영리목적으로 이용하거나 제3자에게 이용하게 하여서는 안됩니다.