Welcome to Bible Gateway’s weekly Look at the Book series of short blog posts and infographics introducing you to the books of the Bible. In this post we’ll dive into the first half of the Samuel scroll, known in modern Bibles as 1 Samuel.
Scroll to the bottom if you’d prefer to see (and save) this article as an infographic. You’ll also find a handy 30-day reading guide. Or, for a challenge, you can do it in one week using the 7-day reading guide below.
Summary
The people refuse to listen to God and make the rough transition from the time of the judges to the reign of Saul, whom God calls Samuel to anoint as Israel’s first earthly king.
- Category: History
- Theme: Kingship
- Timeline: About 1100-1000 BC
- Written: No clear indication of author or date of composition
Key Verse
“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)
A King in Israel
The events covered in 1 Samuel span the sovereignty of God answering Hannah’s prayer for a son, to allowing the Philistines to defeat Israel, to the Israelites’ demand for a king, to David slaying the giant and becoming the rightful king of Israel.
7 Day Reading Guide
(See 30-day guide below.)
- Day 1: 1 Samuel 1-5
- Day 2: 1 Samuel 6-9
- Day 3: 1 Samuel 10-13
- Day 4: 1 Samuel 14-18
- Day 5: 1 Samuel 19-22
- Day 6: 1 Samuel 23-26
- Day 7: 1 Samuel 27-31
Consider
The books of 1 and 2 Samuel span about 135 years of history. During those years, Israel was transformed from a loosely knit group of tribes under judges to a united nation under the reign of a centralized monarchy.
Access the rest of the series here. Browse Bible studies for each book of the Bible. Or right-click on the infographic below to download and save the image for your reference.
Chris Fann is the Senior Digital Marketing Manager for Harper Christian Resources. He loves the smell ofa baseball glove, coffee, and old books. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his wife, 2 teenage boys, and their dog, Freya.
