Wicked Crazy King: Never A Good Combo

This is the study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting January 30 to study 1 Samuel 21 & 22 (yes, two chapters).  This is where Saul really becomes unhinged; dark days for Israel.  There are a lot of details in these chapters, some of which you asked about last week.  Good questions then, and here are some good answers.

Read through both chapters, and even the next if you haven't already.  Go back through these chapters a few times, in different translations.  Be looking for odd details, strange elements that paint a peculiar picture.  Note the priests of Nob.  What seems strange about them, their behavior, and their responses to David and Saul?  Look for Nob on a map somewhere in your Bible or atlas.  Be sure to jot down questions or insights you find in these chapters.

Once you've gone through several times already, go back through with these questions:

Chapter 21

• David leaves Jonathan and goes to Nob.  Why do you think the priests would come out 'trembling'?
• There are several questions Ahimelech asks that indicate he knows something's up with David being there.  Why do you think he keeps asking these questions?  What do you think he's after?
• What is the issue with the bread?  What must the men with David be to partake of the bread?
• Read Leviticus 24:5-9.  What's the problem with Ahimelech giving this bread to David?  Why do you think he would do so anyway?
• Read verse 7 in as many different translations as you have.  Most, if not all, state that Doeg is 'detained before' God.  This word seems to have theological significance in the Hebrew Scriptures with reference to God's sovereignty in that it is He who restrains things and people.  What might that mean here?
• Why would the sword of Goliath be here?  Why do you think this would be an important item for David to have?
• Where does David go after leaving Nob?  Remember back to 1 Samuel 17.  Why might David have thought of Gath, and why might this be a bad idea considering what David is carrying among his things?
• What do you think of the king of Gath?  What sort of ruler is he?  Is he smart, foolish, what?
• Why do you think David opts for the 'insanity plea'?

Chapter 22

•  Find Adullam on a map.  In what tribal area is it found?
• Why do you think his brothers and father come to him there?
• Who else comes to find David?  What sort of people are these?  What other story does this remind you of?
• Where does David go with his family?  Why go there?
• Where do you think this 'stronghold' is?
• Why do you think God wants David to return to Judah?
• What does Saul know about David?  So why do you think he remains under the tree?
• What does Saul hold over his servants?
• What does Saul believe about David?  Why would he think this?
• What is Doeg in the service of Saul?  Why do you think he would volunteer this information?
• Why do you think all the priests were summoned?
• What do you think it was about Ahimelech's defense that made Saul want to kill him?
•  If Saul holds lands and positions over his servants, and they won't kill the priests, what does this say about how his servants feel about the king?
• Look up 'H6293' in the Blue Letter Bible website.  What sort of range of meaning does this word have?  So where do you think Doeg did the 'falling' on the priests?
• What do you think of Doeg's obedience to Saul?  Do you think this is what Saul meant?
• What do you call this sort of 'warfare'? (we've looked at it before - as in Jericho)
• So, Abiathar escapes.  Where does he go?  What do you think it means that he knows where to find David?  
• What is David's response when he hears of the destruction of Nob?
• What do you think this means for the nation of Israel?  What do you think about Saul and his mental state?

This should do for now.  We may not get through both chapters.  We'll take it as far as we can.

See you Thursday!

Who Are You Again?

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Small Group meeting September 26 to study 1 Samuel 17.  This is a deceptively simple chapter.  When combined with chapter 16 it seems to repeat the beginnings of David and Saul meeting.

This week I have attached a document to the email to help you get a sense of documentation issues with the chapter.  The .PDF file is the text of 1 Samuel 17 translated from the Greek version of the Hebrew Scriptures (Septuagint or LXX).  This Greek text may preserve an older reading from the Hebrew Scriptures that the Hebrew text normally used.  It's not certain, it's possible.  Read this together with what have in our modern translations, and take careful note of the differences.

Read this chapter in as many translations as you have available.  The differences may surprise you.  Look up strange word usage in a concordance (like Strong's).  Be sure to take notes on what you find as you read through, jot down questions and the answers you come up with.

After reading through several times, go back through again using the questions below:

• Why do you think all the detail about who was on which hill across which valley might be important?
• If a cubit is about 18 inches and a span is about 6, how many fingers does he have on his left hand? (2 Samuel 21:20 - you thought I was kidding didn't you?)
• If a "shekel" is about .5 oz, then about how heavy was Goliath's armor in lbs.?
• How heavy would the head of his spear be?
• Why do you think the ranks of Israel fled from one Philistine?
• Why would we be 're-introduced' to David in verse 12?
• If David goes back and forth from Saul to the flock, how known would he be by Saul?
• Why would the giant come out every day, all day, for forty days?  What's he and the Philistines doing?
•  Why do you think would Jesse send supplies to the commander of his sons, not just his sons?
• If David leaves early, and arrives as the giant is coming out, how long was his trip?  
• Think about the 'scuttlebutt' in the ranks as the giant comes out.  Saul has raised the stakes for a champion, everyone's talking about it, so why doesn't someone try for it?  What's the assumption in the ranks?
• Why might David want to hear the same spiel over and over?
• Why, if David was anointed right in front of him, would his brother be all upset by David now?
• How put off by his older brother is David?
• David volunteers to fight the giant.  What experience has he had with giants?
• What do you think of David's lion and bear fighting technique?
• What would David have been using against the lion and bear?
• If he's not wearing armor, what advantage would he have over the giant?
• David picks up 5 stones not 1.  In light of 2 Samuel 21, why might that have been a good idea?  What's he ready for?
• Back to taunting again.  Why is David's taunt so much better than the giants?
• Look at verse 49 in the attachment.  How does that help explain what the stone did to the giant?
• How did Goliath die?
• Where do you think the shield guy was?
• What does David do with the giant's stuff, like his head and his weapons?
• Why would Saul not know David?  Why wouldn't Abner?
• When David appears before Saul, where is the giant head now?

That should be plenty to fuel a discussion.  I look forward to seeing everyone Thursday!  Blessings upon you until then!