Day 93: OT First Kings C1-7; The Book of Samuel: Nations & People All with Cyclic Nature.

The First Book of Kings—this and the following Book are also called the Books of Samuel, because they tell of Samuel and the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. After the history of Heli and Samuel, the last of the Judges, this book records the beginning of the Jewish monarchy and the rule of the first king, Saul.

Back then nations would go to war, win and realize they lost, and then do it again. Perhaps this pattern is based upon the individual sufferings, promises to do good and relapses of an individual man? For like a person, so goes the nation?

Right now we are doing the same things!

How will this ever stop in the world today?

How will this ever stop within each human being today?

The only way is to learn how to change human hearts and the only One who can do that is Jesus through his beautiful cycle of mercy, forgiveness, and love.

It seems as though if one can do this, be saved by and be with Christ, than one’s world changes and if one world changes, many can do the same thing until the whole wide world is changed and Christ returns again.

Though the books are labeled Kings, Heli and Samuel were the last of the Judges.

 

Here is the story and it starts with a woman who was not able to have children of her own, well, at least not initially, before the Lord intervened.

And Anna made a vow, saying: “O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

Not sure the meaning of “no razor will come to his head?”

Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

Anna’s song of thanksgiving: my horn exalted in my God… for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him are thoughts prepared… for the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath set the world… He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, because no man shall prevail by his own strength.

No man shall prevail by his own strength… make a note of that!

Heli, the Judge to his sons, the priests: Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress. If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them (and He did, stay tuned).

But if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him?… don’t do that!

God: Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify; but they that despise me, shall be despised.

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to my heart, and my soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before my anointed.

Again, again the third time, and the Lord came and stood; and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel.

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.

And he arose up and went to Heli. And said: Here I am: for thou didst call me.

The Heli understood that the Lord called the child…

And Samuel said: Speak; Lord, for thy servant heareth.

And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: “Here I am.”

Lord to Samuel: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears will tingle. In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end. I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity; because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise them.’

Heli to Samuel: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me.

So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide then from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground… Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.

Was not Heli a faithful servant to the Lord? He could have pretended to be God but did not. Instead he redirected Samuel to the Lord. Was not the judgment he rendered to his sons to not sin against the Lord a chastisement? At what point is a father not responsible for the behavior of his sons?

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines and camped by the Stone of help (before it was deemed the Stone of help later by Samuel?)

And when they joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and they were slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.

Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.

And the Philistines understood that the ark of the Lord was come into camp. And the Philistines were afraid, saying God is come into the camp. And sighing they said: Woe to us… Woe to us… Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? These are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert. Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown… and there was an exceedingly great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophini and Phinees, were slain.

Heli: For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. Now Heli was ninety and eight years old… he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: and he judged Israel forty years.

And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, and set it by Dagon… they found Dagon lying upon his face on the earth before the ark of the Lord…

Emerods in their secret parts and a multitude of mice…

The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is heavy upon us and Dagon is our god.

And the Gentiles consulted together… send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, and not kill us and our people.

Now the ark of God was in the land of the Philistines seven months.

If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, send it not away empty, but render unto him what you owe for sin, and then you shall be healed: and you shall know why his hand departeth not from you.

According to the number of the provinces of the Philistines you shall make five golden emerods, and five golden mice.

And these are the golden emerods, which the Philistines returned for sin to the Lord

The first indulgences of the Bible?

And it came to pass, that from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cariathiarim days were multiplied (for it now was the twentieth year), and all the house of Israel rested following the Lord.

And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away strange gods from among you… and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel…

And they said to Samuel: Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines… the Philistines began the battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and terrified them, and they were overthrown before the face of Israel.

And Samuel took a stone, and laid it… and called the place, the Stone of help. And he said: Thus far the Lord hath helped us. And the Philistines were humbled, and they did not come any more into the borders of Israel… And he delivered Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Ammorrhites.

Peace, joy, unity, and freedom… why not all ye people and nations of the world?

Day 93: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; XXX.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The First Book of Kings Chapters 1-7

Bible Notes:

This and the following Book are also called the Books of Samuel, because they tell of Samuel and the two kings, Saul and David, whom he anointed. After the history of Heli and Samuel, the last of the Judges, this book records the beginning of the Jewish monarchy and the rule of the first king, Saul.

1 Kings Chapter 1: Elcana and his two wives; Anna grieves for her barrenness; Anna prays for a son; Birth of Samuel; Samuel is presented to the Lord.

There was a man… and his name was Elcana… and he had two wives, the name of one was Anna, and the name of the other was Phenenna.

And the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were there priests of the Lord

Elcana: to adore and to offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts… but to Anna he gave one portion with sorrow, because he loved Anna. And the Lord had shut up her womb. And why dost thou afflict thy heart? Am not I better to thee than ten children?

And Anna made a vow, saying: “O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”

Anna: I have poured out my soul before the Lord… for out of abundance of sorrow and grief have I spoken until now…

Heli to Anna: “Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.

Anna: Would to God thy handsmaid may find grace in thy eyes.

Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

Note: The name Samuel is a Hebrew baby name. In Hebrew the meaning of the name Samuel is: Name of God; asked of God; heard by God. Samuel was the prophet who anointed Saul and David as kings of Israel in the Old Testament.

Anna: Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord all the days of his life.

1 Kings Chapter 2: Anna’s song of thanksgiving; Wickedness of the sons of Heli; Samuel serves the Lord; Anna is rewarded with other children; Heli gently admonishes his sons; Prophecy against the house of Heli.

Anna’s song of thanksgiving: my horn exalted in my God… for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him are thoughts prepared… for the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath set the world… He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, because no man shall prevail by his own strength.

Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, not knowing the Lord…

Wherefore the sin of the young men was exceedingly great before the Lord: because they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord.

And the Lord visited Anna, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters: and the child Samuel became great before the Lord.

Heli to his sons: Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress. If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

Heli to his sons: Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress. If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

And thou hast rather honored thy sons than me…

Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify; but they that despise me, shall be despised.

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to my heart, and my soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before my anointed.

1 Kings Chapter 3: The Lord calls Samuel four times; God foretells the destruction of Heli; Samuel repeats God’s message to Heli; All Israel knows that Samuel is a prophet.

Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest vision.

And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: “Here I am.”

Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.

And he arose up and went to Heli. And said: Here I am: for thou didst call me.

The Heli understood that the Lord called the child…

Again, again the third time, and the Lord came and stood; and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel.

And Samuel said: Speak; Lord, for thy servant heareth.

Lord to Samuel: Behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears will tingle. In that day I will raise up against Heli all the things I have spoken concerning his house: I will begin, and I will make an end. I will judge his house for ever, for iniquity; because he knew that his sons did wickedly, and did not chastise them.’

Heli to Samuel: What is the word that the Lord hath spoken to thee? I beseech thee hide it not from me.

So Samuel told him all the words, and did not hide then from him. And he answered: It is the Lord: let him do what is good in his sight.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground… Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.

1 Kings Chapter 4: Philistines defeat the Israelites; The ark is brought into the camp; The Philistines capture the ark; Hali breaks his neck and dies; Birth of Ichabod.

And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines and camped by the Stone of help.

And when they joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and they were slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.

Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.

And the Philistines understood that the ark of the Lord was come into camp. And the Philistines were afraid, saying God is come into the camp. And sighing they said: Woe to us… Woe to us… Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? These are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert. Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.

So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown… and there was an exceedingly great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophini and Phinees, were slain.

Heli: For his heart was fearful for the ark of God. Now Heli was ninety and eight years old… he fell from his stool backwards by the door, and broke his neck, and died. For he was an old man, and far advanced in years: and he judged Israel forty years.

Heli’s daughter-in-law the wife of Phinees, was big with child… she bowed herself and fell in labor… Fear not, for thou hast born a son. She answered then not, nor gave heed to them. And she called the child Ichabod, saying ‘The glory is departed from Israel, because the ark of God was taken.

1 Kings Chapter 5: The Philistines set the ark in their temple; Dagon falls down before the ark; Emerods and mice afflict the Philistines; The ark is sent to Accaron.

And the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, and set it by Dagon… they found Dagon lying upon his face on the earth before the ark of the Lord…

Emerods in their secret parts and a multitude of mice…

The ark of the God of Israel shall not stay with us; for his hand is heavy upon us and Dagon is our god.

And the Gentiles consulted together, and made themselves seats of skin.

Therefore they sent the ark of God into Accaron…

Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, and not kill us and our people.

1 Kings Chapter 6: The Philistines decide to return the ark; The ark is taken to Bethsames; The Bethsames rejoice to see the ark; The offerings of the Philistines; Many slain for looking into the ark.

Now the ark of God was in the land of the Philistines seven months.

If you send back the ark of the God of Israel, send it not away empty, but render unto him what you owe for sin, and then you shall be healed: and you shall know why his hand departeth not from you.

According to the number of the provinces of the Philistines you shall make five golden emerods, and five golden mice.

And you shall take the ark of the Lord, and lay it on a cart… and send it away that it may go… and you shall look: and if it go up by way of his own coasts towards Bethsames, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, we shall know that it is not his hand hath touched us, but it hath happened by chance.

Taking two kine… yoked them to the cart…  and the kine took the straight way that leadeth to Bethsames… and the cart came into the field of Josue a Bethsamite, and stood there.

And the Levites…

And these are the golden emerods, which the Philistines returned for sin to the Lord

And to the great Abel the Stone whereon they set down the ark of the Lord, which was till this day in the field of Josue the Bethsamite.

But he (God) slew of the men of Bethsames because they had seen the ark of the Lord: and he slew of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand of the common people.

And they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Cariathiarim, saying: The Philistines have brought back the ark of the Lord, come ye down and fetch it up to you.

1 Kings Chapter 7: The ark is taken to the house of Abinadab; The Israelites repent; Israel defeats the Philistines; Summary of Samuel’s judgeship.

And it came to pass, that from the day the ark of the Lord abode in Cariathiarim days were multiplied (for it now was the twentieth year), and all the house of Israel rested following the Lord.

And Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying: If you turn to the Lord with all your heart, put away strange gods from among you… and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel…

And they said to Samuel: Cease not to cry to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hand of the Philistines… the Philistines began the battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and terrified them, and they were overthrown before the face of Israel.

And Samuel took a stone, and laid it… and called the place, the Stone of help. And he said: Thus far the Lord hath helped us. And the Philistines were humbled, and they did not come any more into the borders of Israel… And he delivered Israel from the hands of the Philistines, and there was peace between Israel and the Ammorrhites.

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