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Fr Tadros Yacoub Malaty A PATRISTIC COMMENTARY FIRST SAMUEL 2004 FR. TADROS Y. MALATY Translated by DR. GEORGE BOTROS English Text revised by Sameh Shafik Ferial Moawad COPTIC ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CENTER Orange - California INTRODUCTION NOMENCLATURE The two books of Samuel: I and 2, in the Hebrew origin, are one book that carries the name “Samuel”; not only on account of that the prophet ‘Samuel’ plays the main role in the first part of that book, but also because he was the first to anoint kings for Israel: ‘Saul’ and ‘David’; and because he was the first to introduce such kind of prophetically historical record, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; as well as other main roles that appeared in the two books. The word ‘Samuel’ does not mean, as some people think, (asked for from the Lord), based on the phrase: “ and called his name ‘Samuel,’ saying, ’because I have asked for him from the Lord’ “ (I Samuel 1: 20); but it means, (The Lord listened); If ‘Hannah’ said “ I have asked for him from the Lord,” she actually meant that (the Lord listened to her quest). The phrase “I have asked for him from the Lord” is probably closer to the name ‘Saul’ than it is to that of ‘Samuel’. Still some believe that the word ‘Samuel’ means (the name of God) or (His name is God). This book, in the Septuagint version, was divided into two, just for practical reasons: There was a need for using two rolls instead of one to accommodate it. This version considered that book to be among the ‘Kingdom Books,’ that embraced the four books: (1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 kings, and 2 kings), having included a comprehensive history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. St. Jerome adopted the same method in the Latin version of the ‘Vulgate,’ and called these books, ‘The Regnum books’; namely ‘The Royal Books’: (1 kings, 2 kings, 3 kings, 4 kings), instead of the ‘Kingdom books’. This mode of classification was adopted in the Hebrew Holy Book in the fourteenth century; and appeared in the second print by Daniel Bomberg in Venice in the year 1517 AD. Therefore the nomenclature followed here: (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel), came after the Hebrew version, using the Greek classification. AUTHOR According to Jewish tradition, delivered to the Church of the New Testament, the author of these two books, is the prophet Samuel - the head and pioneer of the school of prophets - until his death after which it was completed by the two prophets: Gad and Nathan (1 Chronicles 29: 29, 30). As the school of prophets, initiated by the prophet Samuel, had been the center of Hebrew culture, it kept special records of God’s dealings with His people, as is clear in the words: “ Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior (regulation) of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord” (1 Samuel 10: 25; this is while 2 Chronicles 9: 29), refer to the prophet Nathan, together with other prophets, as sources of the history of the reign of King Solomon. 2 TOPIC (1) Establishing a kingdom for the people; covering a history of about 150 years, between the birth of Samuel in the year 1171 BC, and the death of Saul. The first six chapters of the first book of Samuel introduce to us ‘Samuel’ as a prophet; then, after the sixth chapter his role as a judge is introduced. Yet, the second book of Samuel, introduces David as the indisputable king, who seized Jerusalem, and set it as a new center of worship, by bringing up the ark of the covenant, and setting it in the city (2 Samuel 5 - 6). (2) Concerning the anointment of a king for Israel, God Himself has been the King of the people who chooses their leaders, as prophets, like Moses and Samuel, or Judges like Gideon, and Samson. But when the people and their priests deviated from the truth, they were repeatedly chastised by the Lord (the Book of Judges) until they came to acknowledge their sins and to declare their repentance; The Lord then responded to them, and chose a new Judge to save them. Therefore the job of the judge was not official, inherited, nor was it confined to a particular tribe. When corruption reached a climax, that the children of priests and judges committed evil deeds, and became offense to the people, like the children of Ali the High priest, and those of the prophet Samuel, the people thought of a human solution, that is, setting a king to defend them. Speaking of setting kings for Israel, we find that this book, and for the first time, calls God “ The Lord of hosts” (1 Samuel 1: 3); to be mentioned after that more than 280 times. It is as though the divine inspiration intended to confirm that God is the King, who cares for His people, and who manages their affairs. Speaking of the anointment of kings, we also read, for the first time in the Holy Book, the term, “The Lord’s anointed”: “ The Lord will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to His king, and exalts the horn of His anointed” (1 Samuel 2: 10). The kings were called “The Lord’s anointed, being symbols of the Lord Christ who reigns on the cross, and who sets His kingdom in the heart. That is why we should not wonder why David refrained from stretching out his hand with evil, against king Saul, despite God’s rejection of him, on account of that he is “the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 26: 11). David himself then became a symbol of Christ the King, from whom He descended according to the flesh. The New Testament included David in the genealogy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born in the “city of David,’ and was truly the “Son of David” (See Acts 2: 25 - 31; Romans 1: 3). It is to be noticed that these two books (Samuel 1 and 2(, are not intended to introduce a history of religion but have concentrated mainly, in their presentation of the history of Israel, on revealing the role of God in the life of His people; controlling and guiding history, particularly in the sequence of events, by which He introduced, or allowed for the introduction of the royal system; setting it in the house of David to reign forever, as a Messianic house, having a promise of its permanency. FEATURES 3 (1) The historical review in the first and second books of Samuel, is considered as the first magnificent historical review in the history of mankind. The author -through the divine inspiration -has preceded all historians in his system. The following are some comments on this subject: [A modern scholar said: “the Book of Samuel is a greatly magnificent Book; not surpassed by any other, in its dealing with history, its insight in human nature, and its truthful portrayal of events. This Book reveals God’s ways of dealing with people, either good or evil; his dealings with peoples; and gives a true portrait of God’s works in His judgment and chastisement as well as in His forgiveness and mercy.]. [We have to comprehend that the two Books of Samuel include, in an extraordinary way, an original and objective history, particularly of the royal history of king David. For the first time we encounter a genuine historical record, in its regular modern sense. It is clear that the history of the royal palace has been written by an eyewitness of events who presents firsthand information, frankly and with the least amount of preaching. Although he had seen the hand of “Jehovah’ in the events, he was thinking of ‘Jehovah,’ working through persons and events in actual life more than through miracles. According to the opinion of some scholars, the author of that royal history, was definitely the first historian ever]. Robert H. Pfeiffer wrote about the author of the two Books of Samuel, as being the true pioneer of history, saying: [He is, undoubtedly, the real father of history, and more so than Herodotus who came 500 years later. In our opinion, he created history as an art, surveying events of the past through a great mind... without having before him a prior model to follow. Bearing a psychological insight, he introduced a marvelous model, without disregarding historical facts that were beautifully written, and perfectly produced. (2) The two Books of Samuel shed the light on the most important institutions at that time: Those of prophecy [the school of prophets]; of clergy [the spiritual work of the priest, and his worshipping liturgical role, not separated from keeping the commandment, and obeying God with a spiritual concept]; and of Messianic [Kings as the Lord’s anointed, who were committed to obey God in humility and to serve the people]. These institutions were led by the Holy Spirit, in its capacity as a divine Person: * Granting prophecy (1 Samuel 10: 6). * Granting a new heart (1 Samuel 10: 9). * Granting good zeal (anger) (1 Samuel 11: 6) * granting several capabilities (1 Samuel 16: 13, 18). * protecting man against the distressing evil spirits (1 Samuel 16: 14). (3) The first Book of Samuel is considered to be an essay on praying and its fruits in a believer’s life: 4 * The prophet Samuel came as a blessing to the people; and as a fruit of his mother’s prayers (1 Samuel 1: 10 - 28). * Israel gained conquest with the blessing of his prayers (1 Samuel 7: 5 - 10).
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