1 Samuel

Laments were a common way of showing grief and mourning for the dead. They could poetically capture a person’s feelings toward the departed.

Pressed fig cakes were a common food for travelers (30:12). The dried figs would not spoil, and their sugar content made them an ideal energy… Read More »Pressed fig cakes

How is a fattened calf different from a regular calf? A fattened calf (28:24) was one that had been set aside for a special occasion.… Read More »How is a fattened calf different from a regular calf?

“Go, serve other gods.” Telling a fellow Israelite to go and serve other gods (26:19) was a capital offense against the Lord. For non-Israelites, it… Read More »“Go, serve other gods.”

Why was David sorry after he had cut Saul’s robe? The cutting of another person’s clothes (24:5) was considered an act of humiliation and provocation.… Read More »Why was David sorry after he had cut Saul’s robe?

Psalms of deliverance. Many of the psalms of David were composed during his time spent on the run from Saul.

After the destruction of Shiloh, Nob apparently became the city where the priests and Levites lived. Although its exact location is unknown, it was probably… Read More »Nob

What was the significance of the new moon? The new moon was the day of the first appearance of the crescent moon in the western… Read More »What was the significance of the new moon?

The sound of victory. The sight of women singing, dancing, and playing tambourines was very common following a military victory (18:6). Ancient clay figurines or… Read More »The sound of victory

Fed to the birds and beasts. In Israel, being killed and left for scavenger birds, like vultures, was considered shameful (17:46). It deprived a person… Read More »Fed to the birds and beasts

A battle of champions. To save lives, the outcomes of battles were at times decided by one-on-one combat (17:4). A champion was selected from the… Read More »A battle of champions

Why did Saul spare the Kenites? Moses’ father-in-law Jethro was a Kenite. Jethro and his son were helpful and kind to the Israelites when they… Read More »Why did Saul spare the Kenites