1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
1 Samuel - Odessa, Missouri Community of Christ
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44 Dr. Constable's Notes on 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> 2007 EditionIsraelites to show so much support for the Jabesh-gileadites. Saul thoroughly surprisedand defeated them. 1345. The confirmation <strong>of</strong> Saul as king 11:12—12:25Israel's commitment to Saul 11:12-15Admirably, Saul sought no personal revenge on those who initially had failed to supporthim (10:27; cf. Judg. 20:13; Luke 19:27). Furthermore he gave God the glory for hisvictory (cf. Jon. 2:9; Ps. 20:7; Prov. 21:31). He was not self-serving at this time.What <strong>Samuel</strong> called for was a ceremony to renew the Mosaic Covenant. 135 It was to besimilar to those that had taken place in Joshua's day (Josh. 8 and 24) in which the nationwould dedicate itself afresh to Yahweh and His Law as a nation (cf. Deut. 29). Asmentioned earlier, it is not clear whether Gilgal refers to the Gilgal near Jericho oranother Gilgal a few miles north <strong>of</strong> Bethel. 136 A Gilgal north <strong>of</strong> Bethel would have beencloser since most <strong>of</strong> the activities recorded in these first chapters <strong>of</strong> 1 <strong>Samuel</strong> (at Ramah,Gibeah, Mizpah, etc.) were near Bethel. Yet the Gilgal near Jericho was the Israelites'first camp after they entered the Promised Land and the place where they first renewedthe covenant in the land (Josh. 4—5). For this reason that site would have stimulated thepeople's remembrance <strong>of</strong> God's faithfulness to them and His plans for them as a unitednation. Hopefully further archaeological discoveries will enable us to solve the puzzleconcerning which Gilgal this was.The people now gave united support to Saul as their king at Gilgal. This is the first <strong>of</strong>three significant meetings <strong>of</strong> <strong>Samuel</strong> and Saul at Gilgal. The second was the time Saulfailed to wait for the prophet, <strong>of</strong>fered a sacrifice prematurely, and received the prophet'srebuke (13:7-14). The third meeting was when God rejected Saul as king for hisdisobedient pride following his victory over the Amalekites (15:10-26).Peace <strong>of</strong>ferings expressed thanks to God for His goodness. This <strong>of</strong>fering also emphasizedthe unity <strong>of</strong> the participants in the sacrifice (Lev. 3)."Saul's ascent to the throne was now complete, and the 'great celebration'that accompanied the sacrificial ritual more than matched Israel's earlierelation upon their receiving the messengers' report <strong>of</strong> the imminent doom<strong>of</strong> the Ammonites (v. 9)." 137134 For another interpretation <strong>of</strong> 11:1-11 that views it as an artificially constructed story, see DianaEdelman, "Saul's Rescue <strong>of</strong> Jabesh-Gilead (I Sam 11:1-11): Sorting Story from History," Zeitschrift für dieAlttestamentliche Wissenschaft 96:2 (1984):195-209.135 Klaus Baltzer, The Covenant Formulary, pp. 66-68; William J. Dumbrell, Covenant and Creation, p.135; Lyle M. Eslinger, Kingship <strong>of</strong> God in Crisis, pp. 37, 383-428.136 See my comments on 7:16.137 Youngblood, p. 642.