He was to warn them to repent and believe in the Savior. Following his birth, when time comes to make good on her vow, the account consistently shifts the verb from nathan (give) to shael, translated lend (1:20, 2728; 2:20). Commenting on Elis deficiencies, McCarter, I Samuel, 100, observes, It is time for the apprentice to replace the master. 50. Elkanah has only two direct speeches in the entire story. Shakab implies that Samuel is simply lying prone in bed when the Lord first calls and eventually appears to him. . Moreover, Polzin acknowledges the complementarity of all direct speeches in a particular story, regardless of the identity of the speaker. Alter, Ancient Prophets, 241 n.2; Alter, Art, 8283. To keep readers focused on the storys central purpose, the narrator adds a bit of narrative commentary on Samuels faithful service before and after each vignette (2:11b, 18, 21b, 26). Few individual verses in the entire Hebrew Bible use waw more frequently.36 Based on its construction, this verse properly reads as a compounding sequence of increasingly significant events, culminating in Gods remembering Hannah, in the covenant sense described above. And the man of thine, whom I shall cut not off from mine altar, shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age. Structuring Devices: Play of Perspectives. Prior sections of the Samuel story are devoted to contents that are primarily narrative or primarily dialogue. But the same phrase also is used to announce prophecy, and vision is a prophetic term: the whole episode concerns the transition from priestly to prophetic authority.64 In short, Alter implies that the man of God acts as an oracle in relation to the priest, since the priest himself has lost the traditional gift of oracle through abuse and neglect. That they were young and active gave Samuel a base of power that was physical as well as moral. 30, 31; 158 n.1; 207 n.6. 1806 Houston's father, Major Samuel Houston, dies. In his extended analysis of the annunciation type scene in the Hebrew Bible, Simon, Prophetic Narratives, 49, acknowledges the persistent tension between pattern and variation: The pattern that is common to all the stories that belong to a particular genre is sufficiently flexible and varied to allow both full development of the unique nature of every one-time human event as well as variegated rich development of the alternate possibilities latent in the common basic situation. And they went unto their own home. Visibility. 4. This narrative is the major piece in establishing the role of Samuel as a prophet, but it is questionable whether the prophet as a distinct religious figure had emerged among the Israelites at this early date. Stephanie Holland. witnessed the birth of its most famous son. . 67. . Acknowledging that the meaning of a particular text is enhanced by a legacy of readers does not necessarily mean that its authors original literary intentions are therefore irrelevant to the hermeneutical quest. 72. McCarter, I Samuel, 59 n.3, mentions that both sons names are Egyptian in origin and that Elis lineage traced its right to the priesthood back to Moses. The United States of America vividly remembers Samuel Adams as a key member of the Founding Fathers who penned down their signatures to usher in an independent America. And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever. Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. His story in the Bible began with a barren woman, Hannah, praying to God for a child. The Bible says "the Lord remembered her," and she became pregnant. She named the baby Samuel, which in Hebrew means "the Lord hears" or "the name of God." When the boy was weaned, Hannah presented him to God at Shiloh, in the care of Eli the high priest . Alter, Ancient Israel, 247 n.0 suggests that Hannahs song and Davids victory psalm echo each other and act as formal bookends to the extended narrative sequence that includes the stories of Samuel, Saul, and David., 51. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good. Prior to Samuels birth, Hannah promises to give him to the Lord (1:11). Horn is used metaphorically in Hebrew poetry as a distinctive feature of humans and other animals, especially one that is enlarged because the Lord has blessed it. Throughout her victory song, no phrase is independent of another: all combine into either couplets or triads, creating a complex and meaningful unity of the whole and distinguishing the song from the surrounding prose narrative.46, Structuring Devices: Narrative Bridge. Despite his emotional distance from Hannah, Elkanah regularly and routinely worships at Shiloh in a manner that is consistent with the prescriptions of the Mosaic law. Subsequent events in the narrative bear out this contrast: the sons of Eli abuse the ritual offering and are categorically rejected by the Lord, but the Lord appears to Samuel and gives him his first and subsequent prophecies. 30. This pattern indicates that Eli had become so disconnected from his sons lives that he learns about their promiscuity only secondhand and then deals with it ineffectively: Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel. Zakhor carries strong connotations of spiritual identity and covenant commitment, not simply cognitive awareness.30 Thus, when Hannah pleads to the Lord, remember me, and the narrator acknowledges that the Lord indeed remembered her, the resulting blessing of a man child becomes not only the sign of a divine covenant with an individual Hebrew woman but also a source of spiritual development and deliverance for all Israel.31. She is merely the barren co-wife of an obscure Ephraimite. Inquiring of the oracle would have been a priestly function, and so there is an intimation here of some sort of breakdown in the professional performance of the house of Eli. Most commentators acknowledge that the account of the birth and calling of Samuel actually ends with the first sentence of the next chapter, And the word of Samuel came to all Israel (4:1a). WebThere, the prophet Samuel is born to a previously barren woman, and he is dedicated from a young age to serve in the Temple. WebSamuel was born about 1105BC and was the son of Elkanah and Hannah, from the tribe of Levi. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. The rate of decline averaged 4% from 2016 to 2021 and jumped to 8% in 2022. Possible extrinsic reasons for the placement of Hannahs song within the narrative are found in Weitzman, Song, 11415. Broad perspectives, which Alter collectively calls narration, provide the authors commentary and expositionintroduce spatial, social, and temporal contexts and detail the relationship of the particular story to the larger narrative of biblical Israel. God is the main character in the narrative, even though he personally appears briefly only onceto call Samuel and give him his first prophecy. The fundamental bond of mutual remembrance that united God and man leads further to the observation that the covenant idea is obviously also important in this context: G.Johannes Botterweck and Helmer Ringgren, eds., Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, trans. The same Hebrew root is translated faithful in the prophecy associated with Gods curse upon Elis house: Iwill raise up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind (2:35), suggesting that the author considers Samuel to be the promised priest, who shall walk before mine anointed forever. See also TDOT, 1:296. Diction. 3:21), it begins in virtual obscurity, making its outcome all the more miraculous. Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? . WebSamuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 April 21, 1910), known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer.He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced", and William Faulkner called him "the father of American literature". The barren hath born seven and she that hath many children is waxed feeble (2:5) alludes to the contrast between Hannah, who miraculously bore Samuel and several other children, and her perpetual provocateur Peninnah, who had children but whose lineage is worthy of no further mention in the Hebrew Bible.49. QUICK FACTS. . He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. of Samuel There must have been some reason why Samuel was important enough to be remembered for a major role in the establishment of the monarchy. The narrators repeated mention of Elis diminished physical capacities symbolizes his advanced spiritual deficiencies. 11. There must have been some reason why Samuel was important enough to be remembered for a major role in the establishment of the monarchy. Flashbacks of the WebAlthough George Washington never had any biological children, he did have a rather large family, comprised of his many siblings, step-children, and step-grandchildren. The same verb also concludes the narrative, signaling the enduring covenant between Samuel and the Lord, on the one hand, and between Samuel and Gods covenant people, on the other: And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. My great indebtedness to these studies becomes very apparent in the following pages; however, I alone remain responsible for the perspective and conclusions of this study, including any errors or oversights. He is the spokesman of Yahweh in the election both of Saul and of David. On the occasion of their final interaction, Eli blesses Samuels parentsthe Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lordusing the same verbs, nathan (give) and shael (lend), which define Hannahs initial offering of Samuel to the Lord. WebIn his 40 years as ruler, between approximately 1010 and 970 B.C.E., he united the people of Israel, led them to victory in battle, conquered land and paved the way for his son, Solomon, to build the Holy Temple. . While Elkanah focuses on outward and formal family concerns and is emotionally distant from everyone in the narrative, including his wife and children, Hannah is consistently preoccupied with personal devotions to God and is emotionally connected with everyone around her, regardless of their attitude toward her. On the other hand, the language of the sons introduction bestows no honor or dignity to their priestly office. . I accept the claim and will incorporate this additional sentence into this analysis, as appropriate. 8. Alter, Ancient Israel, 246 n.26; Simon, Prophetic Narratives, 18. While Hannah is identified as the preferred of Elkanahs two wives, the account repeats three times that she has no children, a major source of shame for women in biblical Israel.20 This characterization also identifies the accounts first dramatic tension: that between Elkanahs preferred but barren wife and her co-wife Peninnah, who had given Elkanah multiple sons and daughters. 2. While the biblical account is silent regarding Elis reaction to the man of God, it is structured explicitly so that the priest must accept Samuels dire prophecy. Berlin, Parallelism, 7, speaks for many in observing that biblical poetry is characterized by a high incidence of terse, balanced parallelism. While 1 Samuel 13 is structured mostly as a prose narrative, Hannahs song (2:110) is organized as a series of couplets, with a few triads added for aesthetic interest and interpretive emphasis. I thank Steven Walker, Richard Dilworth Rust, Rex Cooper, and Fred Woods for their helpful comments on prior drafts of this article. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt: This stage takes place between the ages of 18 months and 3 years WebBirth and Calling of the Prophet Samuel ' - 11 The present study focuses on several recurrent literary conventions that so thoroughly unite the biblical account of Samuels birth and divine calling that its craftsmanship aptly serves as a vehicle of its meaning. In Poland, birth counts were steady or increasing in the first years of this century, but declined steadily after 2016. Author of. James Limburg, Psalms, Book of, in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, ed. Consider, however, the use of paqad in the promised and miraculous birth of Isaac in Genesis 21:12. By contrast, Samuel executes his mission completely in the public eye. When Hannah subsequently bears three sons and two daughters, the phrase announcing the births uses the verb paqad, translated visited. We may never know for sure whether a covenant perspective actually motivated those who crafted the inherited text over the centuries of its development. In this account Samuel is a figure known through all Israel (a term of uncertain meaning at this period); his authority rests on his position as judge. TDOT, 12:5060. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He appears at first as being hostile to the monarchy and then as being favourable to it. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The contrast in meaning between the spiritual condition of the sons of Eli and that of Samuel in relation to this verb is revealed in the respective tenses. When he became an adult, Samuel inspired Israel to a great victory over the Philistines at Ebenezer (chapter 7). After Samuel is born but before he is weaned, Elkanah invites Hannah to accompany him to Shiloh for the annual observance. That Samuels divine calling and first prophecy follow the blanket condemnation of Eli by the man of God (2:2736) and the narrators strong indictment of Gods covenant people in those days (3:1) renders Samuels ascendance all the more essential, dramatic, and spiritually significant to the larger story of covenant Israel. I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. As with the development of individual characters, so too are human actions carefully crafted in the biblical narrative for ideological purposes. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. WebBetter known as Sam Sharpe, Samuel Sharpe, a Creole slave, was born in Montego Bay, Jamaicain 1801. The parallel syntax and barrage of ands, far from being the reflex of a primitive language, are as artfully effective in furthering the ends of the narrative as any device one could find in a sophisticated modern novelist. Alter, Moses, xxviixxviii, emphasis in original. The story of Samuels birth and calling is one of many contributions to this core ideological focus of the Hebrew Bible. Genealogy.15 Consistent with the convention of genealogies throughout the Hebrew Bible, the brief genealogy that launches the story of Samuels birth identifies Samuels ancestors as Ephraimites,16 distinguishes the account from the long but unremarkable reign of the judges, and introduces the auspicious but problematic reign of the kings in ancient Israel. . Regarding the poetic qualities of Hannahs song, see McCarter, ISamuel, 6776. Samuel, whose name means heard of God, was dedicated to God by his mother, Hannah, as part of a vow she made before he was born (1 Samuel 1:11). Characterization: Priest and Suppliant. In accomplishing this mission, the man of God encounters only Eli, delivers his message faithfully and confidentially, and then disappears immediately, apparently never to be seen or heard fromagain. In essence, it addresses the question, What meanings did the original author(s) intend to communicate in crafting the text in this manner?. Of particular interest is the sequence of events that culminates in Gods initial fulfillment of Hannahs vow: And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her.35 In these thirty-three English words, and appears six times. Gender: Female. Birth City: London, England. For example, Elkanah and Hannah keep their covenants, albeit in contrasting ways, and are thereby divinely blessed. David had been shuffled off to his fathers fields to work as a shepherd boy. Infertility brought severe disgrace to a woman because in those days it meant she could not fulfill her God-given purpose of producing offspring for her family. And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in Egypt in Pharaohs house? So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. This verb connotes not just physical intimacy but also sexual relations between legitimate partners.37 In the Hebrew Bible, yada frequently connotes a special kind of covenant relationship, not just a familiar one, especially where the knowledge of God is concerned.38 Thus, the union that produces Samuel is doubly blessed: by the enduring bond between worthy and faithful partners and by the sacred vow between a devoted Hebrew woman and the Lord. But Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD and with people. (1 Samuel 2:26). . Structuring Devices: Conjunctions. In contrast with the introduction, which consists almost entirely of expository narrative, the second segment is filled almost entirely with dialogue.23. Shes a mom! While widely appreciated by biblical scholars, a literary approach to the scriptures is not common among Latter-day Saints, who tend to prefer approaches that are more contextual than textual in nature. And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. PTSD symptoms can include: Frequent nightmares. This contrast does not mean that biblical characters are shallow. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1980), 4:70, hereafter TDOT. Literary scholars generally recognize that biblical writers developed their characters in fundamentally different ways than most modern writers. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. Since biblical narrative characteristically catches its protagonists only at the critical and revealing points in their lives, the biblical type-scene occurs not in the rituals of daily existence, but at the crucial junctures in the lives of the heroes, from conception and birth to betrothal to deathbed. Alter, Art, 51; see also Alter, Moses, 64 n.10; 11819 n.11; 315 n.16. The text never has him interact directly with any of Hannahs children, and he speaks with Hannah only when her devotional actions disrupt his traditional ritual routine. The story of the anointing, however, has no story of accession to complete it; instead, there is the account of Sauls victory over the Ammonites. Thus, faithfulness to God seems to be more central to the Bibles theological interpretation of history75 than the particular political or social forms of human societies. WebThe birth and dedication of Samuel. The biblical preference for direct discourse is so pronounced that thought is almost invariably rendered as actual speech. Alter, Art, 67. Elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, gada is used in reference to felling trees, particularly groves devoted to the worship of pagan gods, or more generally to destroying anything of value as a consequence of wickedness and as a sign of Gods displeasure (for example, Deuteronomy 7:5; Judges 21:6; 2 Chronicles 14:3; 31:1; Psalms 75:10; 107:16; Isaiah 9:10; 14:12; 15:2; 22:25; 45:2; Jeremiah 48:25; 50:23; Ezekiel 6:6). Samuel was a major contributor, but much of the book takes place after his death in 1 Samuel 25. The key points relevant to the present study are that (1)type scenes are a common literary convention of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, (2)1Samuel 13 shows abundant evidence of the likely intentional use of this convention, and (3)type scenes enhance considerably the spiritual significance of the Samuel account. David Pellauer (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998), xi. According to the account, Elkanah loves Hannah, favors her with a worthy portion of the ceremonial offering, and is her partner in the conception of Samuel; nevertheless, he leads out in and is concerned with no other family roles than performing the annual ceremonial requirements of the Mosaic law and providing for the familys material support. Information about Samuel is contained in The First Book of Samuel (called in the Roman Catholic canon The First Book of Kings). 57. While Alter focuses on human diversities within a general perspective of divine consistency, I emphasize the texts ideological consistency within the context of seemingly limitless social and political diversity. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was welcomed into the world as the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. 26. Several difficulties in reconstructing the era of the Judges, including its chronology, during what archaeologists call Iron AgeI, are identified in Jo Ann Hackett, There Was No King in Israel: The Era of the Judges, in The Oxford History of the Biblical World, ed. 78. Samuel was a Lamanite. Eli possesses great spiritual status, being the ritual official of the temple at Shiloh, a hereditary position that his family had held for generations (see 2:2728). This is his leadership of the sons of the prophets, a group of young men organized for ecstatic worship. However, nearly every specific detail of introduction is marginal to the larger history of Israel in the Holy Land. And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. The first story (1 Samuel 13) describes Samuels action as motivated by Sauls assumption of the prerogatives of the priesthood. The story of Samuels birth and calling sheds significant light on the larger biblical narrative of covenant Israel. And she said, O my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, Iam the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. 5. Leitwrter: establish and cut off. Thus, Samuels dual descent may have qualified him, in terms of his lineage, to serve as priest as well as prophet and judge during his ministry. 56. Samuel was born in answer to Hannahs prayers. By contrast, Eli and his sons turn from their covenant obligations in multiple ways and are consequently eternally cursed. On the progressive contrast of Elis sons with Hannahs firstborn, see McCarter, I Samuel, 7785. 7. (1:18). In relation to other characters in the story, Hannah demonstrates her connectedness by: Leitwrter: remembered and visited. 9. From the present perspective, 1 Samuel 13 is an account of more than the birth of a remarkable prophet and the beginning of a radical transformation of Israels polity. . God, in turn, gives Hannah a man child according to her supplication, who then becomes a prophet unto all Israel. Thus, God manifests his goodness by fulfilling Hannahs vow in ways that she could not possibly have imagined beforehand or accomplished herself. Michael D. Coogan (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998), 13264. Hannahs promise to God that there shall no razor come upon [her sons] head draws an explicit parallel with Samson, Israels most noteworthy judge (Judg. This perspective does acknowledge, however, that biblical portraits are focused, even in their depth and complexity, and include few extraneous details. Although Polzin makes a strong case that the Samuel story is a parable on kingship in Israel, the present perspective suggests that particular social forms are not as central to the biblical narrative as what might be called the order of God. From Genesis through Kings, JHWH seems willing and ready to accept and work with a wide variety of religious and political leaderspatriarchs, priests, prophets, judges, and kingsprovided they remain faithful to his direction, counsel, and covenants.

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