Reading for May 8th

Read 2 Samuel 7.18-29
In verse 23: David here refers to the exodus from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 7th

Read 2 Samuel 7.1-17
In 7.1-29: A dynasty of David.
In verse 1: The second half of this verse, about the Lord giving David rest, is not in the parallel version in 1 Chr 17.1.
It also contradicted by subsequent account of David's wars and by the statement in 1 Kings 5.3-4 that rest came only to Solomon.
In verses 5-7: There is a play throughout the chapter on the word "house."
The house of David proposes to build is a temple.
But the Lord declines David's offer and says instead that he will build David a house, that is a dynasty.
The claim in vv. 6-7 that the Lord has never had a house (temple) seems to overlook the temple in Shiloh (1 Sam 1-3).
In verse 10: The place mentioned here is probably a place of worship namely the Jerusalem Temple.
In verses 11-12: The house that the Lord promises David is a dynasty.
In verse 13: It is David's son who will build the temple.
In verse 16: David's dynasty will be permanent and established forever.
Comments of Questions..

Reading for May 6th

Read 2 Samuel 6.12-23
In verse 14: A linen ephod was an apron typically worn by priests (1 Sam 2.18).
In verse 20: Michal accuses David of fraternizing with the lowest element of society, thus implying that he is not dignified enough to be king.
In verses 21-22: David replies that the Lord made him king in place of her father, Saul.
In verse 23: Michal had no children either because the Lord prevented it or because David had no relations with her.
Her children would have been Saul's heir and therefore a threat to David's rule.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 5th

Read 2 Samuel 6.1-11
In 6. 1-23: David brings the ark to Jerusalem.
In verse 1: The word translated "thousand" designates a military unit of a much smaller size.
Then, thirty thousand would be thirty units.
In verse 2: Baale-Judah is another name for Kiriath-jearim, according to Josh 15.9.
This is where the ark was left in 1 Sam 7.1.
The ark was viewed as the throne of the Lord.
Cherubim were mythical griffins that often guarded temples and palaces.
In verses 6-8: Uzzah's death shows the awesome holiness of the ark.
The story also provides an etiological explanation for the name Perez-uzzah.
In verse 10: Obed-edom was from Gath (the Gitite) and was apparently among the Philistines who followed David from his days with the Philistines.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 4th

Read 2 Samuel 5.17-25
In 5.17-25: David defeats the Philistines.
In verse 17: David's defeat of the Philistines probably preceded his conquest of Jerusalem, since they stood between Hebron and Jerusalem and would have resisted the unification of Israel and Judah.
David's stronghold here is probably Adullam, not Jerusalem.
In verse 19: David inquired of the Lord by means of some device that provided answers to yes/no questions.
In verse 20: This verse is an etiology for the name Baal-perazim, which means "Lord of bursting forth."
In verse 21: A victorious army typically captured the idols that its opponent brought to the battlefield to show the superiority of its own gods.
In verses 22-25: David's victory on this occasion is divinely directed.
Comments and Questions..

Reading for May 3rd

Read 2 Samuel 5.1-16
In 5.1-16: David becomes king of Israel.
In verses 1-2: These verses are probably an editorial addition as they anticipate the action of the elders in v. 3.
Bone and flesh means blood kinship.
The people of Israel claim David as one of their own even though he is from Judah.
Led out and brought in are idioms for military leadership.
Shepherd is a common metaphor for ruler or king.
Inverse 3 : The elders were senior leaders of the tribes.
In verse 4: Forty years is a round number for a generation.
In verses 6-8: The exact meaning of these verses is unclear.
1 Chr 11.5-6 differs, indicating that even the Chronicler found thee verses confusing.
The important point is that David conquered Jerusalem, which provided him with a neutral capital in his effort to unite Israel and Judah.
In verse 9: Millo means "fill" and apparently refers to a landfill or artificial platform created near a stronghold.
In verse 10: The hosts are the armies, heavenly and earthly.
In verse 11: Tyre was the capital of Phoenicia, the county north of Israel.
its cedar was a luxury item in the ancient Near East.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 2nd

Read 2 Samuel 4.1-12
In 4.1-12: The assassination of Ishbaal.
In verses 2-3: Beeroth was one of the Gibenite cities that joined Israel (Josh 9.17).
Its residents fled and were presumably replaced by Israelites from Benjamin.
In verse 4: Mephibosheth: The orginal form of the name was Meribbaal as in 1 Chr 8.34; 9.40.
The notice in this verse interrupts the narrative but makes the point that there is no other suitable candidate for king in Saul's line after Ishbaal, a situation that prepares the way for the  events narrated in 5.1.
In verses 7: The Arabah here refers to the Jordan Valley.
In verse 11: David refers to Ishbaal as a righteous man rather than as Yahweh's anointed, suggesting that he does not recognize Ishbaal's kingship.
In verse 12: This kind of ritual execution described in this verse was reserved for traitors.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for May 1st

Read 2 Samuel 3.20-39
This story repeats that Abner left David in peace as a way of emphasizing David's innocence in Abner's death.
Joab's return after Abner had left (v. 22) suggests that David sent Joab away in order to prevent a confrontation.
In verse 25: Comings and goings are military maneuvers.
Joab is accusing Abner of spying.
In verse 27: Joab kills Abner in revenge for Abner killing Asahel (2.18-23).
The story hints that Joab may also have acted to preserve his place as army commander.
In verse 29: David curses Joab's descendants with illness because of his act.
A spindle may also mean a crutch.
In verse 30: Abishal is not mentioned in the story but may have been involved with Joab in planning Abner's murder.
In verse 31: Sackcloth was an unknown kind of material worn by mourners.
In verse 33: Fool is a translation of the Hebrew "nabal" and is reminiscent of the story in 1 Sam 25.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 30th

Read 2 Samuel 3.1-19
In 3.1-39: The assassination of Abner.
In verses 2-5 a similar list of David's son's born in Hebron occurs in 1 Chr 3.1-44.
Chileab is there called Daniel.
His name is uncertain and like Shephatiah and Ithream is not mentioned again.
He may have died as a child.
David's marriage to Maacah probably sealed a treaty with her father, the king of Geshur.
In verse 7: A concubine was a female slave used for sexual purposes.
To sleep with a member of the harem was to stake a claim to the throne.
Thus, Ishbaal's question accuses Abner of treason..
In verse 8: Abner responds angrily because the power is in his hands and he has been loyal to Saul and Ishbaal.
He says Ishbaal is treating him as a dog's head.
This expression is unique but obviously reproachful.
In verses 9-10: So may God do ... and so may he add is an oath formula.
Abner swears he will join David, and since he holds the true power, we will thereby transfer the kingdom of Israel to David.
From Dan to Beer-sheba marks the traditional boundaries, north and south, of the united kingdom of Israel.
In verses 13-16: David requires the return of his wife Michal since, as Saul's daughter, she is the basis for his claim to Saul's throne (1 Sam 20-29).
Ishbaal may have been legally obligated to return Michal to her first husband.
Paltiel or "Palti" was Michal's second husband after she was taken from David (1 Sam 24.44).
In verse 17: The elders of Israel were the leaders of the tribes.
In verse 19: Benjamin was the native tribe of both Saul and Abner.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 29th

Read 2 Samuel 2.12-32
In verse 12: According to 2 Sam 21.1-9. the people of Gibeon held a grudge against Saul and may have helped David.
In verse 13: Zeruiah was David's sister and Joab his cousin, according to 1 Chr 2.16.
Joab was also the commander of David's army.
The pool of Gibeon may refer to an enormous pit that has been discovered at the site of the ancient city.
The pit descended to the city's water supply.
In verses 14-16: The contest here is a representative combat: a tournament between small group from each side, rather than a full battle involving everyone.
It provides a etiology for the name in v. 16- Helkath-hazzurim means "field of the flint swords," or field of sword edges.
Since the contest is indecisive, a full battle breaks out (v. 17).
In verse 18-23: The death of Asahel gives his brother Joab, a personal incentive for killing Abner (3.26-30).
In verse 26: People often mean an army.
In verse 29: The Arabah is the geological depression from the Sea of Galilee to the Gulf of Aqabah.
Here it refers to the Jordan Valley north of the Dead Sea.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 28th

Read 2 Samuel 2.8-11
Abner was Saul's cousin or uncle (1 Sam 14.50).
He is obviously the power behind Ishbaal's throne.
The Hebrew text reads "Ishboseth" instead of :Ishbaal."
Later scribes substituted the word "bosheth," means "abomination," for the name of the Canaanite god.
The word word "baal" means "lord;" rather that indicating that Saul worshipped Baal, it may have been used as a title for the Lord (Yahweh).
Mahanaim was east of the Jordan.
Abner took Ishbaal there for protection because the Philistines had captured most of the Israelite territory.
Thus, the description of Ishbaal's domain in v. 9 was more ideal than real at this point.
Ashurites or "Assyrians" is impossible.
A better reading is "Geshurites," who lived east of the sea of Galilee.
Forty years (v. 10) is a round number for a generation.
If Ishbaal reigned two years over Israel during David's seven years and six months over Judah, five and half years remain unaccounted for.
Either there was an interregnum in Israel after Saul's death before Ishbaal came to power, or David became king of Judah while Saul was still alive.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 27th

Read 2 Samuel 2.1-7
In 2.1-32: Civil war.
In verse 1: David inquired of the Lord by means of some device, like lots, which could provide answers to yes/no questions.
Hence, his question about going to any of the cities of Judah received a yes answer.
By process of elimination he then determined that Hebron was the chosen city.
Hebron was the capital of Judah.
In verse 2: David's two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, were both from the area around Hebron and were therefore important political assets for his assumption of the throne of Judah.
Through his marriage to Abigail, David had assumed the wealth and position of a prominent Calebite leader, perhaps their chieftain (1 Sam 25).
The Calebites were a prominent clan in Judah.
In verse 4a: The people of Judah may be the same as the elders of Judah to whom David distributed the spoil from his defeat of the Amalekites (1 Sam 30.26-31).
They anointed David by smearing oil on his head.
This was a symbol of election.
"Messiah" is a transliteration of the Hebrew word for anointed.
In verses 4b-7: The people of Judah in the region of Gilead were among Saul's most loyal supporters.
He had rescued them at the beginning of his reign (1 Sam 10.27b-11.15), and they returned the favor by rescuing his corpse from the Philistines (1 Sam 31.11-13).
David congratulates them for their loyalty (v. 5) and then invites them to join with him as Saul's replacement (vv. 6-7).
By making overtures to the enclaves of Saul's strongest support he forces the hand of Saul's successor, Ishbaal, whereupon civil war between Israel and Judah ensues.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 26th

Read 2 Samuel 1.17-27
In 1.17-27: David's lament over Saul and Jonathan.
In verse 18: The title, The Song of the Bow, may reflect a textual error.
If original, it refers to the tune to which the lament was sung.
The Book of Jashar was a collection of poems that no longer exists.
In verse 20: Gath and Ashkelon were Philistine cities.
The poem pleads that the news of Saul's and Jonathan's death not be proclaimed in Philistine cities, where there will be rejoicing over it.
In verse 21: Giboa was the mountain the mountain were Saul and Jonathan died in battle.
It is being cursed along with the surrounding hills because of this tragedy.
Shields were made of leather and anointed with oil in preparation for battle.
Saul's shield now lies defiled from bloody battle and unused because its owner is dead.
In verse 24: The poem calls upon the Israelite to mourn because they prospered under Saul's rule.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 25th

Read 2 Samuel 1.1-16
In 2 Samuel 1.1-16: David learns of Saul's death.
In verse 2: With his clothes torn and dirt on his head: Conventional signs of grief.
In verses 5-10: The Amalekite who brings the news to David tells a different version of Saul's death from the on in 1 Sam 31.
His casual attitude (I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, v. 6) in the heat of battle suggests that he is lying in hopes of gaining David's favor.
The fact that he is an Amalekite (v. 8) does not endear him to David and his men, who have just come from fighting the Amalekites.
The account of the battle is difficult to reconcile with 1 Sam 15, where Saul's army killed all the Amalekites except for their king.
But it also provides an ironic view of Saul's sin: Saul is condemned for failing to annihilate the Amalekites completely and now one of those Amalekites claims to killed him.
David's predicament is clear: Although he presumably wanted Saul to be dead, he cannot even seem to have anything to do with killing Saul, since it would leave him open to charges of usurping the throne.
The crown and armlet (v. 10) were Saul's royal insignia.
David's possession of them would have to be explained.
In verses 13-16: A resident alien is a non-Israelite who lives in Israel, which may also explain how this Amalekite escaped being slaughtered by Saul's army in 1 Sam 15.
It also gives David an opening he needs: Since the Amalekite would have been responsible for following Israelite laws and customs, David judges him guilty of the capital offense of having killed the Lord's anointed.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 24th

Read Philippians 4.21-23
In 4.21-23:Closing.
Mutual greetings (compare 1 Cor 16.19-21;1 Thess 5.26-27) and a blessing (compare Philemon).
In verse 22 The emperor's household, the slaves of the emperor in Rome or the colonies.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 23rd

Read Philippians 4.8-20
In 4.8-20: A call for consistency in all situations.
A brief, poetic passage commends right thinking and right action (vv. 8-9) and notes the proper attitude toward changing circumstances (vv. 10-20).
In verses 8-9: The whatever statements indicate a series of attitudes for living that can help the community face difficulty.
In verse 10: Receive your concern, the Philippians maintained concern for Paul even when they could not express it.
In verses 10-13: Paul's attitude resembles Cynic and Stoic discussions of his time, but he does not see the source of endurance in himself.
Paul challenges the Philippians to learn the value of "humiliation," shunned by conventional society but reinforced elsewhere in the letter (2.3, 8: 3.21).
In verses 15-19: The community never lacked concern for him (v. 10)even though he neither needed or sought it.
Their reward is from God.
In verse 16: Paul never accepted gifts from a church while he was with them (see 1 Cor 9; 1 Thess 2.9; 2 Cor 8.1-5).
In verse 18: On sacrifice, see 2.17.

Reading for April 22nd

Read Philippians 4.2-7
In 4.2-7: Exhortations to overcome disunity and opposition.
In verse 2: Be of the same mind: the point of disagreement is unknown, but the number of the letter's key expressions (same mind, struggle side by side, work for the gospel) come together here.
Book of life, see Ex 32.32; Ps 69.28; Dan 12.1.
Inverses 4-7: Brief exhortations to develop the right attitude; guard a military term, describes God's peace.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 21st

Read Philippians 3.1b-4.1
In 3.1b-4.1 The example of Paul.
A transition (v.1) and warning (v. 2) lead into Paul's renunciation of his advantages to counter any tendencies to arrogance (vv. 3-11).
he commends perfection but notes, in a play on words, how perfect people (relatively speaking) know they have not reached perfection (vv. 2-16).
Finally, while enemies of the cross have an earthly orientation, Paul commends a heavenly citizenship in which the believers await glorification in the future (3.17-4.1).
In verse 1: To write the same things, probably about disunity; Paul positions the words he writes about his own life as a safeguard for the community's problems.
In verse 2: Beware, repeated three times, or "watch out for," warns about a possibility, not what already exists.
Verses 2 and 18-19 likely refer to practices in the community, rather than the actual opponents, that breed disunity.
Dogs in ancient writing were examples of shameless greed.
In verse 3: Circumcision, metaphorically, God's people.
In verse 7: Regard echoes 2.3, which commends church-members to "regard others better themselves," and 2.6 which asserts that Jesus not "regard equality with God as something to be exploited."
Becoming like ("symmorphizomenos") Jesus, a link to 2.7, in which Jesus took on the "form ("morphen") of a slave.
In verses 13-14: The image is of running a race.
In verse 17: Imitation, see 1 Cor 4.16; 11.1; 1 Thess 1.6.
In verse 20: Citizenship, not a political but heavenly, See Gal 4.26.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 20th

Read Philippians 2.19-3.1a
In 2.19-3.1a: Timothy and Epaphroditus: examples of unselfishness.
Timothy (2.19-24) and Epaphroditus (25-30), examples of unselfishness concerned with the whole church.
In verse 22: timothy, see Acts 16.1-3; 1 Cor 16.10-11; 1 Thess 3.1-6.
In verse 25: Epaphroditus, see 4.18; Col 1.7; Philem 23.
Inverse 29-30: Honor such people, Paul continues to redefine honor: Honor those who risk their lives for Christ.
In verse 1a: Finally, a transition (also at 4.8).

Reading for April 19th

Read Philippians 2.12-18
In 2.12-18: Applying the hymn to life.
Based upon the honor of being a slave who brings glory to God, Paul commends efforts that seek to please God, oriented toward the day of Christ, for God began and would continue the work among the Philippians until it was completed on that day (1.6).
In verse 12: Work out or "work forth" (that is demonstrate) salvation, a work that is not yet complete.
In verse 15: Crooked and perverse generation (Deut 32.5), in contrast to God's blameless children who shine like the stars.
In verse 16: Labor, Paul's efforts in proclaiming the gospel, oriented to the day of Christ on which he can boast if his church holds fast.
In verse 17: Being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice, Paul's present suffering for the gospel.
Later, he views the Philippians' gift as a "sacrifice," that is, a financial hardship on behalf of the gospel (4.18).
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 18th

EXAMPLES OF THE GOSPEL'S RECONFIGURATION OF HONOR
In verses 2.1-47: Specific examples of Jesus (2.6-11), Timothy and Epaphroditus (2.19-3.1a) and Paul himself (3.1b-4.1a) express the frame of mind of Paul commends before he exhorts the Philippians toward unity in the church (4.1b-7).

Read Philippians 2.1-11
In 2.1-4: The proper mind.
The Philippians must seek true honor, not their own glory.
In verse 1: If there is any encouragement in Christ ... , not an expression of doubt but a call for consideration.
In verse 2: Make y joy complete, that is more joy than he already has despite difficult circumstances; an appeal based on the common benefits he and his audience share as believers.
In verse 3: Self-centered ambition seeks to elevate one's own status (1.15, 17); conceit, "empty glorying," is an improper motive when the goal of life is the "glory" of God (1.11; see 4.20).
In verses 6-11: A hymn on Jesus' unselfish disposition.
It is unclear whether Paul composed this hymn himself or is quoting it.
The example of Jesus is central tot he message be brings the Philippians.
Just as Jesus' is described as a slave (v. 7), so are Paul and Timothy (1.1; 2.22).
Just as Jesus submitted to the point of death (v. 8), so Epaphroditus moved "close to death" (2.30) for the sake of Christ.
Voluntarily giving up privileges for the sake of others and to God's glory redefines conventional views of honor in which a person compete fiercely to gain more favor than their peers.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 17th

Read Philippians 1.27-30
In 1.27-30: Living worthy of the gospel.
In verse 27: Live your life, literally "conduct life as a citizen" of heaven (3.20).
Worthy of the gospel of Christ, that is in a manner that does not seek one's own elevation above another (2.6-11).
In verse 29: Paul suffers for the gospel to show that suffering is part of grace.
In verse 27-30: A series of athletic or military images includes striving side by side (compare 4.3), struggle (the contest of defending the gospel to outsiders), and even standing firm.
Comments or Questions...

Reading for April 16th

Read Philippians 1.12-30
In 1.12-26: Suffering for the gospel.
Spread (v. 12) and progress (v.25) are the same word in Greek, unifying the two parts of the passage: Paul's joy in proclaiming Christ despite his imprisonment (1.12-18a); and his joy in the exhalation of Christ in his body whether lives or dies (1.18b-26).
Everything else--love, envy, life, or death-is relative to his joy.
Imprisonment (1.12-26) is an example of placing the needs of others above personal concerns.
In verse 12: Spread or "progress," clearing (literally "cutting") a path for an army: see v. 25.
In verse 13: Whole imperial guard in Rome, "pratorium" is the emperor's elite soldiers, in Asia Minor, it is the provincial residence of any Roman administrator.
In verse 16: defense of the gospel, the effort to convince outsiders of the gospel's values.
In verse 20: Put to shame, made ashamed because of the paradox of good news about the shameful death of Jesus.
Paul will not be ashamed because his circumstances exalt Christ.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 15th

Read Philippians 1:3-11
In 1.3-11: Thanksgiving.
Preview of the letter's themes.
In verse 6: The work extends through life, emanating from God until consummation of the new age.
The day of Jesus Christ (compare Amos 5.20; Zeph 1.15) refers to the return of Jesus (see 2 Cor 1.8).
In verse 7: Think (2.2, 5: 3.15, 19; 4.2, 10), moral reasoning or correct disposition of the mind.
hear, one inner life, not simply feelings.
NRSV share is actually a noun, "partnership" between Paul and his audience.
This is one of several compound syn-prefix (meaning "with"), emphasizing unity.
Confirmation, establishing the gospel in believers.
In verse 8; Compassion, affection.
In verse 9: Knowledge through experience of what really matters sot hat conduct brings glory and praise to God.
In verse 11: Harvest of righteousness, apocalyptic imagery that places present day problems in the setting of the the end-time.
Comments and Questions..

Reading for April 14th

Read Philippians 1.1-2
In 1.1--2: Opening.
In verse 1: Servants, literally "slaves" ("doulo"), anticipates 2.7, "slave" ("doulou"), the form Jesus took in becomes a human being, and 2.22, Timothy slaved ("edouleusen") for the gospel.
In verse 2: Bishops and deacons, leadership titles, either functions ("overseers" and "servers") or specific offices, like clergy today.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 13th

Read 1 Samuel 31.1-13
In 31.1-13: Saul's death.
1 Chronicles 10 contains a parallel account.
In verse 4: These uncircumcised are the Philistines.
Saul does not want to suffer humiliation and torture at their hands, so he asks his armor-bearer to finish him off.
The armor-bearer refuses, perhaps out of respect for the Lord's anointed.
In verses 11-13: The men of Jabesh rescue Saul's body.
They are moved to do this because of Saul's rescue of their city at the beginning of his reign (10.27b-11.15).
It is unusual that they burned the bodies of Saul and his sons (v. 12), since cremation was not practiced by the Israelites.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 12th

Read 1 Samuel 30.7-31.
In verses 7-8: The ephod was used by priests to divine the answers to yes/no questions such as those in v. 8.
In verse 12: Fig cake was a clump of figs.
In verse 14: The Cherethites were mercenaries from the island of Crete who were closely associated with the Philistines.
In verses 23-25: This is an etiology for a custom in the writer's day.
David's decree of a statute and an ordinance for Israel show his kingly decisiveness and authority.
In verses 26-31: The cities listed here were all in southern Judah.
David's gifts to the elders of these cities would cause them to look favorably upon him when the time came to choose a king over Judah.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 11th

Read 1 Samuel 30.1-6
In 30.1-31: David defeats the Amalekites.
In verse 1: On the third day: Ziklag is over 50 miles from Aphek.
The journey took three days.
The writer emphasizes David's distance from the battle where Saul is killed.
The Amalekite raid on Ziklag may have been in retaliation for David's raids against the Amalekites (27.8).
This story stands in tension with ch. 15 where the Amalekites were supposedly all destroyed.
In verse 2: The women and all: The men were all with David.
Both small and great is a figure of speech referring to two extremes and everything in the middle.
Here, the terms describe poverty or wealth and obscurity or social prominence.
In verse 6: Stoning as a type of execution implies David has been accused as failing as a leader to provide adequate protection.
Strengthened himself may mean summoning courage as well as gathering support within the army.
David is here depicted as an ideal ruler.
Comments or Questions..

Reading for April 10th

Read 1 Samuel 29.1-11
In 29.1-11: The Philistines reject David.
In verse 2: The lords of the Philistines are the rulers of the five main Philistine cities.
Inverse 3: The commanders of the Philistine army who will actually be in battle object to the presence of David and his men, who the they refer to as Hebrews, possibly a term for mercenaries.
In verse 6: It is surprising that Achish, the Philistine, swears here by Lord, that is, Yahweh, the God of Israel.
In verse 8: David's wish to fight against the enemies of my lord the king is ambiguous.
David's "lord" is Saul, but Achish takes as a reference to himself.
In verse 10: The place that i have appointed for you is Ziklag.
Comments or Questions.

Reading for April 9th

Read 1 Samuel 28.8-25
In verse 8: Saul disguised himself because he was breaking his own law (v. 3) by visiting the woman.
In verses 11-12a: These verses are an insertion identifying Samuel as the ghost.
Originally, the woman recognized Saul because of his oath in v. 10 not to punish her.
In verse 13: The ground can also mean "the underworld."
Divine being can refer to a god or to a ghost or spirit.
In verse 14: The robe was Samuel's characteristic garment and the apparent means by which Saul recognized him.
In verses 17-18: These verses refer tot he story in ch. 15.
In verse 19: Tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me: They will be dead.
In verse 24: A fatted calf in the house: Livestock were typically kept on the ground floor of Israelite houses with sleeping quarters above them on the second floor.
Comments or Questions..