Saturday, February 17, 2024

Reading for February 25th

Read 1 Samuel 10.17-27a.  In 10.17-27a: Saul is chosen by lot. In verses 18-19: These verses offer another example of deuteronomistic language. In verses 20-21: Israelite society was structured according to a hierarchy: tribe, clan, family ("house of the father"), and individual. Elsewhere in the Bible (Josh 7.14; 1 Sam 14.41) the lot is used to find a person guilty of breaking the law or vow.  Some scholars believe that two stories are combined at this point, one in which Saul was present and chosen by lot and another in which he was chosen by oracle or because of his height. In verse 22: Inquired is another pun on Saul's name. In verse 25: The rights and duties of the kingship probably setout the responsibilities of king and people to each other. The expression here is nearly identical to "the way of the king" in 8.9, 11, although the two passages seem to refer to two different lists or documents. In verses 26-27a: Saul's return to Gibeah and the doubts of the worthless fellows prepare the way for the subsequent story in which Saul will prove his ability to save Israel. Comments or Questions..

No comments: