Today is Saint Patrick’s Day, which means, at least in America, a sea of green t-shirts, drunken parties with green beer, shamrock and leprechaun decorations, and a borderline disrespectful hyperbole of Irish Culture. The more conservative observers might limit their enjoyment to a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake or eat a bowl of luck charms for breakfast,…
And they got up early in the morning the next day, and behold, Dagon had fallen with his face to the ground before the Ark of Adonai, and the head of Dagon and the two palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold. 1 Samuel 5:4 1 And the Philistines took the Ark…
And the Messenger answered and said, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and also the was a great defeat with the people, and also your two sons, Hophni and Phinechas, died, and the Ark of God was taken. 1 Samuel 4:17 1 And the words of Samuel were to all Israel. And Israel went out to…
And Adonai came in and stood and called over and over, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 1 And the boy Samuel served Adonai before Eli, and the Word of Adonai was rare in those days, there was no vision breaking through. This chapter opens by calling…
And the sons of Eli were sons of wickedness, they did not know Adonai. 1 Samuel 2:12 1 And Channah prayed and said, “My heart exults in Adonai, my horn is exalted in Adonai, my mouth is open wide against my enemies, for I rejoice in your salvation. The second chapter of Samuel begins with…
I am the woman that stood with you in this place to pray to Adonai. This is the boy that I prayed for, and Adonai gave to me my request that I requested from him. 1 Samuel 1:26-27 1 There was a certain man from the Ramataim of Tzophim from the hills of Ephraim, and…
I had a chance this weekend to visit two of the most important port cities in the History of Israel, the first is Dor, and the second is Caesarea. Dor was one of the only natural seaside harbors in the ancient land of Israel. The Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashdod, and Ashkelon were tucked a…
Introduction to the Books of Samuel Commentary Series
As I begin this project, I am in my third year of my double Master of Arts program at Jerusalem University College. These final two semesters are going to be devoted more to reading the Bible in Hebrew, and less about exploring the land of the Bible (although I hope to continue to do that…
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