A BIBLE COMPANION, VOLUME 5
by Richard Burkard
For an introduction and explanation of this series, see Volume 1.
I SAMUEL
I SAMUEL 1
Are there lessons to be learned in how Elkanah treated Hannah, especially compared with Peninnah (1:4-5)?
Was Eli guilty of presumptuousness when he assumed Hannah was drunk in 1:14-17?
I SAMUEL 2
Did Eli's sons cause Israel to transgress (KJV of 2:24)? Or was a "bad report" simply spreading among the people, as NIV says?
Why would the New Bible Commentary: Revised claim Samuel replaced Eli, given what I Kings 2:26-27 says?
Compare Samuel's maturity and Jesus's (2:26 vs. Lk. 2:52).
If God can break His "promises," why is it considered a sin of lying when we do (2:30-31, NIV)?
I SAMUEL 3
Should Eli have repented in 3:18 -- instead of taking a "whatever happens" attitude?
I SAMUEL 4
The UCG Bible Reading Program accuses the Israelites in this chapter of having "a superstitious approach to God, the tabernacle and the ark." Does this principle apply now, in terms of thinking physical things and acts (e.g. eating clean meats) guarantee God's blessings? Is God's protection now more dependent on the spiritual than the physical?
I SAMUEL 6
Did any Philistines repent after watching the cows steer the ark back to Israel (6:13)?
B.R.P. notes the ark remains in the house of Abinadab 70 years "for some reason." Might the ark have remained with Abinadab because Israel felt it was no longer effective in battle, and was merely a nice artifact (4:4, 10-11)?
Is there a significant parallel between the ark stopping on a large rock and Jesus (6:14-15 cf. Mt. 16:18)?
I SAMUEL 7
B.R.P. says concerning 7:2: "After some 20 years, the Israelites begin to seek God again...." Did Israel "lament after the Lord" 20 years? Or did this happen only after 20 years?
I SAMUEL 8
Compare the NIV "leader" in 9:16/10:1 to "chief/captain" KJV.
I SAMUEL 10
Why did Samuel have all the tribes present themselves, if the choice of a king had been made already by God? (10:19-21)
I SAMUEL 11
Why did God overlook the lie about "surrendering" (NIV) in 11:10, and allow Israel to prevail?
I SAMUEL 12
B.R.P. notes regarding 12:23: "Samuel recognizes failure to constantly pray for others as a sin against God...." Where does the Ten Commandments specify not praying for others is a sin?
Was Samuel being egocentric in upholding his own personal ethics in his farewell speech? (12:2-5)
I SAMUEL 13
If Samuel was late to go to Gilgal (13:8), doesn't that mean Saul DID follow "God's explicit instructions" regarding the time period?
Samuel's words in I Samuel 10 are an example of how prophecies can unfold in stages -- in this case, over several years.
I SAMUEL 14 (partly in I Chronicles 5:10, 18-22)
B.R.P. claims in this chapter Jonathan "asks God to reveal through specifically requested circumstances whether He will, in fact, [back him up.]" Did Jonathan actually ask God to work in these circumstances -- or did he simply state them (14:6, 9-10), and God chose to honor them?
B.R.P. declares Saul impatient in 14:19, by "not waiting to receive the instructions he sought from God before heading off to battle..." Why should Saul wait to receive God's instructions, if there's no evidence Jonathan did only verses before?
The Bible in History is quoted in this chapter as saying Jonathan and his armor-bearer "crossed over during the night...." But I Samuel 14 does not say Jonathan and his armor-bearer crossed "by night," so where is the proof of that?
The Bible as History also recounts a British major copying the military tactics of this chapter in World War I. Did the British forces consult with God before their MichMash maneuver -- the way Saul was supposed to do?
B.R.P. declares Saul's thinking in 14:24-48 "bizarre and corrupt." What makes it deserving of these labels? Might he not have been aware of the penalty for sin? Why is a command to fast a "foolish command?" And was it a fast "util the battle is over," as B.R.P. claims, or only a fast "before evening comes" (v. 24), implying it was for one day only?
I SAMUEL 15
If it's OK for God to order the death of all children and infants (15:3), why is it considered wrong when Israel's leaders require it (see notes on Judges 20)?
Isn't NIV wrong to say God "does not.... change his mind," (15:29) since he did several times in the Old Testament?
I SAMUEL 16
Why didn't the Holy Spirit help Saul overcome the "weakness in his character," as B.R.P. puts it?
Could Saul's servant have known about David's skill (16:18) from being a "double agent" of sorts -- in Saul's court, but secretly allied to Samuel and David?
Can Christian music remove evil spirits, the way David's harp-playing did for Saul (16:23)?
I SAMUEL 17
B.R.P. says the encounter with Goliath came 400 years after the events of Joshua 11. Prove the time gap, that Goliath came 400 years later.
Where was the shield bearer (17:7) as David launched his attack on Goliath? Did he simply let the stone pass?
I SAMUEL 18
God sent the "evil spirit" to Saul (18:10) -- so does He still do that today? Does this mean God approves of a plan by Satan to trouble Saul, to serve God's purposes? (See note on 19:9)
I SAMUEL 19 (also Psalm 59)
Did God accept Michal's lying about David being ill (19:14)?
Does the Holy Spirit come and go from people, the way it did from Saul and his assistants in 19:20-23?
I SAMUEL 20
B.R.P. says concerning 20:5: "Each month, on the occasion of the new moon, Saul held a feast at his court...." Wasn't Saul keeping a Biblical "New Moon festival," as Num. 10:10 and 28:11 specify?
I SAMUEL 21 (also Psalm 56, 34)
Since "the bread is" is in italics in the KJV translation of 21:5, is not the marginal (and NIV) rendering more accurate, about "common journeys?"
B.R.P. indicates David's lying before the priest was a "huge tactical error." But didn't Rahab lie in Joshua 2, to protect the lives of spies?
Was David wrong to be afraid of King Achish (I Sam. 21:12)? Or was this to be expected, given David's situation?
I SAMUEL 22 (also Psalm 142, 52; I Chronicles 12:8-18)
In what way did the warriors from Gad have "the faces of lions" (I Chr. 12:8)?
I SAMUEL 23 (also Psalm 63, 54)
B,R,P, says about 23:3-4: "Though not fearful himself, David is understanding of his men's fears...." How do we know David was not fearful as he sought God's permission the second time? Could not the fear of the men have affected him?
B.R.P. draws several comparisons to Jesus in this chapter, then writes about 23:10-12: "God saves David by revealing to him that the ungrateful Keilahites are about to betray his presence...." If God saved David from capture, by analogy did "God save Jesus" at the cross?
Doesn't God answer every prayer, whether it follows His will or not -- for instance, by saying no?
Doesn't Psalm 63:7 (cross-referenced in this chapter) indicate God's image has wings -- whereas humans do not?
B.R.P. refers to Reveation 1:6 in this chapter, noting "God's promise to make us kings and priests in His coming Kingdom...." Doesn't that verse actually indicate God has made us kings and priests already? (See also 5:10)
How did Jonathan find David when Saul could not (23:16-17)? And if Jonathan was wrong about Saul's desire to kill David, (20:2) could he not be wrong here as well -- speaking feelings and belief, more than fact?
I SAMUEL 24 (also Psalm 57)
Why didn't David consult God about taking out Saul in 24:4 -- especially if the Lord arranged the situation?
Does this chapter parallel how Jesus dealt with sinners during His time on Earth -- such as the adulterous woman (John 8:3-11)?
I SAMUEL 25
If Nabal is so foolish (25:25), how did he become so prosperous (25:2)? By inheritance? By his wife?
Did the news from Abigail make Nabal violent again (25:37) -- or did he faint from the shock of the news?
Is David a bit sick of mind to praise God for the death of a potential enemy (25:39)? He doesn't seem to have this attitude regarding Saul.
Wasn't David in the wrong to take a second wife -- especially in the emotions of the moment, after Nabal's death (25:42)?
I SAMUEL 26
Wasn't David guilty of stealing, for taking the spear and water jug (26:12)?
I SAMUEL 28
Saul pitching in Mount Gilboa is found in 28:4, not 23:4 as B.R.P. claims.
B.R.P. refers back to 11:6, and notes: "Saul does not have the confidence he possessed when God's Spirit was working with him...." Was God's Spirit working with Saul in 11:6 -- or was it in him, when it "came upon him?"
Did the witch of En Dor "evade detection," as B.R.P. suggests (28:9) -- or did she stop practicing, and felt coerced to resume the practice?
B.R.P. cites Ecclesiastes 9:5 in the debate about consulting spirits, saying: "a dead person is completely unconscious. " Is it fair to quote this verse about dead people, since the rest of the verse doesn't match doctrinally what UCG preaches -- "they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten"?
B.R.P. declares there's no such thing as "ghosts, as they are commonly defined-the spirits of the dead still wandering the earth...." If not, how do we explain the dead bodies which come to life in Mt. 27:52-53?
B.R.P. cites Samuele Bacchiocchi in answering the question: "Why would God impose the death penalty for communicating with dead friends and relatives if that were really possible?" Didn't God impose the death penalty for possible things in the Old Testament -- such as murder and working on the Sabbath?
B.R.P. indicates in this section that Saul never repented of his sins, while David did. Did Saul show signs of repentance during his rulership (15:24-25; 24:19-21; 26:21) -- or were these cases where he appealed to men, and not God? Doesn't 28:6 show Saul tried to seek God's will, but God said no?
How did the medium know from "seeing" Samuel that she was being visited by Saul in disguise (28:12)?
I SAMUEL 30
Doesn't David's decision about shares of plunder for all soldiers (30:23-25) parallel Jesus's parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Mt. 20:1-16)?
I SAMUEL 31
Why does B.R.P. declare it "a particularly heinous incident" for the Philistines to cut off Saul's head (31:8-10), when David carried around Goliath's cut-off head (17:57)?
II SAMUEL
II SAMUEL 1
Doesn't David violate the rules of getting "two or three witnesses" before putting someone to death (1:14-16)? Were such rules suspended in wartime -- or does self-testimony override this principle? (Shouldn't "respect for authority" begin with the authority of God's law?)
Doesn't David's eulogy for Saul seem a bit over-generous at times -- especially the part about, "in life they were loved and gracious" (1:23)?
B.R.P. correctly notes regarding 1:26 that "God had specific instructions regarding sexual relationships" -- but didn't David show his flaunting of them by committing adultery at other times?
Did David's prayer in song for Gilboa (1:21) become reality?
II SAMUEL 3
Was Abner's statement to Ish-Bosheth in 3:8-12 an admission about the concubine, a denial or neither one?
B.R.P. praises David for his "valiant intention of allowing God to be the one to take action" (3:39). But if David believed that, why did he act on his own to kill reported killers (4:9-12)?
If Joab's murderous act could not be proven unjustifiable, why did David invoke a curse on Joab and his family in 3:29? And did his curse come true?
II SAMUEL 5 (also I Chronicles 11:1-19; 12:23-40; 14; 3:5-9; Psalm 30)
B.R.P. says in this chapter: "a distinction between Israel and Judah existed even in Saul's day (compare 1 Samuel 11:8; 17:52; 18:16)." Was the distinction merely the result of an author writing after the split of the kings occurred?
B.R.P. claims regarding I Chr. 11:18-19:"It is not entirely clear whether this was done by the group of three just mentioned or another unnamed group of three." Doesn't the text make it clear that "the three mightiest" (KJV; "The Three" NIV) obtained the water for King David?
If the water incident was such "an outstanding example of godly leadership," as B.R.P. calls it, didn't David show a lack of it by uttering such a request aloud in the first place (I Chr. 11:17)? Shouldn't he have realized his words would be taken literally and seriously by some? Or is this an example of a leader being able to say anything he pleases - and the fault only lies in the hearers not understanding and discerning?
Why did God bless David in battle despite his growing number of wives (5:13)?
II SAMUEL 6 (also I Chronicles 13; 15:1-16:3, 37-43; Psalm 105:16-45)
Given what God says in Deut. 4, 5 and 12, why didn't he strike down David for letting Joab live? Or for allowing the transport of the ark by cart (6:3-5)?
Do we have evidence that God blessed Kiriath Jearim while the ark was there, the same way Obed-Edom was blessed (6:11)? Did the fact that the city was also known as "Kiriath Baal" (Josh. 15:60) make a difference?
Can we conclude from Psm. 105:23-27 that "Arabic" people are descended from Ham? (What about black people?)
Was II Sam. 6:22 an unwitting prophecy by David of what the future held -- e.g. with Bathsheba?
II SAMUEL 7 (also I Chronicles 17)
B.R.P. says concerning David's desire to build a temple: "God's answer, through the prophet Nathan, is No." But didn't Nathan originally indicate to David God's answer regarding a tabernacle would be yes (II Sam. 7:3/I Chr. 17:2)?
B.R.P. declares at one point: "Notice that the material in these chapters is 'according to all' that Nathan told David (1 Chronicles 17:15; 2 Samuel 7:17)-i.e., they don't contain everything Nathan said." But "according to" apparently is NOT in original Hebrew, based on Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (see NIV, "Nathan reported to David all the words...."; sim. CEV) -- and doesn't the phrase really refer to the origin of the words? (cf. 7:21-22)
B.R.P. warns regarding 7:13: "the Hebrew word translated 'forever,' olam, does not always carry the same meaning as 'forever' does in the English language. Occasionally it means unending as long as certain conditions apply (compare Exodus 21:6; Jonah 2:6)." Yet the Hebrew word "for ever" is the same for Psm. 89:1, 4 and I Chr. 17:14 as it is for Ex. 21 and Jonah 2! So why isn't the line of David for "as long as the conditions exist?"
II SAMUEL 10 (also 1 Chronicles 19; Psalm 60; Psalm 108; Psalm 83)
Based on I Chr. 19:7, B.R.P. goes back to I Samuel 13:5 and says: "the Philistines were said to have had 30,000 chariot...." Butt translations apparently disagree on this number being 3,000 or 30,000 chariots -- compare NIV text and margin.
Author Stephen Collins is quoted as explaining I Chr. 19:1-5: this way: "The only logical explanation is that the Ammonites were acting as agents for someone else who wanted to challenge David...." Could it not be that the Ammonites were simply unwise, based on David's recent triumphs?
Stephen Collins continues: "Ammon was paying gold and silver as tribute to Israel already (I Chronicles 18:11)...." Was Ammon "paying tribute" to David -- or had David "taken from" Ammon the silver and gold he wanted? (KJV/NIV) (Ammon was able to pay in silver, after all.)
Stephen Collins continues: "The Bible's use of the term 'Mesopotamia' to describe the homeland of this vast force of foreign troops [rather than a specific country] indicates that it was a joint expeditionary force of many Mesopotamian nations.... (I Chr. 19:6)" Maybe that's so in KJV, but NIV DOES cite a specific country for Mesopotamia -- "Aram Naharaim."
Is there prophetic significance in Psm. 60:7/108:8 -- about Ephraim being "a helmet?"
II SAMUEL 11
B.R.P. claims concerning 11:11, "even the ark of God was at the scene of the battle...." Does the verse necessarily mean that -- or could it mean the new tabernacle for the ark (notes on I Chr. 16:37-43) hasn't been built yet? (See also 7:2, 6)
II SAMUEL 12 (also Psalm 51; I Chronicles 20:1-3)
B.R.P. claims concerning Psalm 51: "For months David has agonized, suffering terrible guilt over his sin...." If David has done this over his sins related to Bathsheba, why does Nathan have to point them out? Could Psalm 51 in fact be a prayer from the seven days of fasting over the baby? (And thus II Sam. 12:13 is sufficient for Nathan?)
After the king's baby dies, B.R.P. claims "David is comforted by his sure faith in the resurrection of the dead." How do we know David has faith in a resurrection -- especially given his words in 12:23: "He will NOT return to me" ? Or are these simply words of grieving?
How literally should Psm. 51:5 be taken? Can a fetus break God's commandments? (NIV) Or is David talking about sins of his parents? (KJV)
II SAMUEL 13
Why would Amnon "visibly lose weight" over Tamar, as B.R.P. claims in 13:2? Was he fasting, hoping God would grant his desire for her?
Were Tamar's words in 13:12-13 really a ploy -- or were they based on the earlier disobedience for God shown in David's conduct?
Was Tamar's case hurt by the fact that Absalom advised her to be quiet (13:20)?
B.R.P. claims concerning this rape case: "evidence itself could also be considered a "witness" in a matter, as the New Testament makes clear (compare 1 John 5:7-8, NRSV)." How does I John change (or reflect a change in) the rules for criminal trials? Isn't the real issue there the unity of God and important elements in a Christian's life?
Doesn't 13:30-33 teach a lesson in not believing every report you hear?
II SAMUEL 14
Was pretending to be a prophet acceptable in Israel? (14:2-21)
Is Absalom an example of how long hair was acceptable for men in O.T. times? (14:26)
II SAMUEL 15
B.R.P. says concerning 15:16 King David "apparently felt God would give the city back to him, as he otherwise would probably not have left 10 concubines there to take care of the palace...." Were the ten concubines left behind because David was confident -- or they were expendable, given the size of his harem?
"Upon reaching the top, David worships God," B.R.P. declares about 15:32. Is that true, or is this "where people used to worship God...." ? (NIV; note KJV has past tense)
Does Absalom provide lessons concerning Church splits in 15:1-6 -- in terms of wooing away a following, not being content to wait on God?
II SAMUEL 17
Was Ahithophel's advice called in 17:7 "not good at this time" (KJV) - as in it might be right later? Or "not good this time" (NIV) - as in wrong?
II SAMUEL 18
B.R.P. concludes Absalom's head becoming caught in 18:9 "must surely be due to his thick, long hair." Could Absalom's head have become caught between limbs, hair or no?
Was Absalom guilty of vanity for cutting his hair "only once a year," as B.R.P. says (14:26, KJV)? Or was it cut "from time to time" (NIV)? (Note 18:18, where Absalom's Monument does show his vanity to a degree.)
II SAMUEL 19
B.R.P. calls King David's mourning over the death of Absalom "sadly pathetic, and Joab is right to point it out to David [19:5-7]." Why is it suddenly wrong for the king to mourn over his own son, when B.R.P. citing the Nelson Study Bible indicates mourning over Saul's death was considered respectful of authority? (note on 1:15; compare 18:12)
B.R.P. refers back to 16:11 and declares, "Shimei's cursing was over David usurping Saul's throne-a complete falsehood-rather than over David's real sins." Weren't Shimei's curses in 16:7-8 more focused on the blood David shed, more than his replacing Saul?
Does Barzillai's statement about being unable to tell the difference between good and evil (19:35) mean spiritual discernment can diminish with age?
II SAMUEL 20
B.R.P. begins this chapter by saying, "Whenever there are divisions among a people, inevitably someone will attempt to assert himself over others into a position of authority." Do divisions and "asserting authority" describe what UCG did in 1995 -- not to mention other spinoff groups?
II SAMUEL 21 (also I Chronicles 20:4-8)
B.R.P. suggests the seven men selected by David for execution in 21:5-6 "had played some part in Saul's war against the Gibeonites, making them personally guilty." How can we know they were involved in battle, since all seven were grandchildren of Saul (21:7-9)? Could this not have been years later his death?
Is there truth to claims made by some Church of God ministers over the years that 21:17-22 referred to killings using the four stones David did not need to kill Goliath?
II SAMUEL 22 (also Psalm 18)
How can David possibly sing II Sam 22:21-25/Psm. 18:20-24 given what he did with Uriah and Bathsheba, et al? Isn't that a blatant lie?
II SAMUEL 23 (also I Kings 2:1-12, I Chronicles 29:26-30)
B.R.P. refers back to Exodus 18:21 and suggests David hated covetousness. Did David really get over that issue -- not only with Bathsheba, but by desiring the blood of Joab and Shimei as he died?
Do the records of Nathan and Gad still exist today, as mentioned in I Chr. 29:29?
B.R.P. says when King David refused to drink the blood, he "pours it out in offering to God (verses 16-17)." Does "unto the Lord" in 23:16 necessarily have to mean an offering? Aren't all things done "before the Lord" (NIV)?
II SAMUEL 24 (also I Chronicles 21:1-27)
B.R.P. compares 24:13 with I Chron. 21:12, saying: "One of the differences in the two accounts is in the number of years of the proposed famine. While Chronicles says three, Samuel gives seven." The NIV for II Sam. 24:13 actually has three years -- but "Septuagint seven" in the margin.
VOLUME 4: Judges-Ruth
VOLUME 6: I Kings-II Kings
To respond to this article, e-mail the author directly.
© 2006 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.