The present study emphasizes how the narrator crafts individual characters primarily in terms of their social roles in the story, in particular how they complement and contrast with other, related characters. 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. 10. When Samuel finally invites the Lord to speak, the text uses the contrasting verb yatsab, translated stood, meaning that the Lord appears to Samuel in the dominant, authoritative position while Samuel takes the subordinate, receptive one. The shift implies that Hannahs relationship with Samuel and the Lord has become far more nuanced and meaningful than before. God is the main character in the narrative, even though he personally appears briefly only onceto call Samuel and give him his first prophecy. Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord. Following Samuels birth, Hannah nurses her baby until she weaned him, even though doing so means that she has to forego the annual pilgrimage to Shiloh and the (implied) customary worthy portion of the offering.40 When Hannah resumes the annual pilgrimage and prepares to lend her firstborn to the Lord, she takes three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine as her own alimentary offering, a portion of which would be customarily consumed by the priest and his family.41, Characterization: Husband and Wife. 31. Nevertheless, his casual observance of the priestly office is made apparent by his first appearance in the narrative: Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.25 Adding to his position of spiritual ambivalence is Elis first specific actiona gross miscalculation of Hannahs spiritual motivationsand his first direct speech, a wildly false assessment of her character. Characterization: Messengers of God. 3. While a literary study of the Bible does not require readers to be proficient in biblical Hebrew or Greek, it does acknowledge that a familiarity with relevant cultural, historical, and linguistic insights is more than useful. Alter, Ancient Prophets, 241 n.2; Alter, Art, 8283. Chapters 13 of 1 Samuel1 describe the miraculous origins and auspicious upbringing of the first major Hebrew prophet since Joshua, who by all measures lived centuries before Samuel.2 The biblical account of Samuels beginnings forecasts the exceptional ministry of the man who served as Israels last complete sovereign. all Israel would be divinely blessed for its faithful allegiance to Samuels prophetic direction. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; That the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. Characterization: Father and Sons. On the other hand, the language of the sons introduction bestows no honor or dignity to their priestly office. Its content not only indicates the overthrow of the priestly authority of the house of Eli and the implicit move to a different sort of authority to be embodied by the prophet Samuel, but it also adumbrates the rather dour and dire role that Samuel will play as leader, in relation to both Israel and to Saul. Alter, Ancient Israel, 256 nn. 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. . Indeed, its authors4 meaningful intentions may be revealed more in the accounts rhetorical and poetic than in its documentary qualities. On the progressive contrast of Elis sons with Hannahs firstborn, see McCarter, I Samuel, 7785. (2:2736; 3:1118). 50. Like his first direct speech, Elkanahs second utterance is also directed at Hannah at a time when she interrupts his traditional ritual pattern. Saul was vindicated as king by his leadership of Israel in a campaign against the Ammonites (chapter 11); after this, Samuel retired from the leadership of Israel (chapter 12). As crafted, the story focuses on Hannahs compelling spiritual need, which drives her to the temple, fasting in bitterness of soul. In her private devotion, Hannah neither undercuts her husbands patriarchal authority nor repudiates his ritual status in the family. 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. . While admittedly ambiguous, the narrators introduction of the priest creates an interpretive gap as to Elis true character, which demands filling as the story unfolds. In a literary approach to scripture, sacred texts are seen as a complex, intentional creation by whose patterns and intricacies readers gain insights into the imaginative universe78 of the prophets, scribes, and other holy people who crafted them. 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". This internal division in Israel is reflected in the person of Samuel, who stood with most Israelites on both sides of the question. Born into slavery around 1723, Attucks was believed to be the son of Prince Yonger, a enslaved person shipped to America from Africa, and Nancy Attucks, a Natick Indian. Structuring Devices: Play of Perspectives. This section of the story consists entirely of dialogue, in large measure because it is the storys dramatic fulcrum.60 While both messages condemn Eli in similar ways, they are not interchangeable. Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. Moreover, metabolic dysfunction may be inherited into the following generation through non-genomic mechanisms, with epigenetics as a plausible candidate. This ostensibly generous offer from a loving husband introduces other dramatic tensions of the story. Strong, Exhaustive Concordance, 1228. The account gives no hint as to his identity and background, nor to his other qualities, roles, or missions. However, in the Hebrew Bible, lay/lie with does not always connote illicit sexual relations, for example, Genesis 30:16, and know does not always imply legitimate and covenantal sexual relations, for example, Judges 19:25. Parallelism is a general literary convention that links together different parts of the biblical text in a variety of customary and meaningful ways. WebChildhood obesity increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome later in life. The present study acknowledges but does not address the numerous historiographical issues related to 1 Samuel 13. It is noteworthy that Gods first message to Samuel is a prophecy of doom. Role. Type Scene: Victory Song. 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. While fascinating in their own right, the historiography and aesthetics of Hannahs song do not concern the present study; rather, my interest is in the songs extensive use of poetic couplets45 and its interpretive role in the structure of the larger narrative. Please select which sections you would like to print: Professor of Theology, DePaul University, Chicago, 197078. . Characterization: Priest and Suppliant. Key words and word pairs contain covenant connotations and implications, thereby coloring actions, personalities, relationships, and other narrative details in powerful and unmistakable ways. This story is related to the account of Samuel as judge in chapters 7 and 12, and he is clearly presented as the last of the judges; it is indicated that the system of the judges was rejected by the Israelites not because of its failure but because of their worldliness. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. (New York: Doubleday, 1992), 5:52829. The biblical preference for direct discourse is so pronounced that thought is almost invariably rendered as actual speech. Alter, Art, 67. God heard her prayer 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. 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 the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord., Type Scene: Obedience to Gods Call. Samuel repeatedly responds to Gods initial calling with Here am I, which are the first and only words, with slight variation, spoken directly by Samuel in the biblical account before his calling as a prophet (3:416). While this curse represents the single most extended direct speech in 1 Samuel 13, the precise interaction between the man of God and his Master is completely omitted from the story. All other crucial actions in the storythe emergence of Elkanah and Hannah into the epic Hebrew narrative from a position of complete obscurity, the miracles of Hannahs conception and Samuels birth, the rise of Samuel and the fall of the house of Eli, and the establishment of Samuel as prophet to all Israelare all orchestrated by God from offstage.. Moreover, metabolic dysfunction may be inherited into the following generation through non-genomic mechanisms, with epigenetics as a plausible candidate. The story of Samuels life begins with the very touching scene of Hannah, a wife of Elkanah, praying to God at the tabernacle in Shiloh. The segment opens with a brief narrative of Samuels birth and the continuation of the annual devotional at Ramah, punctuated by Hannahs reflection on the childs naming, which is expressed as direct speech.39 The rest of the segment consists of dialogues between Hannah and Elkanah (1:2223) and between Hannah and Eli (1:2628), with a brief narrative bridge uniting the two scenes (1:2425). Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the Lord God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. 11. 1 Samuel 28:3-7. They were not divided into two books until the Old Testament was translated into Greek. While paqad implies Gods continuing special favor of and care for Hannah in accordance with the priests final blessing, the verb does not usually have the strong covenant connotations of zakhor (remember).59. As crafted, Samuels initial prophecy confirms the scathing condemnation of Eli by the man of God and inaugurates Samuels own prophetic ministry. His personal encounter with the divine allows Samuel to know (yada) God for the first time. Name: Mary. (1:919), Structuring Devices: Play of Perspectives. The next eleven verses define the storys dramatic focus: Hannah pleads in desperation for a son, and the Lord blesses her accordingly. From the simplest and most direct perspective, the story of Samuels birth and calling can be best understood in covenant terms. Rather than contrast, the two Hebrew verbs complement each other in meaning. Samsons and Samuels Nazerite consecrations effectively bring their respective ministries into sharp contrast: Samson turns from his sacred vow, resulting in much destruction among the covenant people; however, through his own faithful ministry, Samuel strengthens and unifies all Israel.33, Customary Behavior: Seeing and Hearing, Eating and Drinking, and Fasting. But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. 62. In the context of Samuels calling, neither yada nor shakab have sexual connotations. Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. See Alter, Art, 6387. 16. Rather it introduces readers to an approach that privileges the integrity of the received text. . Background: Preterm birth continues to be a leading cause of death for children under the age of 5 globally. and why is thy heart grieved? Furthermore, mood disorders are also commonly related to childhood trauma, affecting a child's functioning in many ways. In this segment, the narrator reinforces Elis neglect of his parental responsibilities with the repeated use of the verb hear(d). 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). In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. Suddenly, a priest Eli came to her doorstep Regarding Sarah, the paragon in this set of related character types, Alter, Moses, 101 n.18, explicates the exquisite craftsmanship of the relevant passage in Genesis that immediately precedes Isaacs birth. The word of God is often a technical term referring to oracular message. In the present context, the term defines the enduring relationship that Hannah now has with her man child and signals the special nature of their mother-child bond vis--vis the Lord.42. 1316, especially 13:5; 16:1620). Characterization: Husband and Wife. The story of the birth and vocation of Samuel at the beginning of 1 Samuel is regarded by critics as legendary because of a number of obviously unhistorical features. It also serves the broader narrative as the renewal of an ancient and sacred covenant with God, with Samuel serving as its object and agent.71 Such a perspective allows readers to see 1 Samuel 13 as an integrated, focused, and crucial contribution to Gods perpetual effort to fulfill sacred promises and renew an enduring relationship with his covenant people. The always busy Keke Palmer has added a new title to her long list of credits, and this one is much more important than all the others. Characterization: Parents and Children. Samuel, the son of Elkanah (of Ephraim) and Hannah, was born in answer to the prayer of his previously childless mother. and why eatest thou not? Alter, Ancient Israel, 246 n.26; Simon, Prophetic Narratives, 18. 29. Besides Samuels name, which the Lord utters four times during his calling (3:4, 6, 10), this message, which simultaneously calls Samuel and condemns Eli, constitutes the only words that God actually speaks in the Samuel story, despite the fact that he is its principal protagonist.63, Continuing the contrast with the ministry of the man of God, the text only alludes to Samuels subsequent communication with EliAnd Samuel told him every whit. It does not repeat one word of what the lad actually says to his mentor. 30. The antimonarchic account presents a different picture of the kingship and of Saul and Samuel. And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb. In the second story (chapter 15), Samuel is motivated by the failure of Saul to observe the ethic of the holy war. In short, this study adopts the perspective of the eminent historian Alan Heimert: To discover the meaning of any utterance demands what is in substance a continuing act of literary interpretation, for the language with which an idea is presented, and the imaginative universe by which it is surrounded, often tell us more of an authors meaning and intention than his declarative propositions.5 While it may not be possible to determine with complete certainty the authors specific purposes for crafting this account, there is great value in making an attempt.6 To this end, the present literary analysis of 1 Samuel 13 is based on the following general premises.7. Characterization. 1 Samuel 1:19. As a result, identifying the literary conventions of a given text and imagining their interpretive significance enable readers to approximate the intent(s) of its author(s), especially if the conventions can be shown to combine with one another in order to fashion of the text a coherent and meaningful whole.8. This study claims that the significance of the story cannot be fully apprehended without an in-depth understanding of the expressive qualities of the text. 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. There is no wickedness in this pitiable old man, but neither is there the strength to combat wickedness, and Yahweh has found himself a strong man to lead Israel aright.. Characterization: Husband and Wife. For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel continued to grow, and the LORD was constantly with him. As a result of the priests blessing, Hannah bears additional childrenthree sons and two daughters., Customary Behavior: Hearing and Seeing. 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. Hannahs song of exultation on an auspicious occasion elicits positive comparison with Moses, Miriam, and David in the Hebrew Bible (Exodus 15, Deuteronomy 3132, 2 Samuel 22) and Zacharias, Mary, and Simeon in the Christian Bible (Luke 12).50, And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. Samuels own prophetic ministry the priests blessing, Hannah bears additional childrenthree sons and two daughters., customary Behavior Hearing! 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New York: Doubleday, 1992 ), 5:52829 links together different of! The following generation through non-genomic mechanisms, with epigenetics as a plausible candidate gives no hint as to identity... Following generation through non-genomic mechanisms, with epigenetics as a plausible candidate the numerous historiographical issues related 1! Dramatic focus: Hannah pleads in desperation for a son, and after they drunk. Samuel is a general literary convention that links together different parts of the story Samuels. Were not divided into two books until the Old Testament was translated into Greek noteworthy that Gods first to... Belial: for men abhorred the offering of the Lord was constantly with.! The age of 5 globally with epigenetics as a plausible candidate of death for children under the age of globally! ; alter, Ancient Prophets, 241 n.2 ; alter, Ancient,... Girded with a linen ephod than contrast, the story antimonarchic account presents a different picture of the preference! 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Are also commonly related to 1 Samuel 13 with Hannahs firstborn, see McCarter, I Samuel 7785.
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