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The gap between the content of Samuel's call narrative (1 Sam 1,1-4,1a), which describes his inauguration as a prophet, and its design, which strays from the literary model of calls to prophecy, has yet to be offered a plausible synchronic explanation. The literary reading suggested in this article presents a new interpretation of Samuel's misunderstanding of the call, and clarifies the theological meaning of Eli's involvement in his initiation into prophecy; these explain how the unique characteristics of the story construct its intertwined dual theme: the call to prophecy, and the replacement of the leadership, and explicate why the leadership change includes not only a personal replacement of Eli, but also of the priestly leadership model with a prophetic one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article takes a fresh approach to the story of the woman of Endor (1 Sam 28,3-25), arguing that the difficulties it raises serve as the key for understanding the story's polemical intent. The affinities between Samuel and the medium and their professional success indicate that Israelite prophecy and pagan manticism are one and the same. The antithesis between them and between the woman's empathy for Saul and Samuel's antagonism towards Saul both evince Samuel's inferiority to the medium. Even if only adduced in order to cast a shadow over Samuel, the necromancer's positive depiction creates the impression that belongs to a later period during which belief in necromancy was less threatening. This impression is reinforced by linguistic and substantive considerations. The reference to the war against Amalek, and Samuel's religious declaration that heeding God's word is more pleasing to him than cultic ritual, disclose the author's priestly identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the significance of the strange scene in 1 Sam 3 where Samuel confuses the Lord with Eli and investigates what message the author intended to convey. The article argues that the narrative of Samuel’s call addresses issues that extend beyond his circumstances. Samuel is a representative of the entire prophetic legacy, and the narrator uses the narrative’s peculiarities to validate the essence of prophecy and the prophetic role. The article also explores the similarities and differences between Samuel’s call narrative and Num 12, which claims that only Moses is a trustworthy prophet. The narrator of Samuel’s call narrative uses Num 12 subversively, lending credibility to his own narrative and reinforcing Samuel’s reliability. Ultimately, the method by which the message was conveyed is inconsequential as long as the prophet received and accurately conveyed the divine message. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The names of several of David's successors are related in both meaning and narrative situation: Ahaziah and Ahaz, Rehoboam and Jeroboam, Joash and Josiah, Amaziah and Hezekiah. Components of other names (Azariah, Uzziah, and Jotham) are also uniquely anticipated in the synoptic record. When the names of prophets and northern kings are also reviewed, the total impression is of artistic narrative more than historical record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of a much smaller draft of a multi-volume novel has suggested a partial analogy with the writing of Samuel-Kings in the Hebrew Bible. The draft makes no mention of the novel's main character; and the proposed earlier version of the biblical narrative is silent about the prophetic giants that dominate the text we know. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Die Samuelbücher werden unter dem Aspekt analysiert, dass Macht sowohl reale Paranoia ist als auch die Fähigkeit, die Welt positiv zu verändern. Macht konzentriert sich in Ämtern wie Priester, Richter, Prophet, König und Heerführer, die von Gott verliehen werden, damit sie in rechter Weise gebraucht wird. Wegen ihrer positiven Aspekte einerseits und der negativen bei der Unterlassung andererseits, erscheint Machtausübung als notwendig. Trotzdem hat Macht eine destruktive Komponente, der verzweifelt gewehrt werden muss, aber schwer gewehrt werden kann. Machtmissbrauch hat zwar immer einen konkreten Anlass, seine Urgründe liegen jedoch im familiären Missbrauch, und eine besondere Gefahr liegt im Transfer von Macht in der Dynastie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]