# I Samuel is chronological?



## blhowes (Jan 18, 2005)

I was just curious if 1 Samuel is a chronological account of what happened in the life of David. The reason I ask is because, after David plays the harp for Saul, we read:

1Sa 16:19-22 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 

At the end of chapter 17, after David defeats Goliath, we read:


1Sa 17:58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.


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## doulosChristou (Jan 18, 2005)

No, Samuel is not strictly chronological. 2 Samuel 8 (relating Yahweh's victory over the enemies of His people through His servant David), for example, precedes 2 Samuel 7 (the Davidic covenant) chronologically. Chapter seven's placement within the book is thematic rather than chronological. This is common in the OT. It is also common in the book of Revelation. Premillennialists stumble by insisting that Rev 20 must take place chronologically after Rev 19, which is just not the case.


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## blhowes (Jan 18, 2005)

> _Originally posted by doulosChristou_
> No, Samuel is not strictly chronological. 2 Samuel 8 (relating Yahweh's victory over the enemies of His people through His servant David), for example, precedes 2 Samuel 7 (the Davidic covenant) chronologically. Chapter seven's placement within the book is thematic rather than chronological. This is common in the OT. It is also common in the book of Revelation. Premillennialists stumble by insisting that Rev 20 must take place chronologically after Rev 19, which is just not the case.


Thanks, Greg. Its something I've been curious about for a while, but never thought to ask.


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## JohnStevenson (Feb 19, 2005)

> _Originally posted by doulosChristou_
> No, Samuel is not strictly chronological.


Another example would be the chiastic section at the end of 2nd Samuel.


(A) David's intercessory prayer in the midst of a famine (21:1-14). 
(B) The acomplishments of David's "giant-killers" (21:15-22).
(C) David's Song of Praise (22)
(C) David's Words of Praise (23:1-7)
(B) The acomplishments of David's "mighty men" (23:8-39). 
(A) David's intercessory prayer in the midst of a plauge (24).


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## blhowes (Jun 18, 2005)

There's one question I failed to ask about this passage. At first (second, etc) reading, it appears that the passage is a chronological account of what transpired. But looking at the passage I mentioned and the ones that John mentioned, I was just wondering why they wrote it the way they did? Was this a typical way of writing back then? Was there a reason that 1 Samuel 16 is before 1 Samuel 17, but chronologically occurred after it?


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