This article answers the question more often raised in the homosexual debate: were David and Jonathan lovers? What is the most faithful way to understand their close relationship described in 1 Samuel?

What is the place and function of the books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel as part of the former prophets? Dumbrell gives an overview of the theological significance.

This article is on 1 Samuel 1-4, about Eli and his family.

This paper considers the theological significance of the transfer of power from King Saul to David as depicted in 1 Samuel 16:13-14. The focus is on the movement of the Spirit of God from Saul to David.

In this article, Hays responds to Clyde Billington who gave a proposal regarding the textual variant problem in 1 Samuel 17:4 concerning the height of Goliath. He responds to a number of aspects, including the difficulty of defining a cubit, the unexplained Dead Sea Scrolls evidence, the fear of Saul and its narrative context, Goliath’s armour and weapons, etc.

What was the size of Goliath and the giants we read of in Joshua? In this paper the author argues that both the six-cubits reading and the four-cubits reading of 1 Samuel 17:4 give the same basic height for Goliath. In addition, this paper will argue that both readings are saying that Goliath was about eight feet tall. It also seeks to answer related questions about the size of the exodus giants.

What is the world to which 1 Samuel introduces us? What was the historical, cultural, and theological context? This essay wants to interpret the life of David within the world dominated by the Philistines.

This article starts with a consideration of 1 Samuel 8 and moves to a discussion of the faithfulness of God as the basis for his gracious forgiveness. And then it outlines what ought to be the nature of our response to God's forgiveness.

How should the phrase "a man after God's own heart" in 1 Samuel 13:14 be understood? According to this article, it is a reference to the election of David as king over Israel rather than a reference to the moral qualities of David. It serves to distinguish David from Saul as God's choice.

What does 1 Samuel 13:1 mean when it says that Saul was only one year old when he began to reign, and reigned two years? This article suggests that Saul became king one year after he was adopted by Samuel, and was rejected after two years from being king, only to continue his kingship in a national (and not spiritual) sense.

This article considers the account of the Amalekite genocide in 1 Samuel 15:3. It works through the concern commonly raised regarding God's goodness. It shows who the Amalekites were, the role they played in salvation history, and how the passage points ahead to Jesus Christ.

A number of questions come out of 1 Samuel 16:14: What should we understand by the description "evil spirit"? How should we imagine the relationship between the Lord and these spirits? This article argues that the Old Testament fully accepts the existence of supernatural beings, good and evil. The aim of this article is to look at how the Old Testament views spiritual beings and evil spirits in particular.

What was the height of Goliath as we meet him in 1 Samuel 17:4? Hays wants to demonstrate that the text-critical evidence, both external and internal, demands a reconsideration of the height of Goliath. Hays argues that the narrative is not about David and Goliath, but rather about David and Saul.

David's victory over Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 gives some indication on how to engage in spiritual warfare. Unbelief kills the church, while faith which is dependant upon God and His power gives Christians courage to fight.