Old Testament Scriptural Summaries and Commentary

Ruth, 1 Samuel, chapters 1-2

Gospel Doctrine Class, Sunday School Lesson 20 -

"All the City…Doth Know That Thou Art a Virtuous Woman"

Book reference, The Old Testament Made Easier, Part 2, by David J. Ridges

Publisher, Cedar Fort, Springville, Utah

The Book of Ruth

Finally, the scriptures lift the gloom of the wicked and idolatrous apostasy cycle of the Israelites.  The book of Ruth is an inspirational story of two women who join together through love and loyalty to family and to God.  The narrative takes place approximately 1250 – 1200 B. C. during the later period of the Judges (Ridges, pt. 2 p. 337).

Ruth 1  Naomi and her family leave Bethlehem and move to Moab

Our story begins with a terrible famine in Judah that lasted for several years.  A righteous man named Elimelech decides to take his wife Naomi and their sons Mahlon and Chilion from their home in Bethlehem and go to Moab east of the Dead Sea. (The Moabites were descendants of Lot, Abraham’s brother’s son—distant relatives of the Israelites.)  Not too long after their arrival in Moab, Elimelech dies and Naomi becomes a widow.  The family stays in Moab and her two sons marry two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth, “And they dwelled there about ten years” (v. 1:1-4). 

Then, we are not told the circumstances, but both Mahlon and Chilion die leaving only Naomi and her two daughters-in-law.  Naomi decides to return to Judah where she hears that the famine has ended.  And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, "Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead [their husbands], and with me” (v. 1:8).  Naomi lamented to them, "…it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me" (v. 1:13). [She blamed herself for their trials.]  And Orpah left and returned to her people and her gods but Ruth stayed with Naomi.  Ruth said to Naomi, “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God” (v. 1:16).  So Naomi and Ruth return to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest (v. 1:22).

Ruth 2  Ruth gleans grain in the fields of Boaz  

With no means of support Ruth and Naomi are allowed to glean in the fields for food. [When harvesting the grain, the stalks are cut and bound in bundles called sheaves.  The stalks that fall to the ground are left there so the poor can glean or gather the leftovers on the edges and in the fields for food.]  Naomi knows that Ruth needs to secure a husband and family in Bethlehem.  “And Naomi had a kinsman [a relative] of her husband’s; a mighty man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech [Naomi’s husband] and his name was Boaz” (v. 2:1).  When Boaz came out to check on the harvest of his fields, he saw Ruth and knew she was a stranger.  When he inquired of his servant about her, he was told "it is the Moabitish damsel that came back with Naomi out of the country of Moab." And the servant told Boaz how she gleaned in the fields all day long for grain.  When Boaz was kind to Ruth she said, “Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?” (v. 2:10).  And Boaz said he knew of her kindness to Naomi and that she had left her own country to come to a place where she was away from all her own people.   And Boaz said, “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou are come to trust” (v. 2:12).  

Boaz told the reapers to let some of the grain fall on purpose.  And Ruth gleaned so much grain that Naomi was very happy about her good fortune and that it was Boaz who had spoken to her.  Naomi told Ruth, “The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen” (v. 2:20).

Ruth 3  Ruth and Boaz

Naomi knew that in Israel there was a custom relating to the levirate law of marriage, which meant that a dead man’s brother should marry the widow and raise a family to the dead man.  [The purpose was to insure the security of a widow who might be left without support.]  And, if there was no brother, a more distant male relative was required for this duty (see Deut. 25:5-10).  So, Naomi instructed Ruth: “Wash thyself, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon thee” (v. 3:3) and go to the threshing floor where Boaz would be sleeping because the harvest was over and he stayed there at night to guard his grain from thieves.  Naomi told Ruth to wait until after Boaz was asleep and then go in and uncover his feet and lay down there by him.  And Ruth said, “All that thou sayest unto me I will do” (v. 3:5). 

When Boaz awoke at midnight he was startled to find a woman lying at his feet.  And he asked, “Who art thou?" And she answered, "I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt [wing] over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman” (v. 3:9).  Boaz knew this meant that Ruth was asking him to marry her and raise up children to her deceased husband as provided under the Law of Moses.  And he said, “…my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman” (v. 3:11).  But the problem of a “nearer kinsman,” unforeseen by Naomi, had to be solved before Boaz and Ruth could marry (v. 3:12).

Ruth 4  The “nearer kinsman” declines and Boaz marries Ruth

As was the custom, the next day Boaz went to the gate of the city and the other kinsman that Boaz spoke of came and sat by him before the elders of the city (v. 4:2).  Boaz said to the kinsman that since Naomi’s husband and both sons were dead that the lands she owned should be purchased by the next of kin.  And, he pointed out, that one of the dead sons left a widow who was a Moabite girl who would also have to be taken as a wife by the person who was purchasing the land.  The next kinsman declined the offer and said to Boaz, “I cannot redeem it for myself: …redeem thou my right to thyself” (v. 4:6).  “Buy it for thee."  So he drew off his shoe (v. 4:8).  [When the nearer kinsman took off his shoe it meant that he agreed to the deal as witnessed by the elders of the city.] 

And so, Boaz had all the rights as next kinsman to marry Ruth which he did.  Eventually Ruth and Boaz have a son whose name is Obed who was a joy to Naomi (v. 4:16).  In Obed the descendants of Lot (Abraham’s brother’s son, the father of the Moabites) through Ruth, and the descendants of Abraham through Boaz, an Israelite, came together.  And Obed’s son was Jesse, and Jesse’s son was David who was a direct ancestor of Jesus Christ.

"In our selection of heroes, let us nominate also heroines. First, that noble example of fidelity—even Ruth. Sensing the grief-stricken heart of her mother-in-law, who suffered the loss of each of her two fine sons, and feeling perhaps the pangs of despair and loneliness which plagued the very soul of Naomi, Ruth uttered what has become that classic statement of loyalty: “Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” (Ruth 1:16.) Ruth’s actions demonstrated the sincerity of her words. There is place for her name in the Hall of Fame (Elder Thomas S. Monson, "My Personal Hall of Fame," Ensign, Nov. 1974, p. 108).

Samuel Books 1—2

The two books of Samuel cover a period of approximately 130 years.  Book one begins with the birth of Samuel and book two ends with the death of David.  The writer/s of these books are unknown as is the exact time period that they were written.  “Most Bible scholars agree that Samuel was born somewhere between 1100 B.C. and 1150 B.C.” (Ridges, pt. 2, p. 351).

The First Book of Samuel also called The First Book of the Kings

1 Samuel Chapters 1 - 2  The Birth of Samuel/Eli's Unrighteous Sons

At this time of apostasy and wickedness in Israel a righteous woman by the name of Hannah is barren and her faith leads her to make a vow to the Lord.  Her husband, Elkahah, an Ephramite has two wives, but she is the first and more loved than the second wife Peninnah, who provokes Hannah because of her barrenness.  Once a year all the family travels to Shiloh to make sacrifices and to worship the Lord.  The scripture states, “And she [Hannah] was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore” (v. 1:10).  And she made a vow to the Lord saying, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then  I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head” [he will be a Nazarite consecrated to the Lord] (v. 1:11). 

Eli, the high priest at the Tabernacle at this time, saw her moving her lips in silent prayer and thought she was drunken.  And he said to her, "How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee." She answered and said, “No my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD” (v. 1:15).  Not realizing the blessing he was giving, Eli said to her, “Go in peace; and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast ask of him” (v. 1:17).  And Hannah said, "Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight," (v. 1:18) and she went away with a happy countenance.  

When they are back home in Ramah, "Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her."  Hannah conceives and bears a son and calls him Samuel meaning “one asked of God” (v. 1:20).  And she raises him until he is old enough to be weaned; then she took young Samuel to Shiloh to “[lend him] to the Lord; as long as he liveth;…And he worshipped the LORD there” [in the Tabernacle at Shiloh with Eli] (v. 1:28).

Hannah is so happy about the birth of Samuel she composes a song that praises the Lord

( 1 Samuel 2:1-10). "And the child did minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest" (v. 2:11).

1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

 2 There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.…

(1 Samuel 2: 1-2.)

6 The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

 7 The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

 8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are theLord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.

 9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silentin darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

 10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

(1 Samuel 2:6-10.)

  And Hannah has five more children—three sons and two daughters "and the child Samuel grew before the LORD" (v. 2:21). 

Now, Eli, the high priest, has two immoral sons, called "sons of Belial" named Hophni and Phinehas who stole from the sacrifices made by the Israelites and took sexual advantage of women who came to door of the Tabernacle to worship (vv. 2:12-17, 22-26). 

"The term Belial means “worthless” or “wicked” (see Bible Dictionary, “Belial,” 620). They were men of greed and lust. They used their authority as priests to extort from the people the best of the meat brought before them for sacrifice (see 1 Sam. 2:13–16). In essence they were taking their portion before giving a portion to God! They were also committing immoral acts with the women who gathered at the tabernacle (see 1 Sam. 2:22). Eli knew what they were doing, and when the people saw that the priesthood at Shiloh was corrupt, they 'abhorred the offering of the Lord' (1 Sam. 2:17). What was a father to do?" (Ensign, "Eli and His Sons," By Elder Paulo R. Grahl, Area Authority Seventy,  June 2002.)

A man of God comes to Eli and tells him that if his sons continue their corruption, he will destroy both him and his sons in one day (vv. 2:27-34). 

Ridges comments: "A man of God (we don't know who it was) came to Eli and warned him to do something about his sons, telling him that he was placing his wicked sons above the Lord in his priorities" (pt. 2 p. 353).

The man of God tells Eli, “I will raise me up a faithful priest that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever” (v. 2:35).  And that "faithful priest" is Samuel.

Old Testament Scriptural Summaries and Commentary

Judges, Chapters 2; 4; 6; 7; 13-16

Gospel Doctrine Class, Sunday School Lesson 19 - The Reign of the Judges

Book reference, The Old Testament Made Easier, Part 2, by David J. Ridges

Publisher, Cedar Fort, Springville, Utah

Book reference, The Third Thousand Years, by W. Cleon Skousen

Publisher, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, Utah

The Book of Judges

This book covers the time between the conquest of Canaan and the beginning of Israelite Kings.  It is thought to be a period of about 200 years from 1300 to 1100 B.C.  We have no way of knowing the exact time as the scriptures were probably written some time later.  The term “judges” as used in this book of scripture does not refer to a person who is officially appointed to judge the people. "Generally, the judges were successful military leaders rather than political judges or rulers."  They "were considered to be heroes but not the main figures of a strong central government." (See Judges, LDS Bible Dictionary, 2006, p. 719.)

It is a time of “the apostasy cycle” when the people turn away from the Lord; they are conquered and put under oppression; after much suffering, they repent and cry unto the “God of their fathers” again; and the Lord rescues them through a righteous person who receives His help and guidance.  Ridges describes it as prosperity, which causes pride, which leads to apostasy and destruction, and back to humility and repentance, and finally they are blessed again with prosperity.  This cycle is the underlying theme in Judges (Ridges, pt. 2, pp. 311, 314-315).  In this book six judges have inspiring narrative stories, and six are merely mentioned in the scripture. 

The following is a list of the twelve judges in the order of their appearance in the book of Judges:

Othnniel* (3:7-11) 

Ehud* (3:12-30)

Shamgar (3:31)

Deborah* (with Barak) (4:1—5:31)

Gideon* (and his family) (6:1—9:57)

Tola (10:1-2)

Jair (10:3-5)

Jephthah* (10:6—12:7)

Ibzan (12:8-10)

Elon (12:11-12)

Abdon (12:13-15)

Samson* (13:1—16:31)

*major judges

Judges Chapters 1; 2; 3: 5-7 "[Ye] have not obeyed my voice"

After Joshua died no new leader was called by the Lord leaving each tribe to more or less fend for themselves.  The Lord had commanded the Israelites to continue to drive out all the inhabitants in the lands they inherited and to cleanse the land so the Canaanites would not corrupt them.  There was some success by the tribes of Judah and Joseph, but for most of the tribes, the Canaanites continued to dwell among them (v. 1:30). 

Then, the Lord sends an angel to rebuke Israel for not serving Him.  “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.  And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars; but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?" (vv. 2:1-2). 

 After the generations that knew Joshua died and all that generation who saw the miracles of the Lord in their battles to possess the land were gone, “. . . there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel” (v. 2:10).  And the Israelites “forsook the LORD…and followed other gods, [Baal and Ashtaroth]. This angers the Lord; (vv. 2:12-13) “. . . and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers [their enemies, see Neh. 9:27] that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies” (v. 2:14). 

And the people were greatly distressed.  "Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them."  But the people didn't listen to the judges and "went whoring after other gods " (vv. 2:15-17).

“And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:  And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods” (vv. 3:5-7).  A sad tale of apostasy.

Judges 4:1 – 5:31  Deborah with the help of Barak defeat the Canaanites

After being delivered by judges Othniel, a prince of Judah, the nephew of Caleb, Ehud and Shamgar, the cycle of apostasy continued: “. . . the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, when Ehud was dead” (v. 4:1).  This time the northern part of Israel had been conquered by the Canaanite King Jabin who ruled from the city Hazor [several miles above the Sea of Galilee, Skousen, p. 530].  The captain of Jabin’s army was Sisera, who commanded “900 chariots of iron.”  After twenty years of oppression the children of Israel cried to the Lord (vv. 4:2-3). 

And a woman among them named Deborah "judged Israel" at this time.  She was a prophetess and “a mother in Israel,” (v. 5:7) known to have wisdom in settling disputes.  Deborah received a revelation from the Lord telling her that he would deliver them from Sisera if they would “take ten thousand men” from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulon (v. 4:6) and go to mount Tabor by the river Kishon.  And Deborah asked Barak to be the leader.  Barak was not confident of his own ability and said, “If thou wilt go with me, then I will go” (v. 4:8).  And Deborah said, “I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD shall sell [deliver] Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah and Barak gathered an armed force of 10,000 men as the Lord required (vv. 4:9-10). 

A man named Heber the Kenite, who was of the people of Jethro [father-in-law of Moses], heard about the Israelite army massing at Mount Tabor and he told Sisera.  When Sisera and his chariots started toward the Israelite army, the Lord caused a flash flood that flowed down the mountain and flooded the banks of the Kishon river and Sisera’s army abandoned their chariots and fled (v. 4:15; vv. 5:4-5).  Barak went after them and the enemy was slain, and not one man escaped except Sisera (vv. 4:16-17). 

What happened next is the fulfillment of Deborah’s prophesy.  Sisera fled toward the Sea of Galilee where Heber, his informant and friend, lived.  Heber was not home but Jael, his wife, invited him into their tent to rest.  She had him lie down and “she covered him with a mantle” (v. 4:18).  When he was asleep, she took a metal tent stake and with a hammer she pounded the stake completely through Sisera’s head fastening it to the ground (v. 4:21).  When Barak arrived he found Sisera dead with a nail through his temples. “And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin, king of Canaan” (v. 4:24). 

Deborah and Barak praised the Lord and sang a song of praise because Israel had been delivered from Canaanite bondage.  “So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.  And the land had rest forty years” (5:31).

Judges 6:1 – 8:35  Gideon is raised up to save Israel

And, once again the scripture states, “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD” (v. 6:1).  The problem the children of Israel have now concerns the Midianites (descendents of Abraham through Keturah, see Gen. 25:2) and the Amalekites (descendents of Esau) and other Semitic people.  This large body of people came from the eastern highlands, across the Jordan and into Canaan to raid the lands of the Israelites when the crops were ready to harvest.  For seven years the Midianites prevailed against the Israelites driving them to live in caves in the mountains for refuge from this hoard (v. 6:2). These marauders came “with their cattle and their tents, and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.  And  Israel was impoverished because of the Midianites and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD" (vv. 6:5-6).  And the Lord sent a prophet to tell them "fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but ye have not obeyed my voice" (v. 6:10). 

Now, a man named Gideon from the tribe of Manasseh, was raised up to save his people.  The Lord sent a messenger (probably a translated being) and said to him, “The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." And Gideon said unto him, "Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? But now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites” (vv. 6:12-13).  And Gideon was told by the angel, “Go in this thy might and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites” (v. 6:14). Gideon asks for a sign from the angel and was shown fire from a stone that consumed food placed on it (vv. 6: 17, 21).  And Gideon perceived he had seen an angel of the Lord and said, "Alas, O Lord God! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face."  And the Lord said unto him, "Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die" [this was a Hebrew superstition; if a man saw God, he would die] (vv. 6:22-23).

That same night the Lord told Gideon to go and destroy his father’s altar to Baal and cut down the grove (where the immoral rites of the heathen religions were performed).  He told him to build an altar to the Lord and offer a burnt sacrifice using the wood of the grove (v. 6:25).  The next day the men of Ophrah (where Gideon lived) demanded of his father that he be killed.  Strangely, his father Joash said to the men, “Will ye plead for Baal? . . . if he be a god, let him plead for himself.” And Gideon’s father gave him the new name of Jerrubbaal meaning “let Baal speak for himself” (vv. 6:26-32). 

The Midianites and the Amalekites camp in a valley west of the Jordan where they prepare to attack the Israelites.  Gideon was told by the Spirit of the Lord to gather an army in defense of Israel and men from the tribes of Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali

volunteer.  Now, Gideon asks the Lord for further assurance that he will bless him and two signs are given concerning dew on a fleece of wool and dew not on the fleece (vv. 6:33-40). 

Judges 7  Gideon’s 300 men

Gideon raises an army of 32,000 men but the Lord tells him that it is too many.  The Lord didn’t want the Israelites to think that they had succeeded without his help (Ridges, p. 321) (v. 7:2).  So all the fearful and afraid are told to return home and 22,000 departed.  And the Lord said to Gideon, “The people are yet too many; bring them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there. . . .”(v. 7:4). Only the men who scooped the water with their hands to drink—300 men were kept (v. 7:7). 

Then, in darkness, Gideon takes the 300 to Mount Moreh overlooking the valley of the plain of Esdraelon where "the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for multitude" (v. 7:12).  And he divides the men into three groups of 100 each.  He gives each a pitcher or jar containing a lighted lamp and a trumpet and he places them all around the area where the Midianites are camped below.  At Gideon’s signal from his trumpet, the men broke their pitchers of light, blew their trumpets and shouted, “The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon” (v. 7:20).  The Midianites and the others with them saw the 300 lights and heard the noise of the trumpets and the sound of all the shouts and they fled in panic into the darkness.  Then, all the men of the tribes of Israel gathered together and pursued after the Midianites (v. 7:23).  They captured and killed two enemy princes named Oreb and Zeeb and took their heads to Gideon on the other side of the Jordan (vv. 7:9-25).

Judges 13 – 16  The sad story of Samson

This is a sad story of a man named Samson who was blessed by the Lord, was not obedient, and ends up taking his own life.  The writers of scripture have tried to make it appear that Samson had the spirit of the Lord when in fact, he did not obey the commandments against honoring his parents, intermarriage, adultery, revenge and self will.  So read the scripture carefully between the lines to find the truth. 

Judges 13 – 14  Samson is born and marries a Philistine woman

And again, as is the pattern of the cycle of apostasy, the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and they were delivered into the hands of the Philistines for forty years (v. 13:1).

The story of Samson starts with the miracle of his birth.  His mother was barren when an angel (messenger) of the Lord appeared to her and tells her she will conceive a son and that he will “be a Nazarite to God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines” (vv. 13:3-5).  (See Numbers 6:1-8 below for the Nazarite vow.)

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord:

 3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

 4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.

 5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.

 6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body.

 7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.

 8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.

 And she tells her husband, Manoah of the tribe of Dan, what the angel said to her.  And the angel comes again to the woman and she runs to get her husband. Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, "I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid [meal] for thee."  The angel tells him he will not eat, and any burnt offering must be made unto the Lord ("for Manoah knew not that he was an angel of the LORD") (vv. 13:15-16).  So Manoah made a meat offering unto the LORD; and while he and his wife looked on, the angel of the Lord ascended toward heaven in the flame of the altar and Manoah knew he was an angel of the Lord (vv. 13:17-21).  [Because of Israelite superstition,] Manoah feared and said, "We shall surely die, because we have seen God."  But his wife answers and tells him if it had been God, he could have killed them at any time and would not have said the things he did to them (v. 13:23).  "And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson…and the LORD blessed him.  And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the camp of Dan" (v. 13:24).

Almost from the beginning Samson was not willing to follow the Lord.  He sees a Philistine woman and tries to force his parents to arrange a marriage for him with the “heathen” [non-Israelite] woman.  This turns into a disaster when he makes the arrangements himself. Near the woman’s home he sees a young lion and kills it with his bare hands.  When he returns to "take her" [marry the Philistine woman] (v. 14:8), he sees a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. So, he ate of the honey and gave to his father and mother but didn't tell them where it came from (vv. 14:1-9).

At the marriage feast he makes a bet with his thirty Philistine companions [traditional marriage participants] that he will give them “thirty sheets (tunics) and thirty change of garments” (v. 14:12), if they can solve his riddle in seven days, and if they don’t solve it, they will give him the same.  And this is the riddle; "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness" (v. 14).  On the seventh day, the Philistine men threaten to burn his wife with fire and also her father's house if she does not help them get the answer to the riddle. With much weeping, she gets the answer from Samson.  Before the sun goes down on the seventh day, "the men of the city" say to Samson, "What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion?" and he knew his wife had given them the answer (vv. 14:15-18).

Samson is enraged that she has told them and he goes down to Ashkelon and kills thirty men "of them" and takes their “spoil.” He gives the change of garments to those who "expounded the riddle." Then, he returns to his father's house; and his wife he gave to his companion, "whom he had used as his friend" (vv. 14:19-20).

Judges 15  Samson defies the Philistines

 After a time, he went back to make peace with his wife but she had already remarried one of the young Philistine companions and her father offered him a younger daughter (v. 15:2).  Now, Samson “caught three hundred foxes, and took firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst between two tails” (v. 15:1-4).  The he set them on fire and turned them loose in the fields of corn and in the vineyards and olive trees which burned and everything was destroyed (v. 15:5).  For Samson's act of revenge, the Philistines burned both the daughter and the father (her father’s house; see footnote 14:6b).  Then, the Philistines went looking for Samson in Judah.  And the men of Judah feared the Philistines and confronted Samson who told them to bind him and take him to the Philistines which they did.  And Samson broke the bands, grabbed the jawbone of an ass and killed a thousand men (vv. 15:9-16).  And the scripture states, “And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years” (v. 15:20).

Judges 16  Samson seals his fate

"Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her" (v. 16:1).  And the men of Gaza decide to wait for him all night by the city gate so they can kill him when it gets light. At midnight Samson arose and “took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron” (v. 16:1-3).  And he escaped out of their hands. 

Once again Samson falls in love with a Philistine woman whose name is Delilah.  The lords of the Philistines come to Delilah and say; "Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him; and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver" (v. 16:5).  Three times he tells her different ways to bind him and three times he frees himself.  Finally “when she pressed him daily,” (v. 16:16) Samson reveals his heart to her, “ … I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb; if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man” (v. 16:17).  While he was asleep on her knees, Delilah caused that his hair was shaved and he lost his strength (v. 16:19). 

The Philistines take him, put out his eyes and made him grind [their grain] at the wheel in the prison house.  In time, Samson’s hair begins to grow back and through the power of the Lord, his strength begins to return.  During a great celebration to the Philistine god Dagon, Samson is taken to their temple so they can “make sport” of him.  The scripture states, that the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of the Philistines were there; in addition about three thousand men and women are on the roof (v. 16:27).  Samson asked the lad who was leading him if he could stand between the two pillars (that supported the building).  With all his might he moved the pillars and the house fell killing all who were in the house and on the roof, including Samson.  And Samson’s brethren took him and buried him in his father Manoah’s buryingplace (17:31). 

"Samson’s hair was not the source of his physical strength. Rather, his hair was a sign of his covenant with the Lord, and when his hair was cut, the Lord took away his physical strength because the covenant was broken" (Old Testament: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2001), 87–91).

Old Testament Scriptural Summaries and Commentary

Joshua, Chapters 1; 2; 3; 4; 6; 7:2-21; 14; 23; 24;

Gospel Doctrine Class, Sunday School Lesson 18 - "Be Strong and of a Good Courage"

Book reference, The Old Testament Made Easier, Part 2, by David J. Ridges

Publisher Cedar Fort, Springville, Utah

The Book of Joshua

Joshua 1 -12 – The conquest of Canaan by the Israelites

Joshua 1 - "Be strong and of a good courage" 

After the death of Moses the LORD speaks to Joshua saying,  “. . . arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel" (v. 1:2).   And he promises Joshua, "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee:  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee" (v. 1:5).  

In the next verses, the Lord twice admonishes Joshua. "Be strong and of a  good courage: (1) for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them;…(2) that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law [scriptures];…turn not from it to the right hand or to the left;—In other words, don’t deviate from all the knowledge and guidance that you have been given (Ridges, pt. 2, p. 294);  (3) that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest" (vv. 1:6-7).  Joshua is counseled that if he lives and mediates according to the "book of the law" the children of Israel will "have good success." Again Joshua is told, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest (see hymn # 85, "How Firm a Foundation, third verse) (v. 1:9). 

And the children of Israel covenanted with Joshua: "All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.  According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee; only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses;" any who rebels against Joshua's word, will be put to death (vv. 1:16-18).

Joshua 2 - Israel's spies are saved by Rahab 

Joshua sends two spies into Jericho to secretly scout out the area.  While inside the city they find the woman Rahab who was a harlot [sometimes described as an innkeeper, Ridges, pt. 2, p. 295].  She hides the two spies from the king’s messengers on the roof under stalks of flax and they are saved. Rahab tells the spies, “I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you” (vv. 2:1-9). 

In return for her kindness, she asks and receives a promise of protection for her and her family when Israel invades Jericho.  She is told to put a red [scarlet] cloth on the window so the army of Israel will know which house is hers, that it can be spared (see Joshua 6:17, 25). Then Rahab "let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall." And she told them to hide three days in the mountains before they return to camp so their pursuers will have already returned to Jericho. And the two spies did as she told them and they returned to Joshua after three days and reported to him, "Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us" (vv. 2:12-15; 23-24).

Joshua 3-4 - The Jordan parts/A memorial is built

Now, Joshua and all the children of Israel are lodged next to the Jordan.  As they prepare to cross the river, Joshua commands the people, saying, "Sanctify yourselves; for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you" (vv. 3:1; 5).

The children of Israel prepare to move across the Jordan River and into the promised land.  And the LORD said unto Joshua, "This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” (v. 3:7).  When the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant reached the Jordan which was overflowing its banks at harvest season, the waters “stood and rose up [backed up] upon an heap". . . and the people "stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan" and passed over "right against [across from] Jericho” (vv. 3:13-17). 

13 "And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

 14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;

 15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

 16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

 17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan" (Joshua 3:13-17).

Joshua commands one man from each tribe to carry a boulder from the bottom of the riverbed and take it beyond the river. These rocks were to build a memorial for all the generations to be taught the miracle the Lord performed for the Israelites when they crossed the river Jordan. "And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood; and they are there unto this day" (v. 4:2-9).

"On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life" (v. 4:14).  And Joshua spoke to the children of Israel, saying, "When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land…as the LORD your God did to the Red sea.…That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD that it is mighty; that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever" (vv. 4:21-24).

Joshua 6 - The battle of Jericho

The Lord tells Joshua that he has given him Jericho, the king and all the mighty men.  And he tells him what to do so that they can take the city.  The Lord's plan is to have the army of Israel march directly toward Jericho.  Following the army is seven priests blowing their ram’s horn trumpets.  Behind them is the Ark of the Covenant carried by other priests and at the rear is a special guard.   They make one complete circle around Jericho and march back to their camp.  This same exercise is repeated for six consecutive days.  On the seventh day the group circled the walls of Jericho seven times in the same manner.  When the seventh circle was completed they stopped, faced the walls with swords drawn, and the ram’s horn sounded a loud signal.  Then Joshua told the people, "Shout for the LORD hath given you the city." And the city and all therein shall be "accursed" to the LORD; only Rahab the harlot and all that are with her shall live, because she hid the messengers that were sent.  Joshua warned the people not to take any accursed thing out of the city or they themselves and all Israel would be accursed (vv. 6: 2-18).

All the people shouted with a great shout; and the wall [around Jericho] fell down flat and the people went into the city to take it (v. 6:20).  The spies, hidden by Rahab, were sent to take her and all her kindred out of the city.  Then, the city and all its inhabitants were destroyed and burned as the Lord had commanded. And Rahab dwelt with the Israelites "even unto this day." Only the silver, gold, and vessels of brass and iron were saved and consecrated for the treasury of the LORD.  "So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country" (vv. 7:20-27).

Joshua 7 - An "accursed" thing taken from Jericho  

Now the Lord's anger was kindled against the children of Israel because a man of the tribe of Judah named Achan had taken an “accursed thing” from the city of Jericho—as the Lord commanded them not to do (see v. 6:18).  Consequently, when Joshua sent three thousand men to Ai to take that area on the east side of Bethel, they were soundly defeated as the Israelites ran from their enemy (vv. 7:1-5).  Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth before the ark and prayed to the Lord, "wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies?" (vv. 7:6-8).

The Lord told Joshua, “Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them; for they have even taken of the accursed thing" [from Jericho]  (v. 7:11).  For this reason, "the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies…because they were accursed; neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you."  Joshua was instructed to call an assembly the next day according to their tribes, families, and households when the Lord would reveal who the guilty person was (vv. 7:14-15).  From all the tribe of Judah, it was narrowed down to one man, Achan (v. 7:18).  He had taken a “Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels” and hid them in the earth in his tent (v. 7:24).  Therefore, the Lord demanded the ultimate penalty of stoning.  Achan, his sons and daughters, and all his possessions (oxen, asses, sheep, tent, and all) were taken to the valley of Achor and all Israel stoned and burned them with fire after they were stoned (v. 7: 25). "So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger…" (vv: 7:9-26).

Joshua chapters 8 through 12 detail the conquest of the nations [city-states] of Canaan for the children of Israel to inhabit.  

Joshua 13 instructs the people concerning the lands not yet possessed.

Joshua 14 - The land is divided among the tribes

 1 "And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.
 2 By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.
 3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.
 4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
 5 As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land."

Caleb is given Hebron because of his faithfulness

 6 "Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadesh-barnea.

 7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

 8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt [fear]: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.

 9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God.

 10 And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.

 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

 12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims [giants] were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.

 13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance."

Caleb of the tribe of Judah eloquently pleads with Joshua for an inheritance promised to him by the Lord as he and Joshua were the only two faithful of that [original] generation when Moses was in Egypt who would live to enter Canaan (see Num. 14:30) (14:6-13). 

 Joshua 15 - 19

Chapter 15 - Judah's inheritance in Canaan;

Chapter 16 - Joseph's (Ephraim and Manasseh) inheritance;

Chapter 17 - Ephraim and Manasseh receive additional inheritance;

Chapter 18 - Benjamin receives inheritance.  The tabernacle is set up at Shiloh;

Chapter 19 - Simon, Zebulon, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan receive their inheritances.

These chapters outline the division of the land among the tribes of Israel not including the Levites whose inheritance was their service to the Lord. Joshua divided the land by casting lots “before the Lord” (vv. 18: 6, 8, 10; 19:51) which was acceptable to God.  Partly because of Caleb’s inheritance, the large tribe of Judah was given the southern part of Canaan.  The next largest tribe was Joseph, which included both the tribe of Manasseh and Ephraim, who were given different sections of the central part of Canaan.  Joshua told them they would have to “drive out the Canaanites, though they [their enemies] have iron chariots, and though they be strong” (vv. 17:17-18).  The remaining seven tribes did not seem anxious to leave Shiloh and move into their inheritances (v. 18:3).  Joshua commands these tribes to enlist three men from each tribe to survey the land allocated to Israel and divide it into areas that could be given by choosing lots.  “And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book and came again to Joshua. . . .And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions” (vv. 18:9-10).  This was the end of dividing the land for the inheritances of the tribes of Israel (v. 19:51).

Joshua 20 - 22

Chapter 20 - Six cities of refuge are appointed;

Chapter 21 - Levites are given forty-eight cities;

Chapter 22 - Two and a half tribes given land beyond the Jordan are dismissed.

Joshua 23 - Be courageous and keep the law of Moses

 Now many years later the tribes have moved onto their lands given to them by the Lord.  Joshua, "old and stricken in age" calls all Israel and again commands the people to cleanse all the land; “And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you” (v. 23:5).  He exhorts them, "Be ye therefore courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that  ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand of to the left."  He tells them to stay completely away from the gods of those that remain among them, "But cleave unto the LORD your God as ye have done unto this day. For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you [stop you, Ridges, pt. 2, p. 305) unto this day" (vv. 23:1-9).

Now, Joshua warns the people of what will happen if they adopt the evils of the nations they were to drive out (Ridges, pt. 2, p. 303).  He specifically warns of any marriage with a non-Israelite.  He tells them the Lord's help in driving out the nations depends on their obedience otherwise "these nations…shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you" (vv. 23:10-13).

Joshua knows he will soon be "going the way of all the earth:" and he reminds them that the Lord has not failed to give them all the good things that he promised them; that "all are come to pass unto you."  And he again warns them "so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land…[if] ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods.…[Then] shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land…"(vv. 23:14-16).

Ridges comments: "Under Joshua's leadership, as instructed by Jehovah, the Israelites had destroyed a total of thirty-one city-states (generally referred to in the Bible as 'nations') up to this point.  However the job was not yet complete.…Joshua reminds his people that there were yet wicked cultures to be destroyed.…Don't forget that the nations destroyed and yet to be destroyed were 'ripe in iniquity'" (p. 304).

From Ridges, Leviticus 18: "[In this chapter] you will see many of the behaviors and attitudes that lead a nation to [being ripe in iniquity].  You will see that many of these behaviors have to do with open acceptance of sexual immorality, including homosexuality and other sexual perversions" (p. 158).

Joshua 24 – Joshua's last sermon to the children of Israel

Joshua gathers all the tribes of Israel to Shechem where he delivers his last sermon. In the name of the Lord, he speaks of the idolatry of their fathers (see Abraham 1:5) (v. 24:2).

Ridges comments on verses 24: 2-13 as follows:

"In verses 2-13, Jehovah bears His personal testimony to the Israelites, bearing witness of things reaching back to Abraham and his father, Terah.  He reminds these people that they have been eye witnesses to His blessings and help to them.

"You will find 'I' at least seventeen times.  Thus, Christ bears specific testimony to the Israelites at least seventeen times" [in these verses] (p. 306).

Joshua continues, "Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt and serve ye the LORD."   He warns, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve: whether the gods [idols] which your fathers served . . . or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (24:14-15).

And the people answered, "God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods." And they speak of the God who brought them and their fathers out from bondage in Egypt with the "great signs" which they saw; and preserved them in their wanderings in the wilderness; and when the Lord drove out the Amorites who dwelt in the land before them; and they again declare, "we will also serve the LORD; for he is our God" (vv. 24: 16-18). 

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD for he is an holy God [he must have a holy people, Ridges, p. 309]; he is a jealous God he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins." And the people said unto Joshua for the third time, "Nay; but we will serve the LORD"  (vv. 24:19, 21).

 And Joshua said, "Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him."  And they said, "We are witnesses."  Joshua warns them to "incline your heart unto the LORD" [let the Lord constantly be the center focus of your loyalties, thoughts, and feelings, Ridges, p. 309).  And for the fourth time the people answer, "The LORD our God will we serve and his voice will we obey."  So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem" (vv. 24:22-25).

"A monument is erected to commemorate the making of this covenant.  The stone is to serve as a witness of the covenant" (Ridges, pt. 2, p. 310).  And Joshua set a stone under a tree as a witness to all the words that were spoken that day.  After all the people had departed, Joshua dies at 110 years of age and he is buried in Timnath-serah in the mount Ephraim on the side of the hill Gaash.  "And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived [outlived] Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD that he had done for Israel" (vv. 24:26-31).

And the bones of Joseph brought out of Egypt with the children of Israel are buried in Shechem in the parcel of ground purchased by his father, Jacob.  And Eleazar, the son of Aaron died and was buried in mount Ephraim (24:29-33). 

Ridges comments: "Just before he died, at age 110, Joseph prophesied that the children of Israel would someday be taken out of Egypt by the Lord.  In conjunction with that prophecy, he requested that his mortal remains be taken with the Israelites to the promised land (Genesis 50:24-26).  Now Joseph's embalmed body was given a final resting place in Shechem" (pt. 2, p. 310).