By this time in history, the world has long had kings (Genesis 10:8-10; 14:1-2; 1 Chronicles 1:43). It has also known of reigning queens like Kubaba of Sumer, Sobekneferu and Hatshepsut of Egypt and Shammuramat of Assyria. 1 Samuel represents another new beginning for God’s nation. Despite the elders’ desire for a king, God is perfectly at liberty to select a queen who can follow the fine example of Deborah. Exercising His sovereignty, God says to Samuel,
Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel (1 Samuel 9:16).
That man turns out to be Saul, son of Kish. Saul begins with humility and success, then turns proud and rebellious. God instructs Samuel to appoint another king—“a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). On God’s initiative, Samuel visits Jesse to see his sons. The chosen son turns out to be the young shepherd, David. Samuel anoints David with oil and the Spirit comes upon him (1 Samuel 16:5-13). David must go through many trials before tribal leaders recognize him as king. His own tribe, Judah, is the first to welcome him. Then, after seven and a half years, the other tribes accept him.
David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah (2 Samuel 2:3-4).
Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of My people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.’” So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel (2 Samuel 5:1-3).
Though 1 and 2 Samuel report on a national scale, they offer occasional glimpses of family dynamics. Nabal is “master” of wealthy enterprises and in charge of his household. Yet he is a fool who invites disaster. His wife Abigail wisely makes peace—proving again that a man’s leadership position is not to be equated with greater intelligence or virtue (1 Samuel 25). David marries Abigail when she is a widow. Notice the proposal process in this situation.
Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.” And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord” (1 Samuel 25:39-41).
Socially speaking, David’s most prominent wife is Michal, daughter of King Saul. She criticizes David’s worship. David’s reply emphasizes the Lord’s selection of him in the role of leader. The report ends, “And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death” (2 Samuel 6:23).