September/October 2006  SBW Syllabus

SBW - 18 BIBLE WOMEN

LESSON 18

Of the Old Testament

The Jewish Age

The Exodus to the Coronation

396 Years; Ex. 14 to 1 Sam. 10

PERIOD OF CONQUEST

(References in 1 Samuel)

AHINOAM—PLEASANT BROTHER

1.      She was the wife of whom (1 Sam. 14:50a)?

2.      Therefore, she was the first _____________ in Israel .

3.      Name the children born to her (14:49).

4.      Who was her father (1 Sam 14:50b)?

A.     What were the names of Saul’s three sons (1 Samuel 14:49)?

B.     Name his two daughters (1 Sam 14:49).

(References in 2 Samuel)

RIZPAH—VARIEGATED

1.      Whose concubine was she (2 Sam 3:7)?

2.      Who was her father?

3.      Who humbled her and how was he rebuked (3:6-8)? Notice a similar situation later when we study about Abishag, a concubine of David, in lesson 20.

4.      When his guilt threw him into a rage, what did he threaten to do (3:9-11)?

5.      How many sons did she bear to Saul (21:8)?  Name them.

6.      In his haste, what had King Saul done (21:1-2)?

7.      As just retribution, what did the Gibeonites demand (21:4-9)?

8.      What became of these sons (21:8-9)?

A.     What remarkable thing did Rizpah do (21:10-11)?

B.     What did David do then (21:12-14)?

(References in 1 Samuel)

MERAB—INCREASE

1.      Whose daughter was she (1 Sam 14:49)?

2.      To whom did her father promise to give her in marriage (1 Sam 18:17)?

3.      What seems to have been in Saul’s mind when he made this suggestion (1 Sam 18:17)?

4.      To whom was she actually given in marriage (1 Sam 18:19)?

5.      How many sons did she have and what was their fate (2 Sam 21:8-9)?  The Michal here is actually Merab (18:19).

A.     See also: 2 Sam 21:8; 1 Sam 18:19; 1 Sam 14:49

B.     To understand why these sons were slain, read Joshua 9:3-16; 2 Sam 21:16.

 

(References in 1 & 2 Samuel)

MICHAL—WHO IS LIKE GOD?

1.      What must have been the feeling of the happy parents at her birth?

2.      Name her parents, brothers and sister (1 Sam 14:49-50).

3.      With whom did she fall in love (1 Sam 18:20)?

4.      What dowry did her father demand (18:25)?

5.      Tell how David “won” Michael (18:22-29).

6.      How did she save David’s life (1 Sam 19:11-12)?

7.      What deception did she work (1 Sam 19:13-17)?

8.      In David’s absence, Michal was given to whom (1 Sam 25:44)?

9.      When David became king over all Israel , what did he demand (2 Sam 3:12-16)?

10. How was her husband affected by all this (2 Sam 3:16)?

11. Why did Michal become angry with David (2 Sam 6:16, 20; 1 Chr 15:29)?

12. How did David rebuke her, and how was she punished by God (2 Sam 6:21-23)?

A.     Harmonize 2 Sam 6:23 with 1 Sam 1:6-8; Isa 4:1; Hos 9:11-12 and Luke 1:25.  This will be a short essay to explain the significance of the curse placed on Michal.

B.     Now connect 2 Sam 21:8 with 1 Sam 18:19.  This should help solve question 5 under Merab.

13. What kind of image did she use/make?  What was the purpose (1 Sam 19:13)?

14. Did she do right in marrying Phalti?

15. Did she fully enter into the work of David (2 Sam 6:14-16)?

 

WITCH OF ENDOR

1.      Where did she live and what was her occupation (1 Sam. 28:7)?

A.     Was she will known (28:7)?

B.     Did her practice meet the approval of God (Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6; Deut 18:10-11; 1 Sam 15:23; Gal 5:19-21)?

2.      Why then did Saul seek for her (28:5-6)?

A.     In what way did Saul come to her and why (28:8)?

B.     What plea did she make to him (28:9)?

3.      How did Saul answer her and what was his request (28:10-11)?

A.     Did she expect to bring up Samuel from the grave (28:12-14)?

B.     If so, why was she so excited in his presence?

C.    If she could have really called up the dead, would she have been so excited?

4.      What was Samuel’s speech to Saul (28:15-19)?

A.     How was Saul affected by this message (28:20)?

B.     What was her disposition then (28:21-23)?

C.    How did she supply strength to Saul (28:24-25)?

5.      Endor was a town in Manasseh, about four miles from Mount Tabor .  Look on a map to see the exact location and explain what you know of the city.

6.      Necromancers are sorcerers practicing necromancy (magic). They were declared an abomination to the Lord, but were common in Egypt , Assyria and Babylon (Isa 47:9-12; Daniel 2:2).  According to these scriptures, how the Lord felt about such people and their practices?

7.      A sorcerer is one who practices sorcery (Ex 7:11). They were banned from Israel and called witches and were punished by death (Ex 22:18).

 

POINTS TO CONSIDER:

1.      Why do you suppose daughters submitted to parents demands regarding marriage?

2.      Did Merab and Michal encourage the treachery of Saul?

3.      Is it sinful to consult fortune-tellers today? Why? (Lev 19:31; Lev 20:6; Deut 18:10-11; 1 Sam 15:23; Gal 5:19-21)

A.     How do we renounce God in seeking the fortune tellers?

B.     Who in the New Testament times sought such influence of departed spirits (Luke 16:27-28)?

4.      What is God’s final appeal (Luke 16:29-31)?

5.      What if the witch had turned the strength of her powers for good?