1 Samuel 1:20

1:20 After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him. ¹ 

1 Samuel 3:15

3:15 So Samuel lay down until morning. Then he opened the doors of the Lord’s house. But Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the vision.

1 Samuel 11:10

11:10 The men of Jabesh said, “Tomorrow we will come out to you ²  and you can do with us whatever you wish.” ³ 

1 Samuel 25:22

25:22 God will severely punish David, ⁴  if I leave alive until morning even one male ⁵  from all those who belong to him!”

1 Samuel 29:10

29:10 So get up early in the morning along with the servants of your lord who have come with you. ⁶  When you get up early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough to see, leave.” ⁷ 

[1:20]  ¹ tn Heb “because from the Lord I asked him.” The name “Samuel” sounds like the Hebrew verb translated “asked.” The explanation of the meaning of the name “Samuel” that is provided in v. 20 is not a strict etymology. It seems to suggest that the first part of the name is derived from the Hebrew root שׁאל (sh’l, “to ask”), but the consonants do not support this. Nor is it likely that the name comes from the root שׁמא (shm’, “to hear”), for the same reason. It more probably derives from שֶׁם (shem, “name”), so that “Samuel” means “name of God.” Verse 20 therefore does not set forth a linguistic explanation of the meaning of the name, but rather draws a parallel between similar sounds. This figure of speech is known as paronomasia.

[11:10]  ² tn The second masculine plural forms in this quotation indicate that Nahash and his army are addressed.

[11:10]  ³ tn Heb “according to all that is good in your eyes.”

[25:22]  ⁴ tc Heb “Thus God will do to the enemies of David and thus he will add.” Most of the Old Greek ms tradition has simply “David,” with no reference to his enemies. In OT imprecations such as the one found in v. 22 it is common for the speaker to direct malediction toward himself as an indication of the seriousness with which he regards the matter at hand. In other words, the speaker invites on himself dire consequences if he fails to fulfill the matter expressed in the oath. However, in the situation alluded to in v. 22 the threat actually does not come to fruition due to the effectiveness of Abigail’s appeal to David in behalf of her husband Nabal. Instead, David is placated through Abigail’s intervention. It therefore seems likely that the reference to “the enemies of David” in the MT of v. 22 is the result of a scribal attempt to deliver David from the implied consequences of this oath. The present translation follows the LXX rather than the MT here.

[25:22]  ⁵ tn Heb “one who urinates against a wall” (also in v. 34); KJV “any that pisseth against the wall.”

[29:10]  ⁶ tc The LXX and a couple of Old Latin mss include here the following words: “and you shall go to the place that I have appointed you. Don’t place an evil thing in your heart, for you are good before me.”

[29:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “when you get up early in the morning and you have light, go.”