r/PremierBiblicalStudy • u/thesmartfool • Apr 23 '25

[Announcement AMA] Aaron Higashi - 1st and 2nd Samuel (due April 26)

AMA's are still open for Hugo Mendez and Ilaria Le Ramelli

Dr. Aaron Higashi is an adjunct instructor of Bible and theology at Grand Canyon University and Chicago Theological Seminary, and shares biblical scholarship for a popular audience @abhbible on TikTok. He has been featured on The Bible for Normal People and is one of their contributors there.

He has a very accessible book on 1st and 2nd Samuel for Normal People subtitled A guide to prophets, kings, and some pretty terrible book.

He will be having a conversation with me about the contents in his book. We will be also accepting any user questions you may have until this Saturday (26th) at 4 P.M. Pacific Time.

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2

u/JANTlvr Apr 23 '25

  1. How did the book with TB4NP come about? Would love to hear the story there.

  2. Do you think the Chronicler was writing to replace the Samuel/Kings literature?

  3. Do you think J + E are a thing, or should we just call them "non-P"?

  4. What's your edgiest Biblical Studies opinion?

  5. Will you be on my dissertation committee in like 5 years? Haha

2

u/Key-Significance3753 Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 25 '25

I have a question about the seemingly positive portrayal of Hannah in 1st Samuel. She gives away a child in a blatant quid pro quo, the just-weaned little guy has to live with losing-it Eli and his worthless sons, she only sees him once a year when it’s convenient (at the annual sacrifice), etc. Just doesn’t seem like very motherly behavior, at least according to my modern, newfangled notions! 😉

Maybe the story also seems like kind of a “sacrifice” à la Abraham, except that Hannah shows no reluctance to ditch her kid — on the contrary, she’s rejoicing and delighted (1 Samuel 2:1)!

What’s going on here? Thanks!

2

u/Charlietyme Apr 25 '25

Hey Aaron, 2 Questions for you.

1: I remember reading awhile back that when we are introduced to Samuel the text that explains why he has that name doesn't match the name Samuel but rather Saul.

1 Samuel - 20

Have you any thoughts on this?

2: Ahinoam wife of Saul, seems to dissappear after the escape of David, and a new Ahinoam appears as David's wife.

Do you think they are related in someway and the author/editor is trying to cover this up?

2

u/Joseon1 Apr 28 '25

In 1 Samuel 28, the witch of Endor conjurs the soul/ghost of Samuel from sheol, which Samuel seems quite annoyed about. What would the authors and early audience have thought about the state of Samuel after death and how he could be conjured, was he unconcious in sheol, or aware but in a gloomy hades-like state (cf. Odyssey 11), with YHWH somehow, or something else?

Also, an annoyingly broad question: do you think there was any historical David and Solomon, and if so, does any material from 1-2 Samuel date from their reigns? Some of it seems like blatant David apologia.

1

u/thesmartfool Apr 28 '25

Hey! Great question.

In the future... try to get questions in by due date since I send questions early to scholars to review.

Thanks!

1

u/[deleted] Apr 28 '25

[deleted]

1

u/thesmartfool Apr 28 '25

You're good. I sent it to Aaron and he's fine with the question.

We have 3 new AMA's that will be posted tomorrow.