A. Samuel’s Rise and Eli’s Decline (1:1-4:1)

1. Birth of Samuel (1:1-2:11)

a. Hannah's Prayer (2:1-10)

2. Eli’s Household Rejected (2:11-36)

3. Samuel Prophetic Ministry Begins (3:1-4:1)

B. Israel’s War with the Philistines (4:2-7:17)

1. The Ark Captured by the Philistines (4:2-22)

2. The Philistines Suffer and Return the Ark (5:1-7:1)

3. Samuel Victory Over the Philistines at Mizpah (7:2-17)

II. Institution of the Monarchy (8:1-12:25)

A. Israel Demands a King (8:1-22)

B. Saul Annointed and Presented as King over Israel (9:1-11:15)

1. Saul Private Anointing by Samuel (9:1-10:16)

2. Saul Publicly Chosen by Lot at Mizpah (10:17-27)

3. Saul Establishes Himself as King by Defeating the Ammonites (11:1-15)

C. Samuel's Farewell Address and Warnings to Israel (12:1-25)

III. Saul Rejected as King (13:1-15:35)

A. Saul’s Campaign Against the Philistines (13:1-14:52)

1. Saul Fails to Wait on the Lord (13:1-15)

2. Jonathan’s Heroism and Saul’s Poor Leadership (13:16-14:52)

B. Saul Fails to Destroy the Amalekites (15:1-35)

IV. David Is Chosen to Succeed Saul (16:1-31:13)

A. David's Rise to Prominence (16:1-18:30)

1. David Anointed and Enters Royal Service to King Saul (16:1-23)

2. David's Victory Over Goliath (17:1-58)

3. Saul Provoked to Jealousy by David's Success (18:1-20:42)

a. Saul's Attempt to Kill David (19:1-24)

b. Jonathan Helps David Escape (20:1-42)

V. David Becomes Fugitive (21:1-31:13)

1. David Prepares for Saul’s Pursuit (21:1-22:5)

a. David Arms Himself at Nob (21:1-9)

b. David Seeks Refuge in Gath (21:10-15)

c. David Gathers Forces at Adullam (22:1-2)

d. David Hides His Parents at Mizpah (22:3-5)

4. Saul Slaughters the Priests at Nob (22:6-23)

2. David Saves Keilah from the Philistines (23:1-6)

3. The Philistines Save David from Saul (23:7-29)

C. David Spares Saul’s Life (24:1-26:25)

1. David Spares Saul in the Cave (24:1-22)

2. Abigail Keeps David from Bloodshed (25:1-44)

3. David Spares Saul a Second Time (26:1-25)

D. David’s Exile and Saul’s Death (27:1-31:13)

1. David Flees to the Philistines (27:1-12)

2. Saul Consults a Medium (28:1-25)

3. Philistines Reject David (29:1-11)

4. David Overcomes the Amalekite Raiders (30:1-31)

5. The Philistines Defeat Israel, Saul Takes His Own Life(31:1-13)