1 & 2 SAMUEL FOR NORMAL PEOPLE
A GUIDE TO PROPHETS, KINGS, AND SOME PRETTY TERRIBLE MEN
Available now in the following formats:
Give yourself permission to read
1 & 2 Samuel honestly.
1 & 2 Samuel is home to some of the most beloved stories in the Bible: David defeating Goliath, Saul descending into madness, and David’s unashamed dance before the ark of the covenant. But what do we do with the rest of the stories—the ones that didn’t become Sunday School classics? The stories of Michal. Jonathan. Abigail. Bathsheba. Amnon. Tamar. Rizpah.
And what do we make of the man at the center of them? David—the one after God’s own heart.
These are precisely the stories and questions Dr. Aaron Higashi explores in this accessible, funny, and heartfelt commentary. Through rigorous biblical scholarship, thoughtful application, and ingenious footnotes, Higashi centers the stories we so often overlook and critically assesses the ongoing legacies of the stories we choose to celebrate.
Integrating humor and insight, this book is for anyone who has cringed while David’s character is celebrated from the pulpit. Who has questioned the example of a king who failed so miserably as a father. And has wondered at the heart of a God reflected in a man such as this.
You don't have to take our word for it... here's what some other awesome people are saying:
”Aaron Higashi's treatment of 1 & 2 Samuel is a highly entertaining journey through these already entertaining books. More importantly, though, it's insightful, clear, and often deeply heartfelt. One could hardly ask for a more approachable and useful introduction to the books of Samuel and the scholarship that informs our reading of them.
Joel S. BadenProfessor of Hebrew Bible, Yale Divinity School
”Aaron Higashi has written a valuable guide to 1 & 2 Samuel that is at once accessible, entertaining, and yet deadly serious. His discussion is informed by the best of biblical scholarship and a concern for issues that still face readers, such as gender dynamics (including fatherhood and sexual violence) and the ambiguous role of God in the midst of political chaos. This book will be useful for any reader who wishes to engage these ancient stories today.
Ken StoneDistinguished Service Professor and Professor of Bible, Culture, and Hermeneutics, Chicago Theological Seminary
”With wit and just the right amount of swears, this digest is a breath of fresh air juxtaposed with the excuses made for the many (male) characters in Samuel—God included. Higashi says what many in confessional spaces feel they cannot say about the books of Samuel; in so doing, he provides space for readers to engage honestly and thoughtfully with all they may be encouraged to ignore—or even champion—in their own lives.
Alexiana FryPostdoctoral Researcher on "Divergent Views of Diaspora in Ancient Judaism", University of Copenhagen
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AARON HIGASHI
Dr. Aaron Higashi is an adjunct instructor at Grand Canyon University. He received his B.A. in philosophy from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (2008), his M.A. in biblical studies from Providence College (2010), his S.T.M. from Chicago Theological Seminary (2011), and his Ph.D. in Bible, culture, and hermeneutics with an emphasis in Hebrew Bible from Chicago Theological Seminary (2021). Aaron is interested in the relationship between ideology, moral philosophy, and biblical interpretation, and shares biblical scholarship with a popular audience @abhbible on TikTok. Aaron lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his pediatrician wife and three young daughters, where he does jiu-jitsu, drinks too much coffee, plays video games, and tries to discuss biblical interpretation at parties and other social events where it’s probably not cool to do so.
Dig deeper with the 1 & 2 Samuel for Normal People Discussion Guide
