I & II Samuel

Finished reading the two books of Samuel today, which puts me at about a third of the way through the Bible. Samuel I & II aren't really about Samuel at all (except right at the beginning of Samuel I) -- these two books are more about King Saul (the bad king) and King David (the good king).

I like the relationship between David and Jonathan, Saul's son. It's nice to read about real friendship in the Bible amidst so much violence and mistrust. I also enjoyed the classic tale of David and Goliath, in which the Phillistine giant  is knocked out cold by David's trusty slingshot. David later becomes king after Saul's demise, and he seems to be powerful and all good till he can't help himself and sleeps with a married woman, Bathsheba, while her husband Uriah is off fighting in King David's army. What an ass David is. He has all these wives and concubines but it's not enough. Unfortunately for him (and for Bathsheba) God is angered and their son dies as an infant, and David has further troubles down the line. Fortunately for the Isrealites, however, he's still a solid leader, and keeps building a stronger nation and ultimately leaves a legacy of peace and prosperity.

There are many events and good quotes in both these books, but for some reason I found them the most tedious to read thus far.

**NEXT: I & II Kings