The Frist Book of Samuel

Both 1 and 2 Samuel take their name from the prophet Samuel, who is the most prominent character in 1 Samuel. He may have written an account from which the first part of 1 Samuel was taken, but he could not have written all of it because an account of his death is found in chapter 25. In addition to the writings of Samuel, the unknown author seems to have used material from the prophets Nathan and Gad (see 1 Samuel 10:25; 1 Chronicles 29:29).

In the Hebrew Bible, 1 and 2 Samuel are combined into one book called “Samuel.” The Greek version of the Bible separated it into two books, and that tradition has continued to the present. A subheading in the King James Version calls 1 Samuel “The First Book of the Kings.” This is an appropriate title since it tells about the anointing of Saul, Israel’s first king.

The book of 1 Samuel covers the time from Samuel’s birth to Saul’s death, which was in approximately 1010 B.C. During this time the tribes of Israel were united for the first time since the days of Moses and Joshua. This unity came under the first kings of Israel, who were anointed by Samuel.

For a more detailed analysis of 1 Samuel, see Bible Dictionary, “Samuel, books of” (p. 769).

• 1 Samuel 1–11

• 1 Samuel 12–15

• 1 Samuel 16–17

• 1 Samuel 18–31