An Overview of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel

In the Hebrew Bible the title of 1 and 2 Samuel is simply “Samuel.” This one book was named “Samuel” because he was the dominant person in the early chapters, and he anointed the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. When the OT was first translated into Greek, the scrolls available at the time did not have enough space to include the contents of all of Samuel. Therefore the book was divided into two books in our English Bibles. Of course, the present division is not a problem; in no way does it affect the divine inspiration of these accounts. Still, one should keep in mind that these two books are one account, and they should be read and studied as such.

Who Wrote the Book of 1 Samuel?

Even though the title of the book is “Samuel,” Samuel was not the author. The human author is unknown. Evidence from Samuel implies that the account was written not long after Israel was divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah (cf. 1Kg 12; 1Sm 6:18, 9:9, 27:6).

Apparently the Holy Spirit led the author/ narrator to consult sources such as the Book of Jashar (2Sm 1:18), and those described as “the acts of King David, from first to last . . . written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer” (cf. 1Ch. 29:29). Although the books are anonymous and therefore the human author of 1 and 2 Samuel is unknown, it is known that the divine author is the Lord.

When Were the Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel Written?

The date of the writing of 1 and 2 Samuel cannot be fixed with absolute certainty. The Talmud incorrectly identifies Samuel as the author of the books that bear his name. This, along with “eyewitness” accounts and “general antiquity of linguistic features” have caused the unlikely suggestion that the material was written either “during David’s day or shortly thereafter (c. 1025–900 BC)” (J. Carl Laney, First and Second Samuel [Chicago: Moody, 1982], 8). But the reference in 1Sm 27:6 to the kings of Judah suggests that it was written after the division of the kingdom (about 930 BC). Further, the author did not mention the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria in 722 BC, which he surely would not have ignored in his writing, which makes it likely that the books were written before that date. Thus, “some [date] the books’ composition between 930 and 723/22 BC” (David M. Howard, Jr., An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books [Chicago: Moody, 1993], 145).

What Is the Purpose of the Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel?

These books were written to encourage people living in Judah at the time of the divided kingdom to walk with the Lord in bold faith and to honor Him in all circumstances. The narrator’s objective was to see them shun and reject evil choices, the choices of unbelief and disobedience, bad choices that leave devastating consequences in their wake. To see this purpose achieved, the narrator regarded the lives of people such as Hannah, Samuel, Saul, Jonathan, David, and others.

His purpose however, was not merely to share information but to see more Samuels, Davids, Hannahs, Abigails, and mighty men and women raised up in Israel as a result of their faith. Laney says: “The biblical record of Israel’s beginnings as a political nation are masterfully recorded to give us not only an accurate historical document, but also to present significant spiritual lessons concerning the effects of sin, the workings of the Holy Spirit, and the sovereignty of God” (Laney, First and Second Samuel, 7).

The most significant purpose of 1 and 2 Samuel is to point to the ultimate Son of David, the Messiah, using David as the central character. The story of Samuel was included since he was the prophet who anointed kings. Saul’s story was included as a foil, an example of a king not after the heart of God, unlike David. David’s story is central to both books, showing him develop from shepherd boy, to warrior, to fugitive, to king, to failure, to exile, to restoration as king. He is depicted as the ideal king. Central to his entire story is that God promised to give Him a descendant with an eternal house, kingdom, and throne (2Sm 7:12-16). This promise, called the Davidic covenant, is essential to the book, because it is the Messiah who will reign as the eternal king.

What Is the Background of the Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel?

The historical setting of 1 and 2 Samuel is the sunset of the judges period embodied in Samuel and the dawn of the theocratic monarchy embodied in Saul and David. Samuel, one of the greatest prophets since Moses, served as the last of the judges and facilitated the transition from the judgeship to the monarchy. The period of time covered in 1 and 2 Samuel cannot be stated with precision, but it covers approximately 150 years. If one estimates the time of the events of Hannah’s experiences in 1Sm 1 to be about 10 years, and notes that Samuel was old (1Sm 8:1) when he anointed Saul as king (60–65 years of age?), and takes into consideration the 40-year reigns of Saul and David, David’s reign ending with his death in 970 BC, one has an estimated time span of 150 years from about 1120 BC to 970 BC.

The genre of 1 and 2 Samuel is historical narrative, that is, a recounting of historical facts from the Lord’s perspective, related and relived in the form of a story for the purpose of instruction. The books belong to the part of the canon designated as the historical books. Baldwin states: “The books of Samuel are the product of highly developed literary art . . . purposefully selective . . . intending to engage the reader in an active relationship with the text” (Joyce G. Baldwin, 1 and 2 Samuel, TOTC, edited by D. J. Wiseman [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1988], 16].

The narrator recounted the history from God’s point of view. Since the Lord is the ultimate author of the account, the narrator’s perspective is the perspective of the Lord Himself.

The narrator is a skilled storyteller. One can hardly overestimate the incredible literary skill and subtlety of the narrator/storyteller of 1 and 2 Samuel. His skillful use of irony, humor, flashback, and dramatic tension and resolution is astounding.

The narrative demands our imaginative participation in the events themselves, thus helping us see how our own story by God’s grace can fit into and is a part of the big story of redemption.

Unforgettable characters, real people, dot the narrative landscape. The narrator devotes many chapters to David. Next to Moses, no other person captured Israel’s imagination like David, Israel’s greatest king, the measure by whom all subsequent kings were evaluated. He was a man after God’s own heart, and yet the Spirit of God did not hide his terrible sin recounted in 2Sm 11. More than anyone else, the Lord is met in 1 and 2 Samuel by the reader. First and 2 Samuel are truly His story, as is all of Scripture.