1 and 2 Samuel
The two books of Samuel record an important transition in political organization. The period of the judges came to an end with Samuel, who is also referred to as a seer and a prophet, and who anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel. The history of the monarchy contained in these books is believed to have been compiled during the reign of King Josiah of Judah. Because of the reformation that he inaugurated, Josiah was regarded as a great king. Under his leadership, the aspirations for Israel's future hopefully would soon be realized, for it seemed reasonable enough to suppose that Israel's troubles during the early period of the settlement in Canaan were due to the fact that the people had no king to rule over them, at least according to certain parts of Samuel. However, the story as we have it now is a bit confusing because the compiler of Samuel used some source materials that express an opposite idea. We are told that the establishment of the monarchy was a great achievement, but we also read that it was Israel's greatest mistake. According to the latter view, Samuel warned his people of the dangers involved in having a king, and only after their persistent demands did Yahweh relent and allow them to have their own way.
Because the career of Samuel marks an important transition point in the history of the Hebrew people, many stories concerning him are preserved. In 1 Samuel, we read that even before Samuel was born, he was dedicated to Yahweh. His birth was a miraculous event, for his mother, Hannah, had been childless. While only a small boy, Samuel was taken to the home of Eli, a priest, so that he might be reared under influences that would prepare him for his future work. One night, Yahweh called to Samuel and spoke a message of reproof that Samuel was to deliver to Eli. On another occasion, when the elders of Israel gathered for a consultation concerning their political future, they called upon Samuel to select someone to be anointed as king, but here we have two conflicting accounts: According to one account, Samuel protested vigorously against a movement of this kind; in the other account, Saul arrived at Samuel's house after a prolonged search for his father's lost animals, but Samuel was warned in advance of Saul's coming, and knowing that Yahweh's chosen leader was before him, Samuel made arrangements for him to be anointed as king. The brief account of Saul's reign also appears to be based on conflicting source materials. The most probable explanation for this conflict is that these sources were written by both supporters and detractors of the idea of a monarchy for Israel. Saul's disobedience in sparing the life of the Amalekite king, along with animals that were offered as sacrifices, was bitterly denounced by Samuel. This failure on the part of Saul is used as an introduction to the story of David. Samuel, in response to instruction that he received from Yahweh, went to the home of a certain Jesse who had several sons, one of whom was to be selected as king in place of Saul. David, although the youngest of Jesse's sons, was chosen. Eventually Saul became jealous of David, and his antagonism is illustrated in a number of different stories. 1 Samuel closes with an account of the war with the Philistines and Saul's tragic death on Mount Gilboa.
