Chapters
Introduction to 1 Samuel
Author - Unknown
Audience - An account of Israel’s history for Israel
Setting - Saul’s reign began between 1050–1030 B.C. and ended in 1010. David then reigned until 971. The books were probably written soon after the end of David’s reign.
Theme -
God’s kingship - God is King of the universe and always has been. No human king can assume kingship except as a deputy of the divine King.
God’s providential guidance - God providentially and individually guided the lives of chosen people such as Hannah, Samuel, and David.
God’s sovereign will and power - God works through and in the lives of His people according to His sovereign plan.
The Hebrew title “Samuel” refers to Samuel as the key figure in 1–2 Samuel, the one who established the monarchy in Israel by anointing first Saul and then David.
The author or authors of 1–2 Samuel are not known. First Chronicles 29:29–30 implies that Samuel (or perhaps his disciples) left written records, but because his death is mentioned in 1 Samuel 25, he could not have written most of Samuel.
The primary genre of 1 Samuel is “hero story.” The author did not choose the common method of OT historians in giving coverage to a broad span of people and events but instead focused primarily on three heroic leaders whose stories are elaborated at length: Samuel, Saul, and David.
Three other characters are sufficiently prominent in the narrative for their stories to be mini-hero stories: Hannah, Eli, and Jonathan.
First Samuel is a book of personalities, so paying close attention to characterization is important. Similarly, the book is rich in universal, recognizable human experience, with the result that building bridges between the world of the text and one’s own experiences is an inviting approach to the book.
The central theme of the books of Samuel is God’s exercising of his cosmic kingship by inaugurating a Davidic dynasty (“house”) in Israel (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89), and by electing the holy city Zion (Jerusalem; 2 Samuel 6; Psalm 132) as the place where David’s successor will establish the temple (“house”) for the worship of the divine King Yahweh.
Christian Standard Bible - Bryan E. Beyer
The books of 1 and 2 Samuel highlight a significant transition time in Israel's history. As 1 Samuel begins, Israel is a loosely organized tribal leg under poor spiritual leadership. God's plan for His people nonetheless continued as he raised up Samuel to guide Israel's transition from a theocracy to a monarchy. Saul's kingship constitutes the remainder of 1 Samuel, while David's kingship is largely the focus of 2 Samuel.
Key Concepts:
Numerous examples of good and bad leadership
God’s providential guidance for His people
The serious consequences of sin
God’s faithfulness to His character and covenants
Originally the two books of Samuel were one and provided a continuous history of Israel from the time of the judges to the end of the reign of David.
The title ‘Samuel’ is taken from the man who is the leading figure in the early part of the story, and who anointed the two kings whose lives are followed through the rest of the story. The period covered by the two books is between eighty and one hundred years.
The opening chapters of 1 Samuel carry on the record of Israel’s history from the book of Judges. But when Samuel, probably the greatest of the judges, successfully urged the people to put away their false gods and turn again to Yahweh, God in his mercy rescued them from their enemies.
However, Samuel was not able to bring about any lasting change in the nation. His sons who succeeded him as judges were worthless, and the people demanded that the system of government be changed. Instead of a government by judges, they wanted a monarchy similar to the monarchies of neighboring nations.
The book of Judges shows Israel’s need for wise, faithful leadership, and the books of Samuel record how that need was met.
This book tells some of the most intricate, well-told stories you find anywhere in the Bible. The author portrays the main characters in a way that the reader can find himself in them. Their lives are warnings and examples of how God works in the lives of those who trust Him and those who trust in themselves.