1 Samuel

In 1 Samuel we read about the prophet Samuel, about King Saul who is the first king of Israel, and about the rise of King David. 1 and 2 Samuel form a continuous story, but in Bibles the story is spread over two books, and continues even further in 1 and 2 Kings.

1 Samuel takes its name from one of the main characters of the narratives, the prophet Samuel. He was the last person to lead Israel as a judge. In this way he marks the transition from the time of the judges to that of the kings.

In 1 Samuel various themes are linked together:

The stories in 1 and 2 Samuel are a mixture of storytelling and historical writing. They can be seen as a high point in biblical literature.
The experiences of the different characters are presented and contrasted with each other in varied scenes. Much of the storyline develops in lively, true-to-life dialogues. In contrast to 1 Kings and 2 Kings, hardly any comment is provided by the narrator on the events. It is left to the readers to form their own judgement.
The stories are interspersed with songs, prayers and lists.

On the grounds of their historical content, 1 and 2 Samuel are counted as historical books.
In the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, 1 and 2 Samuel are placed along with Joshua, Judges, 1 Kings and 2 Kings with the Early Prophets. These books tell how the Israelites take possession of the land of Canaan and establish themselves there. Prophets constantly remind the people of the Law of Moses and warn them against breaking the commandments.