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Profile:
Name: First and Second Samuel (Hebrew: Bereshith, "In the beginning,")
Author: various, but attributed to Samuel
Dates: various
First and Second Samuel:
Although in the Christian Bible two books of Samuel appear, they are actually just one
work in the original Hebrew. The theme of these two books is the story of the prophet
Samuel and of Israel's first two kings, Saul and David. The period of time here is
relatively short, but it is very important because of the political and religious
developments encompassed.
These two books occur after the period of time recounted in Judges, and Samuel was the last of the savior-judges, chosen to lead the Israelites against their enemies. But the people aren't happen with the job he does - in a battle with the Philistines, around 30,000 Israelites are killed and the Ark of the Covenant is taken.
The Israelites get the idea that they would do better if they had a king to lead them, much like the other empires in the Near East had. Samuel resists, considering this an afront to God who is their true King. God, however, tells Samuel to go along with what the people want anyway and helps Samuel pick Saul for the job.
A wealthy Benjaminite, Saul (c. 1020 - 1012 BCE) isn't a very good king. Part of his problem was his constant conflict with Samuel. Both claimed authority over the Israelite people, Samuel for religious reasons and Saul for political / secular reasons. This was representative of the general conflict between the monarchs and the priesthood in ancient Israel and Judah. Both side blamed the other for the nation's woes, but because the priesthood was ultimately responsible for recording events and writing things down, the monarchy usually ends up looking worse in the stories we have.
Saul also had problems with David, the boy picked by Samuel to be Saul's successor. David was a bit wild and Saul kept trying to killing. At one point, it seems that David even ended up working for the Philistines as a mercenary. In the end, however, Saul and his sons were killed in battle with the Philistines, allowing David to return and kill the remaining son, Ishbaal, taking over the kingdom.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
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What are the various Christian groups, denominations, sects and heresies? What are some key concepts in Christian theology? What are some of the most important events in Christian history? All of this and more are covered in the Christianity FAQ.Judaism FAQ
Exploration of important terms, concepts and people relevant to the study of Judaism and Jewish history.Bible FAQ
The "Bible" is a central feature in the religious beliefs and devotions of most Christians - and a major portion of it, known as the "Old Testament," is important to Jews. Muslims, whose holy scriptures are collected in the Qur'an, also revere the Bible. But just what is the Bible? What is contained in it, where did it come from, and how reliable is it? This developing FAQ will present historical and critical information about the Bible and biblical scholarship.
