Who

Possibly King David to all Israel during his reign

Where & When

This book was probably composed and officially compiled by King David and his royal court toward the end of his life (approximately 973 BC). David had a recorder named Ahilud (2 Samuel 8:16; 20:24) who was responsible for accounting many of the events that took place under David’s reign. It is not likely that Ahilud was responsible for all the contents of Samuel, but it can be surmised that David was ultimately responsible in compiling all the accounts from Ahilud, and all the accounts from his own upbringing as a shepherd boy and his fleeing from Saul, as well as the accounts handed down to him by Samuel. David’s kingdom was well-established in Jerusalem, so the most likely place of composition and compilation is Jerusalem.

Why

To prove to Israel that not only do they need a king to deliver them from their enemies and teach them the ways of God, but they need the right king—one that will lead Israel in exclusive worship of Yahweh after His heart (1 Samuel 13:14; 14:8; 1 Kings 15:5; cf. 2 Kings 23:3, 25), and one that will love Yahweh with all his heart (Deuteronomy 6:5), of which David accomplished the former, but not the latter. Also, to confirm God’s promise to Israel that He will one day bring this king to rule over Israel forever.

How

Be paying attention to these important terms that occur in this book:

  • King (or Kingdom, Kingship)
  • Ask (or Asking, Requesting; Saul’s name)
  • Heart

Literary Outline

The book of Samuel is difficult to outline because clear grammatical discourse markers are not easily identified in the book. Nevertheless, one discourse marker that seems to account for the structure of the book is the summary statements (1 Samuel 7:15–17; 14:47–52; 2 Samuel 8:15 –18; 20:23–26). These four summaries divide the book into five sections, each featuring a new development in Israel’s royal history. The outline can also follow a roughly chiastic structure.

  • 1 Sam. 1:1 – 7:17 The Forerunner to the King and Hope for a Leader
    • 1 Sam. 8:1 – 14:52 The Wrong King and His Failure
      • 1 Sam. 15:1 – 2 Sam. 8:18 The Right King and His Success
    • 2 Sam. 9:1 – 20:26 The Right King and His Failure
  • 2 Sam. 21:1 – 24:25 The Fading of the King and Hope in the Davidic Covenant