1 Samuel Overview

1 Samuel reveals God’s sovereign hand in raising leaders, testing hearts, and preparing His people for the coming of the true King.

Author

The book of 1 Samuel never directly names its author, but it gives internal clues pointing to multiple inspired contributors:

Samuel wrote part of the record

Scripture explicitly says, “Then Samuel told the people the behavior of the kingdom, and wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord” (1 Samuel 10:25). This shows Samuel himself recorded at least some of the early history of the monarchy.

Additional records came from the prophets Nathan and Gad

1 Chronicles 29:29 refers to these same events, saying, “Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer.” This implies that Samuel, Nathan, and Gad each contributed to the historical record that later formed the books of Samuel.

The writer distinguishes himself from Samuel

The book records Samuel’s death (1 Samuel 25:1). Therefore, later events—particularly those after Samuel’s death—must have been recorded by prophets who outlived him, likely Gad or Nathan, who were active during David’s reign (1 Samuel 22:5; 2 Samuel 7:2).

Date

Internal details help narrow down the time when 1 Samuel was written:

It was written after Saul’s and Samuel’s deaths.

The record continues well beyond Samuel’s death (1 Samuel 25:1) and Saul’s death (31:4–6), meaning the final form of the book was completed afterward.

It was written before the division of the kingdom.

There is no mention of the later division between Israel and Judah, which began after Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 12). References to Israel as a unified nation throughout 1 Samuel (for example, 1 Samuel 7:5; 11:7; 14:47–48) indicate the book was written while the kingdom remained united.

Internal phrasing suggests composition during or soon after David’s early reign.

The positive tone toward David and the detailed knowledge of his rise (1 Samuel 16–31) point to someone who lived during his lifetime or shortly after. Gad, who served as David’s prophet (1 Samuel 22:5), and Nathan, who ministered later (2 Samuel 7:2), fit this time frame.

Based on internal evidence, 1 Samuel was compiled from prophetic records written by Samuel, Nathan, and Gad, likely finalized early in David’s reign—after Saul’s death but before the kingdom divided. (1 Samuel 10:25; 1 Samuel 25:1; 1 Samuel 31:4–6; 1 Chronicles 29:29; 1 Samuel 22:5; 2 Samuel 7:2).

Purpose

1 Samuel reveals several divine purposes, all of which prepare the way for God’s ultimate King, Christ.

To show Israel’s transition from the rule of judges to kingship

1 Samuel begins in a time of spiritual decline when “there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). God raises up Samuel as the last judge to anoint Israel’s first two kings—Saul and David—showing that monarchy replaces the chaos of the judges.

To reveal God’s sovereignty in raising up leaders according to His will

The Lord opens Hannah’s barren womb (1 Samuel 1:19–20), calls Samuel as prophet (3:10), rejects Saul for disobedience (15:26), and chooses David, “a man after His own heart” (13:14). The book shows that God alone appoints rulers and removes them, directing history according to His purpose.

To demonstrate that obedience matters more than outward appearance or ritual

Through Saul’s downfall, God declares, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (15:22). 1 Samuel contrasts external religion with inward devotion, preparing us to understand that true kingship and worship flow from the heart.

To foreshadow Christ as the ultimate Anointed One (Messiah)

Samuel’s anointing of David (16:13) introduces the line through which the promised King will come. David becomes the pattern of God’s chosen ruler, pointing to Christ, the perfect Son of David whose kingdom never ends (Luke 1:32–33).

To reveal God’s faithfulness to His covenant despite human failure

Even as Eli’s sons, Saul, and Israel fail, God preserves His promises through Samuel and David. His faithfulness shows that salvation rests not in human strength but in His steadfast grace.

To teach that victory belongs to the Lord, not human power

David’s triumph over Goliath (17:45–47) and Israel’s deliverance from their enemies show that the Lord saves “not with sword and spear.” This anticipates Christ’s victory over sin and death through divine power, not human might.

In summary, 1 Samuel records Israel’s transition from anarchy to God’s chosen monarchy to reveal that the Lord reigns as the true King, sovereignly raising up His anointed ruler to accomplish His redemptive plan fulfilled in Christ.

Outline

The Rise of Samuel: God Establishes His Prophet (1 Samuel 1–7)

• God raises up Samuel through Hannah’s answered prayer (1:1–2:11).
• Eli’s house falls for sin; God confirms Samuel as His prophet (2:12–3:21).
• The Ark is captured and returned, showing God’s holiness and power (4:1–7:2).
• Samuel leads Israel to repentance and victory under God’s rule (7:3–17).

The Rise and Rejection of Saul: Israel Demands a King (1 Samuel 8–15)

• Israel rejects God’s direct kingship, asking for a human king (8:1–22).
• Saul is chosen and anointed as Israel’s first king (9:1–10:27).
• Saul delivers Israel militarily but disobeys God spiritually (11:1–15:35).
• God rejects Saul for disobedience: “The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart” (13:14).

The Rise of David: God Chooses His Anointed King (1 Samuel 16–31)

• Samuel anoints David; the Spirit departs from Saul (16:1–23).
• David defeats Goliath, earning Israel’s praise and Saul’s jealousy (17:1–18:30).
• Saul persecutes David, but God preserves His anointed servant (19:1–26:25).
• Saul’s decline continues through spiritual rebellion and despair (28:3–31:13).
• David’s faith and Saul’s fall contrast the man after God’s heart with the man rejected by God.

This outline shows a transition 

• From theocracy to monarchy (God’s rule to human rule),
• From Saul’s failure to David’s faith, and
• From God’s rejected king to God’s chosen king, pointing to Christ, the perfect anointed King.