SAMUEL, BOOKS OF. The two books of Samuel were anciently reckoned as but one among the Jews 6;,..;17x.:fr -to. That they form only one treatise is apparent from their structure. The present division into two books, common in our Hebrew Bibles since the editions of Bomberg, was derived from tbe Septuag,int and Vulgate, in both which versions they are termed the First and Second Books of Kings. Thus Origen (apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles. vi. 25), in his famous cata logue of the Hebrew Scriptures, names the books of Samuel—paoiXeicov 7rpoirn Scuripa, ?rap' wirois tv Eakcoin)X, Oebanras; and Jerome thus describes them (Prolog.Galeatus): Tertius sequitur Samuel, quern nos regum primum et secundum clichnus.' None of these titles, ancient or modern, is very felicitous. To call them Books of Samuel is, if we follow the analogy of the phrases, Books of Moses, Book of Isaiah, to assert the prophet to be their author, though a great portion of the events recorded in them happened after his death. The title Books of Kings, or Kingdoms, is by no means an accurate indication of their contents, as they refer only to two monarchs, and the narrative does not even include the death of David. And if they be named after Samuel, as he was a principal agent in the events recorded in them, then the title is only appropriate to a few of the introduc tory chapters. Jewish opinion is divided on the reason of the Hebrew name. It is affirmed. in Baba Bathra (fol. 15, cap. i.) that Samuel wrote the book so called, acd also Judges and Ruth ; and Abarbanel argues that these compositions are named after Samuel because the events narrated in them may be referred to him, either as a person or as a chief instrument, for Saul and David, being both anointed by the prophet, became opus veluti manuum' (Pray'. in lib. Sam. fol. 74, col. i). The source of the appellation gao-EXeiwv (Regum), is to be found in the historic resemblance of the books of Samuel to those which come after them, and to which they serve as an introduction. On the other hand, it was desirable to have short names for the books of Scripture ; and as Samuel was a prophet of such celebrity, and had such influence in changing the form of government under which the son of Kish and the son of Jesse became sovereigns, it was natural to name after him the biographical tracts in which the life and times of these royal chieftains are briefly sketched : especially as they at the same time contain striking descriptions of the marvel of his own birth, the oracles of his youth, and the impressive actions of his long caa-eer. The selection of this Jewish name might also be strengthened by the national belief of the authorship of a large portion of the work, founded on a common interpretation of Chron. xxix. 29.
Contents.—The contents of the books of Samuel belong to an, interesting period of Jewish history. The preceding book of Judges refers to the affairs of the republic as they were administered after the conquest, when the nation was all but a con geries of independent cantons, sometimes partially united for a season under an extraordinary dictator. As, however, the form of government was changed, and remained monarchical till the overthrow of the kingdom, it was of national importance to note the thne, method, and means of the alteration. This change happening under the regency of the wisest and best of their sages, his life became a. topic of interest. The first book of Samuel gives an ac count of his birth and early call to the duties of a seer, under Eli's pontificate ; describes the low and degraded condition of the people, oppressed by foreign enemies ; proceeds to narrate the inaugura tion of Samuel as judge ; his prosperous regency ; the degeneracy of his sons ; the clamour for a change in the civil constitution ; the installation of Saul ; his rash and reckless character ; and his neglect of, or opposition to, the theocratic elements of the government. Then the historian goes on to relate God's choice of David as king ; his en durance of long and harassing persecution from the reigning sovereign ; the defeat and death of Saul on the field of Gilboa ; the gradual elevation of the man according to God's own heart' to na tional dominion ; his earnest efforts to obey and follow out the principles of the theocracy ; his formal establishment of religious worship at Jeru salem, now the capital of the nation ; and his series of victories over all the enemies of Judxa. that were wont to molest its frontiers. The an nalist records also David's aberrations from the path of duty ; the unnatural rebellion of his son Absalom and its suppression ; his carrying into effect a military census of his dominions, and the Divine punishment which this act incurred ; and concludes with a few characteristic sketches of his military staff. The second book of Samuel, while it relates the last words of David, yet stops short of his death. As David was the real founder of the monarchy and. reorganiser of the religious worship ; the great hero, legislator, and poet of his country ; as his dynasty maintained itself on the throne of Judah till the Babylonian captivity— it is not a matter of wonder that the description of his life and government occupies so large a portion of early Jewish history. The books of Samuel thus consist of three interlaced biographies —those of Samuel, Saul, and David.