1 and 2 Samuel was named after its main character, the prophet Samuel. However, the book does not name an author. Although Samuel did not write the book himself, he certainly provided the information for 1 Samuel 1:1 - 24:22, which explains his life and career up to his death. In this critical period of Israel’s history, the people of God were captured and forced to leave their tribes and undergo a form of government headed by a king. First Samuel explains how they traded a life under the judges for the stability of a strong central monarchy. 1 Samuel 8:5 explains, “The people demanded a king, similar to the kings of the surrounding nations.” Saul was the first king and did not have a righteous heart, so God instructed Samuel to anoint David,