Old Testament Commentary: 1 and 2 Samuel

The two books of Samuel are a writing composed of stories and tales, and it so happens that stories and tales are for reading! A good storybook can challenge or comfort us, and also stimulate or soothe us, make us happy or provoke sadness; but above all, it must always be an enjoyable read. The books of Samuel are no exception to the rule. They were written not as academic texts, useful only as material for expert analysis, but as true narratives suitable for ordinary people, and they provide us with background on the life and history of Israel. They speak mostly through stories.

True stories, about real people, in authentic situations. Investigating these books is fascinating because the stories themselves are fascinating, and we are called to delve into them, striving to understand them, trying to connect with the mindset and feelings of the characters and narrator, discovering and experiencing a God who works. We marvel at the sensitivity and insight of the authors. The mastery displayed is impressive. As narratives, they are highly appropriate for believers to understand what it means to believe, for Israelites to comprehend what it is to be God's people, and for kings to grasp what it means to be a monarch.

The author Mary J. Evans helps us delve deeper into this fascinating book, introducing us to the different protagonists of the narrative, teaching us through them and showing us how to apply the book of Samuel to our own times. It is high time for the books of Samuel, along with the other historical books of the Old Testament, to emerge from oblivion on the dusty shelf and come alive again in the hands (and minds and hearts) of the common reader of the 21st century.