“Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of
Ephraim, and his name was Elkana, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the
son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. And he had two wives. The name of
the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah…”
Abravanel’s introduction to the Book of Samuel is thought-provoking, covering important
topics. Here we share one of his key insights into a subject little discussed and perhaps less
appreciated: Why is this book named after Samuel the prophet? Abravanel elaborates,
interjecting classic dialectic method.
To begin with, he writes, this much is certain. The Book of Samuel does not get its name owing
to the fact that Samuel authored his book. The reason we reject this notion is simple: We don’t
find that books of the Bible are called after their authors. To the point, Samuel wrote the Book
of Judges and Jeremiah penned the Book of Kings. Those two books do not bear their respective
authors’ names.
Here are two of Abravanel’s answers. The name focuses on and testifies to Samuel’s
unquestionable imprint on the events recorded therein. That is, Samuel’s presence throughout
the work is palpable insofar as he acted as powerbroker and anointer of Saul and David. In that
sense, then, Samuel deserves to be accredited. Both men gained national prominence on
account of having been promoted by Samuel. Abravanel likens Samuel’s role and influence in
this book to a father and a son. Aren’t a son’s accomplishments or achievements a function of
dad having fathered the boy?
Now we move on to Abravanel’s second rationale to explain the name of the Book of Samuel.
Actually, Abravanel touched on this reason in his introduction to Joshua. There he writes that
strictly speaking, Eli the High Priest and Samuel the prophet, insofar as they both judged the
nation, should have been written about in the Book of Judges. In the same vein, Kings Saul and
David should have shunted over to the Book of Kings.
But precisely because of Samuel’s ennobled character and lasting stamp on Jewish history, it
was deemed only fair that this prophet and kingmaker would get top billing, in his own book.
So, from the perspective of that intellectual and ethical giant, the Book of Samuel begins his
story with Eli, the judge who immediately preceded Samuel.
Likewise, David who was second in stature only to Samuel, rates as the next most central and
consequential figure in the Book of Samuel. Paralleling what we wrote about Eli above, the
reason why Saul’s story is recorded here has to do with providing a backdrop for King David. In
sum, as a tribute to Samuel, one of most remarkable and pivotal prophets in the Bible, and as a
tribute to King David, arguably the most remarkable and pivotal of all the Jewish kings, the Book
of Samuel was canonized in the Bible.
Adding another dimension to this essay, Abravanel ties it together. The Book of Samuel
connects the earlier Book of Judges with the upcoming Book of Kings. Samuel and David,
indeed, are the two towering transitional figures; they are the quintessential prototypes –
bridging the historical epochs between the Hebrew judges and monarchs.
Given the greatness of both men, why isn’t Samuel called the Book of Samuel and David? The
saintly ancient sages provide guidance, asserting that only one of the two would be duly
honored. They offer two rationales for Samuel bearing his – and not David’s – name.
The first reason why Samuel edges out David has to do with his uniquely, chiseled soul. His
conception came about as a result of a sacred vow and intense prayer. Not so with David’s
birth. The second reason highlights Samuel’s own toil, piety, and selflessness. He was a
Nazarite. Moreover, he served and officiated in the Holy Temple. From a tender age, the
Shechinah’s haunt was his home. Contrast that coddled upbringing to David’s. He worked the
land before God called him out from the sheepfold.