The Book of Samuel tells the story of the greatest prophet to arise since Moses (Jer. 15:1). Samuel faithfully ministered when there was no king. He faithfully ministered when there was a king after the people’s heart. Near the end of his life, he anointed the king after God’s own heart. First and Second Samuel were originally one Book. It set the stage for, and told the story of, King Saul & King David.
The original Hebrew title for 1st & 2nd Samuel is simply shemuel (Samuel). The Septuagint, written on papyrus scrolls needed to split the long text of Samuel in half. Kings, likewise, was split in half. Our 1st & 2nd Samuel, 1st & 2nd Kings, are found in the Septuagint as (Books of Kingdoms ).
The traditional author of 1st and 2nd Samuel is the Prophet Samuel (hence the name of the Book). This is not likely at all, as Samuel dies in 1st Sam. 25:1. Samuel did write (1st Chr. 29:29), but “The Chronicles of Samuel the Seer” is not the same thing as “The Book of Samuel.” There are 31 chapters of Scripture material after Samuel’s death in 1st & 2nd Samuel. It’s not likely that God prophetically revealed that material to Samuel before his death. (Especially since Uriah would have read about his own murder ahead of time) Pastor Bob [Bolender] personally believes that the Prophet Nathan was the author of Samuel, utilizing Samuel’s Chronicles as a written source.