Old Testament • 31 Chapters • 810 Verses
First Samuel traces the transition from the judges to the monarchy, featuring the prophet Samuel, King Saul's rise and fall, and David's anointing.
Israel demands a king, revealing the tension between human and divine rule.
God chooses David, a man after His own heart.
The book of 1 Samuel does not name its author, and no tradition assigns it confidently to one writer. It sits in the Old Testament and was preserved by the community that received it.
1 Samuel has 31 chapters and 810 verses. Every chapter is linked on this page and available in six translations.
First Samuel traces the transition from the judges to the monarchy, featuring the prophet Samuel, King Saul's rise and fall, and David's anointing.
The recurring themes in 1 Samuel are Kingship and God's Sovereignty. Each is explained in the themes section above with the passages where it surfaces.
1 Samuel is in the Old Testament, and runs to 31 chapters. You can read it here chapter by chapter, or compare any verse across six translations.