Samuel and the Chronicles

Samuel’s Books: Pentateuch, Joshua, Judges

The history had been collected from several books, such as:

• the history of the Creation composed by Moses, Gen. ii. 4
• the book of the generations of Adam, Gen. v. i
• the book of the wars of the Lord, Num. xxi. 14.

This book of wars contained what was done at the Red-sea, and in the journeying of Israel through the Wilderness, and therefore was begun by Moses. Joshua carried it on to the conquest of Canaan.

Joshua wrote some things in the book of the Law of God, Josh. xxiv. 26.

Therefore, he might write his own wars in the book of wars, those being the principal wars of God.

These were public books, and therefore written with the authority of Moses and Joshua.

Samuel had leisure in the reign of Saul to compile them into the current books of Moses and Joshua.

• He inserted into the book of Genesis, the race of the Kings of Edom, until there reigned a King in Israel.

The book of the Judges is a continued history of the Judges down to the death of Sampson.

• Therefore, it was compiled after his death, out of the Acts of the Judges.

Several things in this book were done when there was no King in Israel, Judg. xvii. 6. xviii. 1. xix. 1. xxi. 25.

Therefore, this book was written after the beginning of the reign of Saul.

When it was written, the Jebusites dwelt in Jerusalem, Jud. i. 21.

Therefore, it was written before the 8th year of David, 2 Sam. v. 8. and 1 Chron. xi. 6.

The books of Moses, Joshua, and Judges, contain one continued history, down from the Creation to the death of Sampson.

Where the Pentateuch ends, the book of Joshua begins. Where the book of Joshua ends, the book of Judges begins.

Therefore all these books have been composed out of the writings of Moses, Joshua, and other records by one person:

• after the beginning of the reign of Saul
• before the 8th year of David.

Who was Samuel?

Samuel was a sacred writer, 1 Sam. x. 25 acquainted with the history of Moses and the Judges, 1 Sam. xii. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

• He had leisure in the reign of Saul, and sufficient authority to compose these books.
• He was a Prophet, and judged Israel all the days of his life, and was in the greatest esteem with the people.

The Law by which he was to judge the people was not to be published by less authority than his own, the Law-maker being not inferior to the judge.

The book of Jasher is quoted in the book of Joshua, Josh. x. 13.

• It was in being at the death of Saul, 2 Sam. i. 18.

At the dedication of the Temple of Solomon, when the Ark was brought into the most holy place, there was nothing in it but the two tables, 1 Kings viii. 9.

Therefore, when the Philistines took the Ark, they took out of it:

• the book of the Law
• the golden pot of Manna
• Aaron’s Rod.

This and other losses in the desolation of Israel, by the conquering Philistines, allowed Samuel to recollect and rewrite the scattered writings of:

• Moses and Joshua
• the records of the Patriarchs and Judges

The book of Ruth is a history of things done in the days of the Judges.

• It is an addition to the book of the Judges, written by the Samuel at the same time.
• It was written after the birth of David, Ruth iv. 17, 22. and not long after.
  • This is because the history of Boaz and Ruth, the great grandfather and great grandmother of David, and that of their contemporaries, could not be remembered above 2-3 generations.
• It derives the genealogy of David from Boaz and Ruth.
• It omits David’s elder brothers and his sons.
• It was written in honour of David:
  • after he was anointed King by Samuel
  • before he had children in Hebron, and by consequence in the reign of Saul.
• It proceeds not to the history of David, and therefore was written after he was anointed.

They judge well therefore who ascribe to Samuel the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.

Samuel is also the author of the first book of Samuel, till the time of his death.

The 2 books of Samuel cite no authors, and therefore seem to be originals.

• They begin with his genealogy, birth and education.
• They were written partly
  • in his lifetime by:
    • himself or
    • his disciples as the Prophets at Naioth in Ramah, 1 Sam. xix. 18, 19, 20.
  • after his death by the same disciples.

The following books cite other authors:

• The Kings
• The Acts of Solomon
• The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel
• The Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

The books of the Chronicles cite the following.

For the Acts of David:

• the book of Samuel the Seer
• the book of Nathan the Prophet
• the book of Gad the Seer

For the Acts of Solomon:

• the book of Nathan the Prophet
• the Prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite
• the visions of Iddo the Seer

For the Acts of Rehoboam and Abijah:

• the book of Shemajah the Prophet
• the book of Iddo the Seer concerning genealogies

For the Acts of Asa, Joash, Amaziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, and Josiah:

• the book of the Kings of Judah and Israel

For the Acts of Jehosaphat:

• the book of Hanani the Seer

For the Acts of Uzziah and Hezekiah:

• the visions of Isaiah

These books were therefore collected out of the historical writings of the ancient Seers and Prophets.

The books of the Kings and Chronicles quote one another.

• It means they were written at one and the same time.

This time was after the return from the Babylonian captivity, because they bring down the history of Judah, and the genealogies of the Kings of Judah, and of the High Priests, to that captivity.