\\INTRODUCTION TO THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL\\
\\OTHERWISE CALLED\\
\\THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS\\

This book, in the Hebrew copies, is commonly called Samuel, or the Book
of Samuel; in the Syriac version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet; and
in the Arabic version, the Book of Samuel the Prophet, which is the
First Book of the Kings; and the Septuagint version, the Book of the
Kingdom: it has the name of Samuel, because it contains an history of
his life and times; and the Jews say {a} it was written by him; and as it
may well enough be thought to be, to the end of the twenty fourth chapter;
and the rest might be written by Nathan and Gad, as may he gathered
from \\#1Ch 29:29\\ as also the following book that bears his name; and
both may be called the Books of Kings, because they give an account of
the rise of the kings in Israel, and of the two first of them; though
some think they were written by Jeremiah, as Abarbinel; and others
ascribe them to Ezra: however, there is no doubt to be made of it that
this book was written by divine inspiration, when we consider the
series of its history, its connection and harmony with other parts of
Scripture; the several things borrowed from it, or alluded to in the
book of Psalms, particularly what is observed in \\#Ps 113:7,8\\, seems
to be taken out of \\#1Sa 2:8\\, and the sanction which the Lord gives to
it, by referring to a fact in it, whereby he stopped the mouths of the
Scribes and Pharisees cavilling at his disciples, \\#Mt 12:3,4\\,
compared with \\#1Sa 21:3-6\\, yea, even, as Huetius {b} observes, some
Heathen writers have by their testimonies confirmed some passages in
these books, which they seem to have been acquainted with, as Nicolaus
of Damascus {c}, and Eupolemus {d}; it contains an history of the
government of Eli, and of the birth of Samuel, and his education under him;
of the succession of Samuel in it, and the resignation of it to Saul,
when he was chosen king; of his administration of his office, and of
things done in the time of it, both before and after his rejection, and
of the persecution of David by Saul, and is concluded with his death.

{a} T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 14. 2.
{b} Demonstrat. Evangel. Prop. 4. p. 199.
{c} Apud Joseph. Antiqu. l. 7. c. 5. sect. 2.
{d} Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 30.

\\INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 1\\

This chapter gives an account of the parents of Samuel, of the trouble
his mother met with from her rival, and comfort from her husband,
\\#1Sa 1:1-8\\, of her prayer to God for a son, and of her vow to him,
should one be given her, \\#1Sa 1:9-11\\ of the notice Eli took of her,
and of his censure on her, which he afterwards retracted, and comforted
her, \\#1Sa 1:12-18\\ of her conception and the birth of her son, the
nursing and weaning of him, \\#1Sa 1:19-23\\ and of the
presentation of him to the Lord, with a sacrifice, \\#1Sa 1:24-28\\.