1 Samuel

Klein reads 1 Samuel in its larger setting, as one part of the Deuteronomistic History. That long account follows Israel from its arrival in the land, through the books of Joshua and Judges, to the founding of the monarchy in 1 and 2 Samuel, and then on to the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and their collapse into exile.

He interprets the stories of Samuel, Saul and David as products of that exilic period, when the composition looked back on the peaks and valleys of Israel's life in its land.

This updated edition adds a supplement to the introduction that engages recent research on the history behind 1 Samuel and on how its text was transmitted and assembled. It also surveys the literary approaches that have shaped Samuel scholarship over the past quarter century, assessing narratology and feminist readings, particularly how they portray Saul and David.