BYU Studies Quarterly
Keywords
Mormon studies, Samuel, Hebrew Bible, prophet
Abstract
Chapters 1–3 of 1 Samuel describe the miraculous origins and auspicious upbringing of the first major Hebrew prophet since Joshua, who by all measures lived centuries before Samuel. The biblical account of Samuel’s beginnings forecasts the exceptional ministry of the man who served as Israel’s last complete sovereign. By faithfully filling the crucial roles of prophet, priest, and judge, Samuel helped to transform the House of Israel from a collection of weak and often warring tribes to a relatively permanent and somewhat stable nation in the contentious ancient Middle East. Thus, Samuel is rightly considered to be one of the preeminent personalities of the Hebrew Bible, and his remarkable ministry makes the brief narrative of his birth, childhood, and divine calling worthy of serious examination.
Recommended Citation
Olsen, Steven L.
(2017)
"Birth and Calling of the Prophet Samuel: A Literary Reading of the Biblical Text,"
BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 56:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol56/iss1/3