[[File:Ernst Josephson. - David och Saul.JPG|thumb|right|300px|[[Ernst Josephson]], ''David and Saul'', 1878.]]
The childless [[Hannah (Bible)|Hannah]] vows to [[Yahweh|Yahweh of hosts]] that if she has a son, he will be dedicated to him. [[Eli (Bible)|Eli]], the priest of [[Shiloh (biblical city)|Shiloh]] (where the [[arkArk of the covenantCovenant]] is located), blesses her, and a child named [[Samuel (Bible)|Samuel]] is born. Samuel is dedicated to the Lord as a [[Nazirite]] - the only one beside [[Samson]] to be identified in the Bible. Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, prove unworthy of the priesthood and are killed in battle, but the child Samuel grows up "in the presence of the Lord."
The Philistines capture the [[Ark of the Covenant]] from Shiloh and take it to the temple of their god [[Dagon]], who recognises the supremacy of Yahweh. The Philistines are afflicted with plagues and return the ark to the Israelites, but to the territory of the tribe of Benjamin rather than to Shiloh. The Philistines attack the Israelites gathered at [[Mizpah in Gilead (Judges)|Mizpah]] in Benjamin. Samuel appeals to Yahweh, the Philistines are decisively beaten, and the Israelites reclaim their lost territory.
In Samuel's old age, he appoints his sons as judges, but they are unworthy, and so the people clamour for a king. God reluctantly accedes and gives them [[Saul]] of the tribe of Benjamin. Saul defeats the enemies of the Israelites, but sins against Yahweh.