Who Wrote the Book of Shmuel, and Why it makes a Difference

If one reads Sefer Shmuel, one may be bothered- how can we sing songs of King David when he did things that are problematic? Why was he chosen for a continued dynasty? And if he is supposed to be a model king, why are there so many negative things about King David in Sefer Shmuel? In this shiur, we hope to answer not only the question of who wrote the book, but the question of what the prophetic purpose of the book is. The prophet can put things in perspective: justifying cases where they king looked guilty but was innocent, criticizing the king for his sins, and highlighting that though flawed, David is a good leader. He admits his sins and repents, is generally humble, has a sensible political domestic and foreign approach and works toward aspirations to elevate the people to be God's nation.