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The Book of I Samuel

I Samuel is book 8 of 39 in the Tanakh, part of Nevi'im. It has 31 chapters and 811 verses.

Updated September 19, 2026

שְׁמוּאֵל א

Section
Nevi'im
Chapters
31
Verses
811
Longest chapter
17 (58 verses)

What I Samuel is about

I Samuel tells of the birth of Samuel, the capture and return of the ark, the people's demand for a king, the reign and fall of Saul, and the rise of David, from the fight with Goliath to his years on the run. It ends with the death of Saul and Jonathan on Mount Gilboa.

Opening verse

וַיְהִי אִישׁ אֶחָד מִן־הָרָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים מֵהַר אֶפְרָיִם וּשְׁמוֹ אֶלְקָנָה בֶּן־יְרֹחָם בֶּן־אֱלִיהוּא בֶּן־תֹּחוּ בֶן־צוּף אֶפְרָתִי׃

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of the hill-country of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

I Samuel 1:1

Chapters