Books of Samuel The Books of Samuel are considered to be based on both historical and legendary sources, primarily serving to fill the gap in Israelite history after the events described in Deuteronomy. According to Donald Redford, the Books of Samuel exhibit too many anachronisms to have been compiled in the 11th century BCE. For example, there is mention of later armor (), use of camels (), and cavalry (as distinct from chariotry; , ), iron picks and axes (as though they were common; ), and sophisticated siege techniques (). There is a gargantuan troop called up (), a battle with 20,000 casualties (), and a reference to Kushite paramilitary and servants, clearly giving evidence of a date in which Kushites were common, after the 26th Dynasty of Egypt, the period of the last quarter of the 8th century BCE. Alan Millard argues that those elements of the Biblical narrative are not anachronistic.
Books of Samuel The Books of Samuel are considered to be based on both historical and legendary sources, primarily serving to fill the gap in Israelite history after the events described in Deuteronomy. According to Donald Redford, the Books of Samuel exhibit too many anachronisms to have been compiled in the 11th century BCE. For example, there is mention of later armor (), use of camels (), and cavalry (as distinct from chariotry; , ), iron p,icks and axes (as though they were common; ), and sophisticated siege techniques (). There is a gargantuan troop called up (), a battle with 20,000 casualties (), and a reference to Kushite paramilitary and servants, clearly giving evidence of a date in which Kushites were common after the 26th Dynasty of Egypt, the period of the last quarter of the 8th century BCE. Alan Millard argues that those elements of the Biblical narrative are not anachronistic.