Some theories, based on the history of the times, have looked upon 1 Samuel as the record of the transition from the disunity of the period of the judges to the unity achieved by the monarchy.16 Second Samuel is then seen as a story of David’s triumphs and, following the incident with Bathsheba, his trials.17 However, inasmuch as 1 and 2 Samuel were originally a unit, to assign them separate purposes subjectively (quite apart from the intent of the Biblical writer) does not