Who is the prophet and judge who ordained Saul and David?

• A. Elijah
• B. Moses
• C. Samuel
• D. Isaiah

Answer: (C)

Samuel stands out because he serves as both prophet and judge in Israel and performs the anointing that begins the monarchy. He is the one God uses to designate Saul as the first king, marking Saul with oil as a sign of divine choosing, and he later anoints David as king in response to God’s direction. This dual role is shown in the narrative where Samuel communicates God’s will, directs Saul’s coronation in the lead-up to his kingship, and then, years later, is guided to anoint David, establishing the Davidic line. Elijah, Moses, and Isaiah are all important prophets in their own right, but none of them ordain Saul or David as kings. Elijah doesn’t crown Israel’s kings, Moses dies before the monarchy’s establishment and isn’t the one who anoints Saul or David, and Isaiah comes after the monarchy is already underway. The act of anointing those kings—first Saul, then David—by Samuel is the key reason this choice is correct.