Which prophet anointed David as king of Israel?

Samuel anointed David as king of Israel.

In the biblical account, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem after rejecting Saul’s dynasty. Samuel visited Jesse and examined his sons, but God directed him to David, the youngest, who was tending the sheep. Samuel then anointed David with oil, marking him as God’s chosen future king.

This anointing did not immediately place David on the throne. Saul remained king for some time, while David entered Saul’s service, became a warrior, and eventually spent years fleeing Saul’s hostility. After Saul’s death, David was first anointed king over Judah at Hebron and later recognized as king over all Israel.

The elders of Israel performed the later public anointing ceremonies, which can cause confusion. Samuel’s role was the original prophetic anointing that identified David as Saul’s successor; he was not the official who crowned David in Jerusalem.