Who anointed both Saul and David as king?

Who anointed both Saul and David as king? Samuel anointed both Saul and David as king of Israel.

Samuel was a prophet, judge, and religious leader who guided Israel during the transition from tribal rule to monarchy. In the biblical narrative, he anointed Saul after the Israelites requested a king, marking Saul’s selection as Israel’s first monarch.

Later, after Saul’s disobedience led to his rejection, God sent Samuel to Jesse’s family in Bethlehem. There Samuel anointed David, the youngest son, even though David was not the obvious choice by age or status. The ceremony symbolized divine selection, while Saul continued ruling for a time.

Readers sometimes confuse Samuel with Nathan, who advised David much later, or Gad, another prophet associated with David. Samuel’s role was unusual because he anointed two successive kings: Saul in 1 Samuel 9–10 and David in 1 Samuel 16. The biblical accounts stress that anointing did not mean David immediately replaced Saul; the two kings’ reigns overlapped.