In 1 Samuel there are a number of references to 'the people' gathering together in assembly. The surface reading would have us imagine an unrealistic assembly of the entire population of the tribes of Israel coming together at these events. This, I suggest, is not the case. Rather, 'the people' has a specific meaning in the narrative.
Clearly when Samuel calls 'the people' to assemble, he does not mean all the people. It would appear that this use of 'the people' in the text is being used in a technical sense. As we shall see, 'the people' is used rather often as a short-hand for the elders of the tribes of Israel. These are the leaders of the tribal community; the powerful, the influential people.
It would appear that this use of 'the people' has a long tradition in the biblical compilation. Before Israel enters into the land of Canaan there is an assembly at Pisgal where the tribes of Israel and the heads of 'the people' are treated in a poetic couplet. Yet, Thomas Romer makes the suggestion these may be different groups entirely.
When the heads of the people assembled,
The tribes of Israel together.