Lives of Scripture

Samuel was born to Hannah, a barren woman who prayed with such anguish at Shiloh that the priest Eli mistook her for drunk, and who vowed any son God gave her would be given back to serve the LORD for life (1 Samuel 1:1-20). Once weaned, Samuel was brought to Shiloh to live and serve under Eli, visited only once a year (1 Samuel 1:24-28; 2:19). As a boy, Samuel heard the LORD calling his name at night, and after mistaking the voice for Eli three times, was told to answer, 'Speak, LORD, for Your servant is listening' — his first message was judgment against Eli's own household, which Samuel faithfully delivered (1 Samuel 3:1-18). He was recognized as a prophet whose word never failed, leading Israel to victory over the Philistines and judging Israel for life (1 Samuel 3:19-20; 7:3-17). In old age, with his sons perverting justice as judges, Israel demanded a king 'like all the nations' — really a rejection of God's kingship — and Samuel anointed Saul anyway at God's direction (1 Samuel 8; 10:1). Samuel confronted Saul's disobedience twice, decisively when Saul spared King Agag against God's command, prompting the rebuke 'to obey is better than sacrifice' (1 Samuel 13:8-14; 15:10-29). At Bethlehem, Samuel anointed the least likely of Jesse's sons, David, after God told him not to judge by outward appearance, 'for the LORD looks at the heart' (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Samuel stands at the hinge of Israel's history, anointing its first two kings.