SAMUEL (sam'u-el), (Heb. shem-oo-ale, asked or heard of God). The last of those extra ordinary regents that presided over the Hebrew commonwealth under the title of Judges.
I. Birth and Family. The circumstances of his birth were prophetic of his future career. His father, Elkanah of Ramathaim-Zophim, of Mount Ephraim. 'had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Pen innah; and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.' The usual effect of polygamy was felt in Elkanah's household. The sterility of Hannah brought upon her the taunts and ridicule of her conjugal rival, who 'provoked her sore, to make her fret, because the Lord had shut tip her womb' (I Sam. i:6). The jealousy of Peninnah was excited also by the superior affection which was shown to Hannah by her husband. 'To Han nah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Han nah' (i:5). More especially at the period of the sacred festivals did the childless solitude of Han nah create within her the most poignant regrets, when she saw her husband give portions to all the sons and daughters of Peninnah, who, exulting in maternal pride and fondness, took advantage of these seasons to subject the favorite wife to nat ural feminine retaliation. Hannah's life was em bittered. 'she wept and did not eat' (i :7).
(1) The Prayer of Hannah. On one of these occasions, during the annual solemnity at Shiloh, whither Elkanah's family had traveled, 'to worship and to sacrifice,' so keen was the vexa tion of Hannah . that she left the domestic enter tainment, went to the tabernacle, and in the ex tremity of her anguish implored Jehovah to give her a man-child. accompanying her supplication with a peculiar pledge to dedicate this gift, should it be conferred, to the service of Jehovah; vow ing to present the child in entire, unreserved con secration to the Lord all the days of his life, and at the same time to bind him to the special obli gations and austerities of a Nazarite. In her agony of earnestness her lips moved, but articu lated no words, so that Eli, the high priest, who had observed her frantic appearance from his seat by a post of the temple, 'thought she bad been drunken,' and sharply rebuked her. Her pathetic explanation removed his suspicion, and he gave her his solemn benediction. Her spirit was light
ened, and she 'went her way.' (2) Consecration. The birth of a son soon fulfilled her hopes, and this child of prayer was named, in memory of the prodigy, Samuel, heard of God. In consequence of his mother's vow, the boy was from his early years set apart to the service of Jehovah, under the immediate tutelage of Eli.
2. Personal History. The degeneracy of the people at this time was extreme. The tribes seem to have administered their affairs as inde pendent republics, the national confederacy was weak and disunited, and the spirit of public patri otic enterprise had been worn out by constant turmoil and invasion. The theocratic influence was also scarcely felt, its peculiar ministers being withdrawn, and its ordinary manifestations, ex cept in the routine of the Levitical ritual, having ceased ; 'the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no open vision' (I Sam. iti :1).
(1) The Child Samuel. The young devotee, 'the child Samuel,' was selected by Jehovah to renew the deliverance of his oracles. As he re clined in his chamber adjoining the sacred edifice, the Lord, by means adapted to his juvenile ca pacity, made known to him his first and fearful communication—the doom of Eli's apostate house. Other revelations speedily followed this; the fre quency of God's messages to the young prophet established his fame; and the exact fulfillment of them secured his reputation. The oracle of Shiloh became vocal again through the youthful hierophant (i Sam. iii (2) The Sons of Eli. The fearful fate pro nounced on the head and family of the pontificate was soon executed. Eli had indulgently toler ated, or leniently palliated, the rapacity and prof ligacy of his sons. Through their extortions and impiety 'men abhorred the offering of the Lord,' and Jehovah' s wrath was kindled against the sacerdotal transgressors. They became the vic tims of their own folly; for when the Philistines invaded the land, an unworthy superstition among the Hebrew host clamored for the ark to be brought into the camp and into the field of battle. Hophni and Phinehas, Eli's sons, indulging this vain and puerile fancy, accompanied the ark as its legal guardians, and fell in the terrible slaugh ter which ensued.