SAMUEL (Heb. Shemuel, heard by or asked from God), the last shofet or judge of Israel, the "first of prophets," the founder of the schools of prophets and of the mon archy in Israel. He was the son of Elkanah and Hannah, a woman of no ordinary gifts, and almost a Nazarite herself, who dedicated the long yearned-for child to the lord even before his birth. Elkanah was of Levitic descent, living, however, not among his own tribe, but in Ephraim. Samuel, brought up in the sanctuary at Shiloh, under the eyes of Eli, there received his first prophetic call, and from that time forth, his prophetic mission was decided. For about twenty years from the death of Eli and his sons, we hear nothing of Samuel. The first public manifestation of his assumption of the office of judge is his convoking•an assembly at Mizpeh, and routing, at the head of the peo ple, the Philistines—his first and probably his only military achievement. His occupa tions generally were of a more peaceful character. Dwelling in his own native city of Ramah, where he had erected an altar, he annually went " on circuit" to the three prin cipal sanctuaries w. of the Jordan, Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpeh, there to instruct and judge the people, and break them from their idolatrous habits, to which they were wont to yield, in imitation of the peoples around them. For the better carrying out of this purpose, he organized special schools of teachers and prophets. These seem to have formed special colonies (Naboth, Bethel, Gilgal, Jericho), and to have moved about in large numbers. These fraternities were destined to take an important place in the commonwealth, and to exercise' the greatest possible influence upon the internal as well as the external affairs of the state, while at the same time they were the teachers of the people, expounding and developing the Mosaic law, and keeping the sacred traditions alive within the houses and hearts of Israel.
The peace Samuel had restored—for during his lifetime those harassing raids from the neighboring tribes had entirely ceased—and the happy use he made of it by con solidating the religious institutions and the internal power and union of the people, must have impressed the latter with the advantage of being ruled by a firm and capable head and hand. It would have been easy enough for Samuel to have got himself elected kiug of Israel, but the'establishment of a dynasty appeared to him utterly contrary to the theocratic character of the law'. When, however, his two sons, Joel and A blab, whom lie had installed provisional or supplementary judges, "turned aside after lucre, and perverted judgment," and the complaints of the people were loud about them, Samuel was pressed by its representatives, who foresaw a time of terrible anarchy and lawlessness at his approaching demise, and he was obliged to yield to the general wish of installing a'king to judge them "like all the nations." See JEWS and SAUL. The
ftirtber events of Samuel's life, as connected with Saul, and subsequently with David, are well known, and will be found indicated briefly under those two heads. As to his character, notwithstanding the reproaches that have been heaped upon him, we cannot but see iu him one of the wisest, most sagacious, unselfish, patriotic heroes. IIe was, doubtless, severe and energetic in the extreme, following the path that seemed to hint indicated by Jehovah as the only one leading to the common welfare. Gifted with both the spiritual and worldly supreme power over the people, at a time when they had neither political unity, nor laws, nor a eultus, he succeededdn rousing the public spirit, iu uniting all the tribes under one banner, and in shaking off the Philistine yoke. He routed idolatry, and raised, by the institution of prophetic schools, the Mosaic religion to the highest eminence, while they at the same time formed a healthy counterpoise to priestcraft. That on finding Saul negligent to certain dicta of the law, for the protec tion of which alone he lid been elected, be casts aside all personal love and fear, and for the sake of saving the country, and keeping its constitutions intact, chooses another more worthy head for the commonwealth, is not more than could be expected from this most zealous champion for Jehovah's comthands. The people themselves gave him tho most honorable testimony for his uprightness and justice, and later ages place him side by side ‘idth Moses.
Samuel seems, after hiving anointed David, to have retired from public action, and •to have lived in comparative seclusion at Ramah--there is, at least, no Nether mention of him until his death. The time of his life and the period of his judgeship are not given. It may be presumed that he died not long before Saul. If the latter ruled for twenty years, it may well be that they goverutal together, as Josephus has it (Ant. 14, 9), for eighteen years; his age, however, is not easily calculated, and the opinions about it vary between sixty and ninety years. He was buried at Ramah, and his tomb is still shown at Nebi Samwil, although, according to Jerome, his remains were removed. under the emperor Arcadius, to Thrace. All Israel mourned him as they had mourned none since Moses. For his apparition at En-Dor, etc., see NECRO1IANCY.