Naravist

Person in the Old and New Testaments

Samuel

Samuel: prophet, judge and intercessor

Portrait of Samuel. An AI-generated artistic interpretation, not a historical likeness.

Portrait: an AI-generated artistic interpretation, not evidence of how Samuel looked.

Who Samuel is

Samuel is Hannah and Elkanah's son, given to the Lord's service at Shiloh after Hannah's prayer and vow. Under Eli he learns to answer the Lord's call and must deliver a judgment against the priest's household. He judges Israel, prays for deliverance and anoints Saul as king. He later announces Saul's rejection, puts Agag to death and anoints David. Israel gathers to mourn him and bury him at Ramah.

Cited passages: 1 Samuel 1:19, 1 Samuel 1:20, 1 Samuel 1:21, 1 Samuel 1:22, 1 Samuel 1:23, 1 Samuel 1:24, 1 Samuel 1:25, 1 Samuel 1:26, 1 Samuel 1:27, 1 Samuel 1:28, 1 Samuel 3:4, 1 Samuel 3:5, 1 Samuel 3:6, 1 Samuel 3:7, 1 Samuel 3:8, 1 Samuel 3:9, 1 Samuel 3:10, 1 Samuel 3:11, 1 Samuel 3:12, 1 Samuel 3:13, 1 Samuel 3:14, 1 Samuel 3:15, 1 Samuel 3:16, 1 Samuel 3:17, 1 Samuel 3:18, 1 Samuel 3:19, 1 Samuel 3:20, 1 Samuel 7:5, 1 Samuel 7:6, 1 Samuel 7:7, 1 Samuel 7:8, 1 Samuel 7:9, 1 Samuel 7:10, 1 Samuel 7:11, 1 Samuel 7:12, 1 Samuel 7:13, 1 Samuel 7:14, 1 Samuel 7:15, 1 Samuel 7:16, 1 Samuel 7:17, 1 Samuel 10:1, 1 Samuel 15:22, 1 Samuel 15:23, 1 Samuel 15:24, 1 Samuel 15:25, 1 Samuel 15:26, 1 Samuel 15:27, 1 Samuel 15:28, 1 Samuel 15:29, 1 Samuel 15:30, 1 Samuel 15:31, 1 Samuel 15:32, 1 Samuel 15:33, 1 Samuel 15:34, 1 Samuel 15:35, 1 Samuel 16:1, 1 Samuel 16:2, 1 Samuel 16:3, 1 Samuel 16:4, 1 Samuel 16:5, 1 Samuel 16:6, 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Samuel 16:8, 1 Samuel 16:9, 1 Samuel 16:10, 1 Samuel 16:11, 1 Samuel 16:12, 1 Samuel 16:13, 1 Samuel 25:1, 1 Samuel 1:11

Historical setting

Samuel's ministry connects Shiloh, Ramah and a yearly judging circuit through Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpeh. Chronicles lists a Samuel, with sons Vashni and Abiah, right after an Elkanah son of Jeroham in the Kohathite genealogy, and Heman's line there runs through a Shemuel son of Elkanah son of Jeroham whose son is Joel. It does not say either is this Samuel, though 1 Samuel gives him a father Elkanah son of Jeroham and sons Joel and Abiah. His sons' corruption becomes part of the elders' argument for a king. After Samuel's death, the Endor account names him as the speaker who repeats judgment on Saul; it does not explain the mechanism of that encounter.

Cited passages: 1 Samuel 3:21, 1 Samuel 7:15, 1 Samuel 7:16, 1 Samuel 7:17, 1 Chronicles 6:33, 1 Chronicles 6:34, 1 Chronicles 6:35, 1 Chronicles 6:36, 1 Chronicles 6:37, 1 Chronicles 6:38, 1 Samuel 8:1, 1 Samuel 8:2, 1 Samuel 8:3, 1 Samuel 8:4, 1 Samuel 8:5, 1 Samuel 28:3, 1 Samuel 28:4, 1 Samuel 28:5, 1 Samuel 28:6, 1 Samuel 28:7, 1 Samuel 28:8, 1 Samuel 28:9, 1 Samuel 28:10, 1 Samuel 28:11, 1 Samuel 28:12, 1 Samuel 28:13, 1 Samuel 28:14, 1 Samuel 28:15, 1 Samuel 28:16, 1 Samuel 28:17, 1 Samuel 28:18, 1 Samuel 28:19, 1 Chronicles 6:28, 1 Samuel 1:1, 1 Chronicles 6:22, 1 Chronicles 6:27, 1 Samuel 1:19, 1 Samuel 1:20

How the story is told

The child who learns to listen becomes the prophet who calls a king to obey. Samuel's ministry also includes grief and continued intercession: he mourns Saul's failure and refuses to stop praying for the people. Psalm 99 remembers him among those who called upon the Lord. In Acts 3, Peter names Samuel and subsequent prophets as witnesses to the days he associates with Jesus; this is the later speech's theological reading.

Cited passages: 1 Samuel 3:10, 1 Samuel 12:19, 1 Samuel 12:20, 1 Samuel 12:21, 1 Samuel 12:22, 1 Samuel 12:23, 1 Samuel 12:24, 1 Samuel 15:11, 1 Samuel 15:22, 1 Samuel 15:23, 1 Samuel 15:35, Psalms 99:6, Acts 3:18, Acts 3:19, Acts 3:20, Acts 3:21, Acts 3:22, Acts 3:23, Acts 3:24, Acts 3:25, Acts 3:26

Story moments

  1. Given for lifelong service (1 Samuel 1:28). Hannah gives Samuel to the Lord for his whole life.
  2. A servant ready to hear (1 Samuel 3:10). Samuel answers the Lord's call after Eli has guided him.
  3. Prayer for Israel (1 Samuel 7:9). Samuel cries to the Lord during the Philistine threat.
  4. Saul anointed (1 Samuel 10:1). Samuel pours oil on Saul and declares his appointment.
  5. Obedience before sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Samuel challenges Saul's appeal to sacrifice after disobedience.
  6. David anointed (1 Samuel 16:13). Samuel anoints David among his brothers.
  7. Israel mourns (1 Samuel 25:1). The people lament Samuel and bury him at Ramah.

Key passages

1 Samuel 1:20

Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:18

But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

1 Samuel 2:21

And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.

1 Samuel 2:26

And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.

1 Samuel 3:1

And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

1 Samuel 3:3

And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;

King James Version. 121 indexed passages in total.

For reflection

How do listening, unwelcome truth and continued prayer belong together in Samuel's work?

Books Samuel appears in

Related people

Names and references are adapted from STEPBible TIPNR. A person listed with a verse is named or indexed there; it does not mean they wrote or spoke it.