Samuel the Prophet: the Last of the Judges

Samuel's story begins with a childless woman. Hannah went up to Shiloh and prayed silently, her lips moving; Eli the High Priest took her for a drunk. She explained: "I am pouring out my soul before the Lord." She named her son Samuel — "asked of God" — and when he was weaned brought him to the sanctuary for good.

As a boy he heard a voice calling his name at night and was told by Eli to answer, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears." The first thing revealed to him was the verdict on his own teacher's household. He hesitated to repeat it; Eli accepted it.

After the disaster at Even-ha-ezer, Samuel became the people's central authority. He assembled Israel at Mizpah, demanded they put away foreign gods, and there, as he prayed, the Philistines were broken. Each year he rode a circuit of Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah, judging the people, then returned to his court at Ramah.

When he grew old and his sons did not follow his ways, the elders demanded a king. It grieved him, but he anointed Saul, and later David. Stepping back from office he gave an accounting rare in the history of power: whose ox have I taken? from whom have I taken a bribe? The people answered: nothing from anyone.