Samuel (“asked for of God”) of all the scribes of Scripture is quite unique. His birth resulted when his godly mother Hannah prayed. She was mocked for being childless, a shame for a woman of Israel wishing to bear the seed of the woman (Gen. 3:1515And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)).
She went with her husband Elkanah “yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh” (1 Sam. 1:33And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. (1 Samuel 1:3)). The tabernacle was set up there, the place at that time where the Lord had chosen to place His name. But the priesthood and sacrifices were despised because of the wickedness of the priests, Hophni and Phinehas, Eli’s sons.
“In bitterness of soul” Hannah went to the temple (tabernacle) and prayed, weeping before God. She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thine handmaid, and remember me... but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head” (1 Sam. 1:1111And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head. (1 Samuel 1:11)).
As she prayed silently in her heart, Eli the priest, seeing her lips moving, thought she was drunken. Hannah answered, “No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I... have poured out my soul before the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:1515And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. (1 Samuel 1:15)).
Eli replied, “Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition.”
God answered her prayer and gave her a son whom she named Samuel.
When she had weaned Samuel, she took the young child and brought him to the house of the Lord in Shiloh. Sacrificing a bullock, they brought the child to Eli. She told him, “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition... also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord” (1 Sam. 1:27-2827For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there. (1 Samuel 1:27‑28)).
Samuel’s Growth Samuel was a Levite of the family of Kohath (1 Sam. 1:11Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: (1 Samuel 1:1); 1 Chron. 6:22,26-2722The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, (1 Chronicles 6:22)
26As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath his son, 27Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. (1 Chronicles 6:26‑27)). “Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod” (1 Sam. 2:1818But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. (1 Samuel 2:18)). So he was an acting priest. His mother made him a little coat each year when she came with her husband, Elkanah, to sacrifice—no doubt a larger coat, for as the boy grew physically, he grew in spirit also.
Samuel’s Call
When the Lord called Samuel as he lay down to sleep, Samuel went to Eli thinking he had called him. Eli said, “I called not; lie down again” (vs. 5).
The third time this happened, Eli perceived it was the Lord calling Samuel, so he said, “Go, lie down... and... if He call thee... say, Speak, Lord; for Thy servant heareth” (vs. 9).
“The Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for Thy servant heareth” (vs. 10). He revealed the judgment about to fall on Eli’s sons because of their evil ways which he did not restrain. “Samuel told him every whit” (1 Sam. 3:11-1811And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. 12In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. 13For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. 14And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever. 15And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. 16Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. 17And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. 18And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good. (1 Samuel 3:11‑18)).
Samuel’s Service
The people asked for a king, since they wanted to be like the nations, and it grieved Samuel. The Lord told him, “They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them” (1 Sam. 8:77And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. (1 Samuel 8:7)). Samuel did not choose the king. The Lord directed him to Saul, who was seeking his father’s asses. He anointed this tall, good-looking man. He was the kind of man the people wanted, and he went on well for a time.
At the end of his life of service Samuel said, “I am old and gray headed... and I have walked before you from my childhood until this day,” and he called on the people to witness against him before the Lord: “Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded?... or... have I received any bribe?... and I will restore it you” (1 Sam. 12:2323Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: (1 Samuel 12:23)).
T. A. Roach