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Top 10 Facts About Samuel in The Bible

Samuel is a significant figure who is known to have been born as an answered prayer to Hannah, wife to Elkanah. He was named Samuel because it was Hannah’s prayer to God that he be given a son after many years of not having a child. They named him Samuel meaning, God has heard.  When Hannah, his mother gave birth to him, she dedicated him to serve God in the temple at a very early age under Eli. He served Israel during the 11th century BCE. He was a prophet, judge, and priest who played a key role in the establishment of the Israelite monarchy.

He was known as a Hero for the many roles that he played and also for the fact that God talked to him one-on-one. Of importance to note is that his story began long before he was born when his mother Hannah, prayed to God for a son. Samuel is described as a wise and respected leader who was faithful to God. His entire life was spent serving God. Samuel is noted as the last judge of Israel before the monarchy that he anointed.

Samuel is also credited for writing the Book of Judges as well as the first part of the Book of Samuel. However, it should be noted that he was the last judge in the book. His history is recorded in the bible 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel. He was based in Shiloh and can be described as righteous, he was just, upright, and fair in his judgments.

Here are the Top 10 Facts About Samuel in the Bible.

1. Samuel’s Mother Dedicated Him To God

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Before he was born, Hannah prayed to God for a child. Hannah was one of two wives of Elkanah, the other one being Peninnah. Hannah had no children for a long time and she saw that Peninnah had many children. One day she went to the Tabernacle and prayed with a great weeping, the priest Eli thought that she was drunk and questioned her. However, Eli blessed her and sent her home with hope. Later, Hannah bore a son named Samuel which means Heard by God, and as promised, she dedicated him to God when he was of age.

2. He Served God at a Young Age

When Samuel had been weaned, he was taken to the temple along with a sacrifice. Many people believe that he was 12 years old when he went to serve God. However, when we look deeply into the word, we see that he was probably three or four years old. He helped Eli with jobs around the Tabernacle. According to 1 Samuel 2:18-19, Samuel ministered before the Lord wearing a linen ephod even when he was a boy. The robe was made by her mother every year they went to offer sacrifices that were made annually. This was a visit Hannah his mother never failed to do with her husband Elkanah.

3. God Called Samuel Four Times

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One night when Samuel was lying down in the temple, he heard a voice call him but he thought it was Eli.  Samuel went to Eli and said “Here I am” but Eli thought it was strange because he never called Samuel. Samuel heard the voice three more times before Eli told him to answer the voice “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” When Samuel answered, God told him his plans for Israel as well as the high priest Eli. His call by God was the turning point in his ministry as the Lord spoke to him directly with a message to Israel and in particular to Eli and his family. God told him that He would carry out against Eli everything from beginning to end 1 Samuel 3:12.

4. Samuel Passed on God’s Message to Eli

In the bible, the verse found in 1 Samuel 3: 16-18 indicates that Samuel was afraid to tell Eli the message he was given by God about his family. But Eli pushed him to tell him everything without withholding anything from him. He assured Samuel, that God was supreme and that He would still do what He wanted to do with his family. Therefore, Samuel told Eli the message from God that God was going to judge his family forever because of the sin Eli was familiar with of his sons. They made themselves contemptible and God was unhappy because Eli did not restrain them from sinning according to 1 Samuel 3:13.

Read about Stephen from the bible here.

5. God was with Samuel Throughout His Life

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1 Samuel 7: 13-14 reflects that the hand of God was on him in particular when the Philistines were fighting the Israelists. He was given victory in every battle as cited in the mentioned bible verse stating that the towns from Ekron to Gath that the Philistines had captured from Israel were restored with Israel delivering the neighboring territory from the power of the Philistines. This according to the bible restored peace between Israel and Amorites.

6. He was Unique in the History of Israel.

Samuel was a very unique leader in Israel according to the bible. No other prophet in Israel was within one like Samuel. He was a Prophet, a priest and also he served as a judge.  As a prophet and priest (1 Samuel 2:18), God spoke to him one-on-one. He was in charge of sacrifices to God on behalf of the people of Israel. He also ensured that the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Israel as indicated in 1 Samuel chapter 6. God had given him the mandate to be the judge in Israel. A role he served until he was overwhelmed because of age, he delegated the role to his sons 1 Samuel 8:1. He is cited as a great man of faith in Hebrews 11:32.

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7. Samuel is The Last Judge

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In 1 Samuel 8: 6-22The Elders got unhappy about the sons of Samuel being judges. They approached him to request that they needed a king like other tribes. Samuel always enquired from God about anything that the people needed. This case was not an exception. He prayed and God gave him an answer. He told him that the people have forsaken Him and so he should warn than what an earthly King will do to them. One of the things that God told him was that an earthly King would take their sons and make them slaves but the elders did not take Samuel’s message from God seriously and so God gave him the okay to grant their request for a King. They

8. He Anointed Saul as Kings of Israel

Samuel was requested by the Elders of Israel to give them a King when he had grown old and his sons were unable to lead the people well. In fact, they took brides as judges and this did not go well with the people. 1 Samuel 9 and 10 are chapters that elaborate on how Samuel anointed a King according to the people’s request. He chose for them Saul who was impressive, young, and was described as a man who has no other equal. He was the son of Kish. His father Kish was a son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin.

Read about Elijah from the Bible here.

9. Samuel was Sent to Anoint David

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Saul King of Israel sinned against God and therefore, God rejected him and told Samuel about it in 1 Samuel 15.  God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse of Bethlehem where he chose one of his sons to become King after Saul as indicated in 1 Samuel 16. So he was instructed by God to fill his horn with oil and when he arrived at Jesse’s home, God would direct him to the son he had chosen to be King. The sons of Jesse were appealing but God looked not at the outward appearance but at the heart. David was the youngest son and this is the one God appointed and instructed Samuel to anoint him with oil as the next leader of the Israelites.

Click here to read about Esther from the Bible.

10. He Died at The Age of 98

In BC1012, Samuel died at his home in Ramah 1 Samuel 25:1. he was mourned by all the Israelites who gathered together at his home. Among them was David the King whom Samuel had anointed as King. He died as an accomplished prophet, judge, priest, and a great man of faith.

Samuel was honored and spoke to God one-on-one. He was the last judge in Isreal and is known to have been the only prophet in Israel who anointed two Kings, Saul and David. He was a man of great faith and walked with God faithfully. His sons sinned against God and that’s how the elders requested him to give them an earthly King, hence the beginning of the reign of Kings in the history of Israel.