Let me share with you the remarkable story of Samuel in the Bible—a boy who grew up to become one of Israel's greatest prophets and leaders. His journey begins with his mother's desperate prayer and leads to him becoming the man who would anoint Israel's first kings.

All The Things I Say to God: Learning to Pray Anytime, Anywhere

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Samuel lived during a pivotal time in Israel's history, serving as a bridge between the period of the judges and the beginning of the monarchy. His unwavering commitment to God, his courage to speak truth to power, and his faithful leadership make his story one that continues to inspire us today.

Story of Samuel in the Bible

Chapter 1: The Answer to a Mother's Prayer

Long ago in Israel, there lived a man named Elkanah who had two wives: Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none. This made Hannah very sad, especially because Peninnah would tease her about it.

Every year, Elkanah took his family to worship and sacrifice at the tabernacle in Shiloh. During one of these visits, Hannah was so brokenhearted that she went to the tabernacle and prayed with tears streaming down her face:

"O LORD Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head" (1 Samuel 1:11).

This was a special vow, promising that her son would be dedicated to God's service as a Nazirite. As Hannah prayed silently, moving her lips but making no sound, Eli the high priest thought she was drunk and scolded her. But Hannah explained: "I am a woman who is deeply troubled… I was pouring out my soul to the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:15).

Eli's attitude changed immediately. "Go in peace," he told her, "and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him" (1 Samuel 1:17). Hannah left with a newfound hope, and soon after, she conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, which sounds like the Hebrew for "heard by God," because she said, "I asked the LORD for him" (1 Samuel 1:20).

True to her promise, when Samuel was weaned (probably around age three), Hannah brought him to the tabernacle in Shiloh and presented him to Eli, saying: "As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:26-28).

Can you imagine the faith it took for Hannah to give up her precious son? Each year, she would visit Samuel and bring him a new robe she had made. And God blessed Hannah with three more sons and two daughters (1 Samuel 2:21).

Chapter 2: The Voice in the Night

Young Samuel grew up serving in the tabernacle under Eli's guidance. The Bible tells us, "The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli" (1 Samuel 3:1). But these were dark days spiritually in Israel. God's messages were rare, and Eli's sons, who were also priests, were corrupt and dishonored God.

One night, as Samuel was lying down in the tabernacle near the Ark of the Covenant, something extraordinary happened. He heard a voice calling his name: "Samuel! Samuel!"

Thinking it was Eli, the boy ran to him saying, "Here I am; you called me" (1 Samuel 3:5). But Eli said he hadn't called and sent Samuel back to bed. This happened three times! Finally, Eli realized that it was the LORD calling the boy.

Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening'" (1 Samuel 3:9). When God called again, Samuel responded just as Eli had instructed him.

That night, God gave Samuel his first prophecy—a difficult message about Eli's family. The LORD told Samuel that He would judge Eli's household because his sons had blasphemed God, and Eli had failed to restrain them.

In the morning, Samuel was afraid to tell Eli what God had said. But when Eli insisted, Samuel "told him everything, hiding nothing" (1 Samuel 3:18). Instead of being angry, Eli accepted God's judgment, saying, "He is the LORD; let him do what is good in his eyes" (1 Samuel 3:18).

From that point on, everyone in Israel recognized Samuel as a confirmed prophet of the LORD. The Bible says, "The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel's words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD" (1 Samuel 3:19-20).

Chapter 3: The Prophet and Judge

As Samuel grew older, he became not only a prophet but also a judge over Israel, traveling throughout the land to help settle disputes and lead the people in worship.

During this time, Israel faced a terrible threat from their enemies, the Philistines. In a devastating battle, the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant—the sacred chest containing the Ten Commandments that represented God's presence with Israel. When news of this disaster reached Eli, he fell backward from his seat, broke his neck, and died at the age of 98 (1 Samuel 4:18).

For twenty years, the people of Israel suffered under Philistine oppression. But Samuel called them to return to the LORD with all their hearts: "If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines" (1 Samuel 7:3).

The people responded by putting away their idols and gathering at Mizpah, where they fasted and confessed their sins. When the Philistines heard about this gathering, they prepared to attack. The Israelites were terrified and begged Samuel, "Do not stop crying out to the LORD our God for us, that he may rescue us from the hand of the Philistines" (1 Samuel 7:8).

Samuel offered a sacrifice and cried out to God. As the Philistines drew near to attack, "that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites" (1 Samuel 7:10). This miraculous victory allowed Israel to recover towns previously taken by the Philistines.

For the rest of his life, Samuel continued to judge Israel, traveling on a circuit between Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpah, and his hometown of Ramah, where he built an altar to the LORD (1 Samuel 7:15-17).

Chapter 4: The First King of Israel

As Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons, Joel and Abijah, as judges over Israel. Unfortunately, they "did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice" (1 Samuel 8:3).

Concerned about this corruption and wanting to be like other nations, the elders of Israel approached Samuel with a request: "You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have" (1 Samuel 8:5).

This request displeased Samuel, and he prayed to the LORD. God told him, "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king" (1 Samuel 8:7). Nevertheless, God instructed Samuel to warn the people about how a king would treat them, then give them what they asked for.

Samuel faithfully warned the Israelites that a king would take their sons for his army, their daughters to work in his palace, the best of their fields and vineyards, and a tenth of their grain and flocks. He concluded, "When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the LORD will not answer you in that day" (1 Samuel 8:18).

Despite these warnings, the people insisted on having a king. God then led Samuel to Saul, a tall, handsome man from the tribe of Benjamin. Following God's direction, Samuel anointed Saul privately, then later presented him publicly as Israel's first king.

In his farewell address to the people, Samuel reminded them of his integrity: "Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed?" (1 Samuel 12:3). Everyone acknowledged Samuel's blameless leadership.

Though Samuel was disappointed by Israel's request for a king, he promised, "As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right" (1 Samuel 12:23).

Chapter 5: Samuel's Final Years

Unfortunately, King Saul soon began to disobey God's commands. After Saul failed to completely destroy the Amalekites as God had instructed, Samuel delivered a heartbreaking message: "Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king" (1 Samuel 15:23).

This broke Samuel's heart. The Bible says, "Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that he had made Saul king over Israel" (1 Samuel 15:35).

Eventually, God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king—one of the sons of Jesse. When Samuel saw Jesse's eldest son, Eliab, he thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD" (1 Samuel 16:6). But God corrected him: "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).

Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel, but God hadn't chosen any of them. When Samuel asked if there were any more sons, Jesse mentioned his youngest, who was tending the sheep. This was David, and as soon as he arrived, the LORD said to Samuel, "Rise and anoint him; this is the one" (1 Samuel 16:12).

Samuel lived to see the beginning of David's rise but died before David became king. The Bible records, "Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him at his home in Ramah" (1 Samuel 25:1). Even after his death, Samuel's influence continued. When Saul, in desperation, consulted a medium to bring up Samuel's spirit, the prophet's message remained consistent—Saul and his sons would die in battle the next day because of his disobedience (1 Samuel 28:19).

Samuel's legacy lives on as a prophet who spoke truth to power, a judge who led with integrity, and a faithful servant who helped transition Israel from a tribal confederation to a monarchy—all while remaining devoted to the one true King, the LORD.

What Can We Learn About Samuel?

1. God answers persistent prayer - Hannah's faithful prayer for a son was answered, even after years of waiting. Samuel's very name, which means "heard by God," reminds us that God listens to sincere prayers. Biblica.com shows how Hannah's faithfulness in prayer was rewarded.
2. Listen for God's voice - Young Samuel learned to recognize and respond to God's voice with "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." We too need to develop this spiritual sensitivity and responsiveness, as noted by Christianity.com.
3. Integrity matters - Throughout his life, Samuel served with unwavering integrity. At the end of his public ministry, he could honestly ask if he had ever cheated or oppressed anyone, and no one could accuse him of wrongdoing. True leadership is built on character.
4. Speak truth, even when it's difficult - Samuel had to deliver hard messages to Eli, to Saul, and to the people of Israel. Following God sometimes requires speaking uncomfortable truths with both courage and compassion.
5. See as God sees - When selecting a king, God reminded Samuel, "People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Samuel learned to value what God values rather than being impressed by external appearances, as Medium.com emphasizes.

FAQ About Samuel

How did Samuel become a prophet?

Samuel became a prophet when God called him as a young boy serving in the tabernacle under Eli's guidance. God called his name three times, and after Eli's instruction to respond with "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening," Samuel received his first prophecy about God's judgment on Eli's family. From that moment, the Lord continued to reveal Himself to Samuel, and "all Israel recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord" (1 Samuel 3:19-20).

What roles did Samuel have in Israel?

Samuel served as prophet, priest, and judge in Israel. As a prophet, he delivered God's messages to the people and leaders. As a priest, he offered sacrifices and led worship (although he was a Levite, not from Aaron's line). As a judge, he traveled a circuit between Bethel, Gilgal, Mizpah, and Ramah, resolving disputes among the people. Samuel also had the unique role of anointing both Saul and David as Israel's first kings.

Did Samuel write any books of the Bible?

According to Jewish tradition, Samuel wrote the books of Judges, Ruth, and the first part of 1 Samuel (up to the account of his death). However, modern scholars generally believe that these books were compiled from various sources after Samuel's time. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel are named after him not necessarily because he wrote them entirely, but because he is a central figure in the narrative, particularly in 1 Samuel.

How did God use Samuel to change Israel's history?

Samuel guided Israel through a crucial transition from the period of judges to the monarchy. He was the last major judge before Israel had kings and the first of a new line of prophets who would guide kings and people. By anointing both Saul and David, Samuel established God's chosen kingship for Israel. His teachings maintained Israel's covenant relationship with God even as their political structure changed, ensuring that the people understood the king was subject to God's laws.

Would you like to learn about another amazing leader in the Bible? Check out "The Story of Daniel in the Bible" to discover how a young man showed incredible courage and faith while serving in a foreign king's court and remained faithful to God even when facing lions and fiery furnaces!