their sacrifices and to petition Jehovah, a boy was growing up who should one day lead Israel in safety from a condition of scattered tribal organization to a kingdom. To him belongs pre-eminently the title, Samuel, "the maker of kings.'

The Records of Samuel's Life.-Two books in our Old Testament, originally one, bear the name of Samuel, and contain the narratives of this period. We do not know the author of these books, and as they appear to us now there are traces of two, and perhaps more, connected narratives woven together by a later historian. One of these might be termed a narrative of Samuel, another a narrative of Saul, another an introduction to the life of David; but the lives of these three men were so woven together, in fact, that it is not difficult from these combined memoirs to obtain a vivid picture of the great prophet as he moved about the country performing the triple service of prophet, priest, and civil judge.

These three words applied to Samuel convey to us also a suggestion of the informal character of the government of the tribes which at this time formed the Israelitish community. The little circuit' named as Samuel's route affected a comparatively small

I Shiloh may be located on the map about twelve miles south of Shechem. It is near an old highway between Bethel and Shechem, conveniently located for the pilgrimages of the early Hebrews. In Samuel's time a building with doors had replaced the old tent of meeting. In this primitive temple, secluded by curtains from ordinary view, was kept the ark, a sacred chest of wood, which the Hebrews had brought from their wilderness wanderings, and which signified to them the visible presence of Jehovah. Within it were the tables of stone upon which were graven the Ten Commandments, and other sacred relics. To Shiloh came at stated intervals groups of people from the surrounding communities bringing from vineyards, flocks, and field, offerings to Jehovah. Since Jehovah was supposed to be actually present at Shiloh, prayers might be offered there with greatest assurance of response. Religious festivals with feasting and dancing took place in the vicinity of the temple. Priests were in constant attendance, aided by boys, acolytes, growing up under the tutelage of the priests, expecting to succeed them as old age and other causes made vacancies in the active priesthood. A portion of each of the offerings, at the will of the worshiper, seems to have been given to the priest, and constituted his means of support.

2 Note in I Sam. 7:15-17, the circuit which Samuel seems to have covered, probably at set times each year, acting, for the period of his stay, as the civil judge. In addition the sacrificial feasts of the village were conducted by him as officiating priest. As the head of the prophetic guilds, he would naturally stimulate the activities of any band of prophets having its home in this vicinity. It is interesting to note that of the places mentioned both Bethel and Gilgal afterward appear as prominent sanctuaries.

section of the whole country. The tribes at the extreme north and south were probably still less stable. There was growing, however, the desire for competent leadership in unified effort against common foes. We shall see in Samuel a man of strong will and clear judgment who might easily have gathered into his own hand absolute power by placing himself upon a throne as Israel's king, but who voluntarily withdrew from a practical regency, and promoted another to the office of king.

The Boyhood of Samuel and His Life at Shiloh.---The accompanying story of the boyhood of Samuel makes clear to us the perils of wars with the Philistines and Israel's lack of a military leader, as well as the primitive conception of Jehovah as a god with a local dwelling-place, manifesting himself with human voice, but with godlike retributive power. It shows us also a government trembling to its fall, under the ineffective leadership of weak men like old Eli and his wicked sons. This family tragedy was again repeated in a succeeding generation when the wayward sons of Samuel were repudiated by the people as successors of their father; but for a period of many years, coincident with the early manhood and the prime of Samuel's life, we find his central figure dominating the national life, drawing the isolated tribes into closer union one with another, and inspiring increasing confidence in the power and love of Jehovah, their God.

Before reading this selection,' the notes on this section which are indicated by a star should be studied, and after reading it the remaining notes may be consulted, and likewise with all inserted selections.

Now the sons of Eli were base men; they knew not Jehovah,2 nor the due of the priests from the people. When any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was boiling, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand; and he struck it into 5 the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the flesh-hook brought up the priest took therewith. So they did in Shiloh unto all the

II Sam. 2:12-18; 3:1-21; 4:1 (Am. Standard Rev. Ver., by permission).

2 *Knew not Jehovah: did not understand his character and therefore lived in disregard of his moral laws, and also of the hallowed custom of accepting such compensation as the worshiper gave freely, after Jehovah's portion had been properly consecrated by the burning of the fat.

Israelites that come thither. Yea, before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, “Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have boiled flesh of thee, IO but raw." And if the man said unto him, "They will surely burn the

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fat first, and then take as much as thy soul desireth"; then he would say, "Nay, but thou shalt give it me now: and if not I will take it by force." And the sin of the young men was very great before Jehovah; for the men despised the offering of Jehovah.

But Samuel ministered before Jehovah, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.1

To disregard thus the sacredness of the offerings brought to Jehovah was a violation of the ritual of worship, which among all ancient nations was regarded as a great offense to the god. It is likely also that the enforced idleness of priests at a small sanctuary and their inherent sense of privilege had caused many forms of dissipation to creep into the life of the priesthood at Shiloh. Then as now forms of worship without sincerity were valueless, and Eli's sons were seeking only personal gain and pleasure in their sacred office. To people of that day, however, a violation of the ritual of Jehovah was a greater crime than a moral offense, the dangers of which it remained for the prophets to reveal.

But the child Samuel ministered unto Jehovah before Eli. And the word of Jehovah was precious in those days; there was no widespread vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place (now his eyes had begun to wax dim, so that he 5 could not see), and the lamp of God was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down3 to sleep, in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was; that Jehovah called4 "Samuel, Samuel": and he

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*Ephod: here, a garment worn by priests; elsewhere, an instrument of divination. 2 *Lamp of God: a special lamp upon the altar, probably filled with oil enough to last for the night, so that the hour must have been near morning.

3 *Laid down: indicating that at least some of the attendants slept within the temple inclosure.

4 *Jehovah called: Samuel was now possibly in the neighborhood of twelve or fourteen years of age. The writer of this story undoubtedly believed that Jehovah spoke with human voice and appeared in visible form. To us who believe that the voice of God to the heart is stronger than any physical presence, the view of the early prophet is important only from the point of view of the history of religious ideas. The precise method by which Jehovah communicated his wishes to Samuel is not so important as the fact itself, namely, that he did inspire Samuel to do his bidding.

said, "Here am I." And he ran unto Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou calledst me." And he said, "I called not; lie down again." And 10 he went and lay down. And Jehovah called yet again,"Samuel." And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said,"Here am I; for thou calledst me." And he answered, “I called not, my son; lie down again." Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him. And Jehovah called Samuel again the 15 third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here am I; for thou calledst me." And Eli perceived that Jehovah had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, “Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Jehovah; for thy servant heareth." So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And Jehovah came, and stood, and called as at other times "Samuel, Samuel." Then Samuel said, "Speak; for thy servant heareth." And Jehovah said to Samuel, "Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have 25 spoken concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house 30 shall not be expiated with sacrifice nor offering for ever."

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And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors3 of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to show Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, "Samuel, my son." And he said, "Here am I." And he said, "What is the thing that Jehovah hath 35 spoken unto thee? I pray thee, hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide anything from me of all the things that he spake unto thee." And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, "It is Jehovah: let him do what seemeth him good."

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And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and did let none X of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to

1 *Ears shall tingle: with surprise and consternation.

2 Lines 24-30: Reference is here made to some previous communication to Eli. 3 *Opened the doors: With the Hebrews great phenomena of nature were identified with the direct acts of Jehovah. The rising and the setting of the sun were seasons filled with awe and marked by sacrifices. The doors of the temple were thrown open to the east at sunrise when the morning sacrifice also began.

Beer-sheba1 knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Jehovah. And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh; for Jehovah revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of Jehovah. 45 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.2

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Samuel Leading to Victory.-Samuel next appears upon the pages of the narrative more than twenty years after the destruction of Shiloh and the capture of the Ark by the Philistines,3 in an assembly of the people gathered at Mizpah, one of the cities of Samuel's circuit. The Philistines were still aggressive. At the call of Samuel, Israel put away all the foreign gods which were a constant temptation to the people, surrounded as they were by enemies whose success was attributed to the strength of their gods, and a great wave of enthusiasm for Jehovah, probably instigated by Samuel and his associates, swept over the nation, and assembled Israel through Samuel cried out to Jehovah for relief from her oppressors. Great sacrifices were offered, the people calling, "Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines." The story of the battle to which this assembly was a preliminary and which was won by the Israelites is told in I Sam. 7:3-14. Peace reigned for the time being, and Samuel enjoyed a supremacy which none questioned. The record follows: "And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah, and he judged Israel in all these places, and his return was to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel; and he built there an altar unto the Lord."

1*Dan to Beersheba: Note on the map the two cities marking approximately the northern and southern boundaries of the land.

2 Appeared in Shiloh: Of these revelations we have no further record. Whether they refer to traditions of distinct appearances or to the fact of Samuel's ever-increasing understanding of Jehovah and his will we do not know.

3 The story of the victory of the Philistines through which the threats of Jehovah were fulfilled, and the legends of the disasters which befell the Philistine country while the ark of God was kept in Philistine territory, resulting in its return to the Hebrews, is told in I Sam. 4:1-7:2.

4 Mizpah: The name signifies, "the watchtower." A crusaders' church now stands over a spot which, tradition says, marks the grave of Samuel. All such sites are, however, a matter of pure speculation.