In brief
Samuel is a prophet and the last of the judges of Israel, around 1050 BC by the usual reckoning. His mother Hannah, who is barren, asks God for him in prayer and then dedicates him to the Lord. From childhood he serves in the sanctuary at Shiloh and hears God speak to him. He judges the people, anoints Saul when Israel asks for a king, then anoints David at Bethlehem. The Bible shows him faithful and attentive to God's word.
What does the name Samuel mean?
According to 1 Samuel 1:20, Hannah gives him the name Samuel, saying that she asked for him from the Lord. The exact meaning of the name is debated, but it recalls an answered prayer.
The story of Samuel
A Son Asked of God
1 Samuel 1:1-28Hannah, barren and grieved, prays at Shiloh and promises to dedicate to the Lord the child he gives her. The priest Eli blesses her. God remembers her, and she gives birth to Samuel. After he is weaned, she brings him to the sanctuary and gives him to the Lord for his whole life.
The Call in the Night
1 Samuel 3:1-21The word of the Lord is rare in those days. One night, Samuel hears a voice calling him and thinks it is Eli. After the third time, Eli understands that it is God and teaches him how to answer. Samuel says: “Speak; for your servant hears.” All Israel recognizes him as a prophet of the Lord.
The People Ask for a King
1 Samuel 8:1-22When he is old, Samuel appoints his sons as judges, but they do not walk in his ways. The elders ask for a king like the other nations, which displeases Samuel. God tells him that it is not Samuel they have rejected, but the Lord. He warns the people, who insist.
The Anointing of David
1 Samuel 16:1-13God sends Samuel to Bethlehem, to Jesse, to anoint a king from among his sons. Samuel first looks at the older sons, but God tells him not to look at appearance: the Lord looks at the heart. The youngest, David, is called from tending the sheep, and Samuel anoints him in the midst of his brothers.
What Samuel teaches us
- Persevering prayer is heard, and Hannah shows that we must give back to God what he gives.
- God calls everyone, even a child, and it is enough to answer: "Speak, your servant hears."
- A leader must pass on God's word with frankness, even when the people want something else.
- God does not look as people do: he looks at the heart.
Key verses
God remembers Hannah, who gives birth to a son. She calls him Samuel, because she asked for him from the Lord. His name recalls God's answer to prayer.
The Lord comes and stands near Samuel and calls him once more. The boy, taught by Eli, answers with the attitude of a servant listening to God.
God tells Samuel not to look at appearance or height. The Lord does not judge as people do: he looks at the heart.
Sermons about Samuel
Frequently asked questions
Why did God choose Samuel?
Samuel is a child asked of God by Hannah, who dedicates him to the Lord. The Bible does not present this choice as a merit of the child. God calls him from his youth, and Samuel answers faithfully in the sanctuary at Shiloh.
What does the name Samuel mean?
According to 1 Samuel 1:20, Hannah calls him Samuel because she asked for him from the Lord. Scholars debate the exact meaning of the Hebrew name. The biblical text links it to the idea of a request answered by God.
Where can I find the story of Samuel in the Bible?
It is found in the first book of Samuel, especially chapters 1 to 3, 7 to 10, 12, 15 and 16. The New Testament mentions him in Hebrews 11:32 and in Acts 3:24.