1 Samuel 7-9

A day late again...

When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders. The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “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 8:1-5)

Samuel is an interesting fellow. His mother may have raised him as a Nazirite, for she swore not to cut his hair (1 Samuel 1:10). He was given to the priesthood (1 Samuel 2:18). He was given the gift of prophecy (1 Samuel 3:20). By a word from the LORD Samuel proclaimed the end of Eli's priestly line, because Eli's sons, Hophni and Phinehas, took unconscionable liberties in their priestly duties (1 Samuel 3:11-14). He served a judge or leader of the people (1 Samuel 7:6), and by the word of the LORD he identified the first of Israel's kings (1 Samuel 9:17).

Given Samuel's role in unseating Eli's sons from their priesthood, it is ironic that Samuel had no better luck with his own sons, Joel and Abijah. It was partly due to their failure in the priesthood that the people began to desire a king to rule over them.