Flashback. 1-Samuel ch.9
We have now reached 1-Samuel 9:10.
This is the point where Samuel tells Saul that he is to be the next King of Israel. Saul is in effect to replace Samuel though Samuel stays around for quite a while. Samuel takes Saul through the ropes and becomes quite attached to him.
It is about time we reminded ourselves (assuming we once knew) who Samuel was:
The father of Samuel was Elkanan and his mother was Hannah. They lived at Ramathaim in the district of Zuph (which means "Honey-Comb") in the Mountain of Ephraim. Elkanan belonged to the Kohath Clan of Levi (1-Chronicles 6:315)
1-Samuel (CJV) 1:
1 AND THERE WAS ONE MAN FROM RAMATHAIM ZOPHIM, FROM MT. EPHRAIM, AND HIS NAME WAS ELKANAH, THE SON OF JEROHAM, THE SON OF ELIHU, THE SON OF TOHU, THE SON OF ZUPH, AN EPHRAIMITE.
An Ephraimite. In Hebrew "Ephrathi," or 'Ephrati." He was actually a Levite who lived in an area otherwise pertaining to The Tribe of Levi did not have its own territory but had been scattered in settlements of their own throughout the Lands of the other Tribes. The dwelling place of the family of Elkanan was in the area of Ephraim. That is why he is referred to as an "Ephraimite."
Elkanah had two wives (1-Samuel 1:128), Peninnah and Hannah.
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Wikipedia tells us:
Peninnah had children; Hannah did not. Nonetheless, Elkanah favored Hannah. Jealous, Peninnah reproached Hannah for her lack of children, causing Hannah much heartache. Elkanah was a devout man and would periodically take his family on pilgrimage to the holy site of Shiloh. On one occasion, Hannah went to the sanctuary and prayed for a child. In tears, she vowed that if she were granted a child, she would dedicate him to God as a nazirite.
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What was a Nazirite?
A Nazirite would not drink wine or eat grapes, or grape-products. Neither would he cut his hair nor touch a corpse, nor eat unclean food. A person could take the vow of a Nazirite for only 30 days. Others were born to it and kept the Nazirite regime for their whole life. Well-known Nazirites were Samson and Absalom. the son of David. Samson apparently never cut his hair whereas Absalom did it once a year.
2- Samuel (CJV) 13:
25 NOW LIKE ABSALOM THERE WAS NOT A MAN IN ALL ISRAEL AS BEAUTIFUL, TO BE AS [TOTALLY] PRAISEWORTHY [FOR BEAUTY]; FROM THE SOLE OF HIS FEET TO THE CROWN OF HIS HEAD, THERE WAS NO BLEMISH IN HIM.
26 AND WHEN HE SHAVED HIS HEAD-AND IT WAS AT EVERY YEAR'S END THAT HE SHAVED IT; BECAUSE THE HAIR WAS HEAVY ON HIM, THEN HE WOULD SHAVE IT- HE WEIGHED THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD AT TWO HUNDRED SHEKELS, AFTER THE KING'S WEIGHT.
In recent times a well-known Torah scholar attempted to revive the status of being a Nazirite:
Rabbi David Cohen (1887-1972) was a follower of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook. He took a Nazirite vow at the outbreak of World War-1. He had taken upon himself a lifelong Nazirite vow, which involves complete abstention from cutting one's hair and partaking of any products of the vine.
Traditional Jewish Religious thought however is not in favor of such an approach. Abstinence is frowned upon.
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Getting back to the Wikipedia account (with some changes:
Haninah, the future mother of Samuel, had been observed apparently mumbling to herself by Eli the High Priest , who was sitting at the foot of the doorpost in the sanctuary at Shiloh. Eli at first thought she was drunk, but was soon assured of both her motivation and sobriety. Eli was the priest of Shiloh, and one of the last Israelite Judges before the rule of kings in ancient Israel. He had assumed the leadership after Samson's death. Eli blessed Haninah and she returned home. Subsequently, Hannah gave birth to Samuel. After the child was weaned, she left him in Eli's care, and from time to time she would come to visit her son.
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Hannah named the boy, Samuel. The name "Samuel (in Hebrew "Shmuel") connotes "God has set" or "God has placed". It is said to imply, "I have asked/borrowed him from God".
The name Saul (in Hebrew "Sha-ul") has the same meaning.
The destiny of Samuel and Saul were intertwined.
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Wikipedia (slightly adapted) continues: Samuel worked under Eli in the service of the shrine at Shiloh. One night, Samuel heard a voice calling his name. According to the first-century Jewish historian Josephus, Samuel was 12 years old. Samuel initially assumed it was coming from Eli and went to Eli to ask what he wanted. Eli, however, sent Samuel back to sleep. After this happened three times, Eli realised that the voice was the LORD's, and instructed Samuel on how to answer:
If He calls you, then you must say, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears".
Once Samuel responded, the Lord told him that the wickedness of the sons of Eli had resulted in their dynasty being condemned to destruction. In the morning, Samuel was hesitant about reporting the message to Eli, but Eli asked him to honestly recount to him what he had been told by the Lord. Upon receiving the communication, Eli merely said that the Lord should do what seems right unto him.
Samuel grew up and "all Israel from Dan to Beersheba" came to know that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the Lord.
During Samuel's youth at Shiloh, the Philistines inflicted a decisive defeat against the Israelites at Eben-Ezer, placed the land under Philistine control, and took the sanctuary's Ark for themselves. Upon hearing the news of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant, and the death of his sons, Eli collapsed and died. When the Philistines had been in possession of the Ark for seven months and had been visited with calamities and misfortunes, they decided to return the Ark to the Israelites.
After 20 years of oppression, Samuel, who had gained national prominence as a prophet (1 Samuel 3:20), summoned the people to the hill of Mizpah, and led them against the Philistines. The Philistines, having marched to Mizpah to attack the newly amassed Israelite army, were soundly defeated and fled in terror. The retreating Philistines were slaughtered by the Israelites. The text then states that Samuel erected a large stone at the battle site as a memorial, and there ensued a long period of peace thereafter.
Samuel initially appointed his two sons Joel and Abijah as his successors; however, just like Eli's sons, Samuel's proved unworthy. The Israelites rejected them. Because of the external threat from other tribes, such as the Philistines, the tribal leaders decided that there was a need for a more unified, central government, and demanded Samuel appoint a king so that they could be like other nations. Samuel interpreted this as a personal rejection, and at first was reluctant to oblige, until reassured by a divine revelation. He warned the people of the potential negative consequences of such a decision. When Saul and his servant were searching for his father's lost donkeys, the servant suggested consulting the nearby Samuel. Samuel recognized Saul as the future king.
The above is how Wikipedia summarized the events.
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When the elders of Israel had presented their demand for a monarch to Samuel they had said:
1-Samuel (NKJV) 8:
4 THEN ALL THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL GATHERED TOGETHER AND CAME TO SAMUEL AT RAMAH, 5 AND SAID TO HIM, 'LOOK, YOU ARE OLD, AND YOUR SONS DO NOT WALK IN YOUR WAYS. NOW MAKE US A KING TO JUDGE US LIKE ALL THE NATIONS.'
Samuel had been disappointed. The Almighty told him that he was not the one being rejected but rather the Almighty Himself!
1- Samuel (CJV) 8:
7 AND THE LORD SAID TO SAMUEL, "LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE, ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THEY WILL SAY TO YOU, FOR THEY HAVE NOT REJECTED YOU, BUT THEY HAVE REJECTED ME FROM REIGNING OVER THEM.
8 LIKE ALL THE DEEDS WHICH THEY HAVE DONE FROM THE DAY I BROUGHT THEM UP FROM EGYPT, AND UNTIL THIS DAY, AND THEY FORSOOK ME AND SERVED OTHER GODS; SO ARE THEY DOING TO YOU.
9 AND NOW, LISTEN TO THEIR VOICE; EXCEPT THAT YOU SHALL WARN THEM, AND TELL THEM THE MANNER OF THE KING WHO WILL REIGN OVER THEM.
The Sages said that the people (or at least some of them) had desired a king not only because they wanted a more regular form of government.
They consciously, or subconsciously, wanted a leader to lead them into idolatry. They rejected the Laws of the Torah and desired the life-style of the pagans, as they had said, "TO JUDGE US LIKE ALL THE NATIONS." This in effect meant denying the rule of the Almighty (Talmud, Sanhedrin 20;b).
They were to receive Saul. One of the connotations of the name "Saul" is "On Loan." Saul from the very beginning was predestined to be only a temporary leader.
The Kingship had been intended from the beginning for David.
If Saul had have been worthy and if matters were different then the descendants of Saul would have continued to serve as "Seconds-in-Command" alongside the successors of David.
Something along these lines was to be suggested by Jonathan the son of Saul:
1-Samuel (NKJV) 20:
42 THEN JONATHAN SAID TO DAVID, GO IN PEACE, SINCE WE HAVE BOTH SWORN IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, SAYING, MAY THE LORD BE BETWEEN YOU AND ME, AND BETWEEN YOUR DESCENDANTS AND MY DESCENDANTS, FOREVER. SO HE AROSE AND DEPARTED, AND JONATHAN WENT INTO THE CITY.
1-Samuel (CJV) 23:
17AND HE (JONATHAN) SAID TO HIM, "FEAR NOT, FOR THE HAND OF MY FATHER SAUL WILL NOT FIND YOU, AND YOU SHALL REIGN OVER ISRAEL, AND MAY I BE TO YOU AS A VICEROY (HEBREW "MISHNEH" I.E. SECOND-IN-COMMAND), AND MY FATHER SAUL TOO, KNOWS (THAT THIS IS) SO."
It may be that some of the royal lineages of Europe descend from Saul.