שמואל הנביא

Some children are born out of a tear. Chana went up year after year to the Tabernacle at Shiloh, barren and broken-hearted, and prayed in a whisper from the depth of her soul, until she was answered and Samuel was born (I Samuel 1). The son she had begged for she dedicated to God from his youth, and so the boy grew up in the House of God with Eli the priest.

One night a voice called him, and he thought Eli was calling, until Eli understood that God was speaking to the boy, and taught him to answer: 'speak, Lord, for Your servant hears' (I Samuel 3). From that night none of his words fell to the ground, and all Israel knew a faithful prophet had arisen.

Samuel was the last of the Judges and the one who paved the way to monarchy. In his old age the people asked for a king 'like all the nations' (I Samuel 8), and Samuel was hurt, but God told him that it was not him they had rejected but the kingship of Heaven. He did not cling to power, but heeded the voice of God and anointed a king.

He anointed Saul as king (I Samuel 10), and when Saul failed, Samuel went with a heavy heart and anointed the young David in Bethlehem (I Samuel 16), teaching that a prophet serves the word of God even when it pains him.

His integrity was a model for the generations. At the end of his days he testified before all the people: 'whose ox have I taken, whose donkey have I taken,' and no one could claim he had wronged them in judgment (I Samuel 12). A leader whose hands were entirely clean.

Scripture ranks him in one line with the greatest of the nation: 'Moshe and Aharon among His priests, and Samuel among those who call on His name' (Psalms 99:6). Samuel is the prophet who gave birth to kingship in Israel, and his image remains a symbol of the purity of a leader who asks nothing for himself.