Samuel the Prophet

Samuel was a very important person in the Bible. He lived before the time of kings in Israel. The people were often in trouble and needed help. God chose Samuel to lead them.

Samuel’s story began with a prayer. His mother, Hannah, asked God for a child. She promised to give him back to God. When Samuel was born, she kept her promise. She brought him to the temple to live and serve.

Samuel grew up in the house of the Lord. He worked with Eli the priest. One night, he heard God speak to him. That was the start of his mission. Samuel listened and followed God all his life.

He became a prophet, a judge, and a priest. He helped the people turn back to God. He anointed kings and spoke truth, even when it was hard. Samuel’s life shows us how to listen, trust, and obey.

His mother’s name was Hannah. She could not have children for many years. She prayed to God and asked for a son. She promised that if God gave her a child, she would give him back to serve God. God heard her prayer, and Samuel was born.

When Samuel was still very young, Hannah took him to the temple. She gave him to the priest Eli to live and serve in God’s house. Samuel grew up in the temple, learning how to serve God.

One night, when Samuel was still a boy, he heard someone call his name. He thought it was Eli and ran to him. But Eli had not called him. This happened three times. Then Eli told Samuel that it might be God speaking. The next time, Samuel answered, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

God gave Samuel a message. It was a hard message about Eli and his family. But Samuel listened and told the truth. From that day, God was with him, and all the people knew that Samuel was a prophet.

Samuel’s story started with a prayer and a promise. His whole life was given to God from the beginning. He listened to God and obeyed, even when it was not easy.

Hannah loved Samuel very much. But she remembered her promise to God. When he was still very small, she took him to the temple and left him there to live with Eli, the priest. She only saw him once a year when she came to worship. Each year, she brought him a new little robe.

Samuel served in the temple, helping Eli. He lit the lamps, cleaned, and learned the ways of worship. He lived close to the place where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. That made the temple a very holy place.

Even though Samuel was just a boy, God saw his heart. One night, God called out to him. Samuel did not know it was God at first. He thought Eli was calling. But when he listened and said, “Speak, Lord,” he opened his heart to God’s voice.

This was the start of his work as a prophet. A prophet is someone who listens to God and speaks to the people. Samuel began to hear more messages from God. He always shared what God told him, even when it was hard.

People began to see that Samuel was different. He was honest. He was faithful. He never used God’s words to gain power or riches. He only wanted to serve.

Samuel lived this way his whole life. He trusted God and obeyed Him. He became one of the most respected leaders in Israel.

As Samuel grew older, the people came to him for help. He became a judge, which was a kind of leader in Israel at that time. He helped people solve problems and reminded them to follow God’s laws.

Samuel called the people to turn away from false gods. Sometimes they had worshiped idols and forgotten the one true God. Samuel told them to return to God with their whole hearts. When they listened, God helped them.

Once, when their enemies, the Philistines, were about to attack, Samuel prayed for the people. God answered his prayer and saved them. The people saw that God was with Samuel.

Even though Samuel was a good leader, the people asked for a king. They wanted to be like other nations. Samuel was sad about this. He warned them that a king might not be good to them. But God told Samuel to give them what they asked.

Samuel still prayed and listened to God. He stayed strong in his faith. He did not stop leading or teaching, even when people made poor choices. He trusted that God would still work through it all.

His role as both prophet and judge made him a unique leader in Israel. He stood between the people and God, always pointing them back to the truth.

God told Samuel to find a man named Saul and make him king. Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head. This was a sign that God had chosen him to lead. At first, Saul did well, but later he disobeyed God.

Samuel was very sad about Saul. He cried and prayed, but God told him to stop mourning. God had chosen someone else to be king.

Samuel was sent to the town of Bethlehem. There, he met Jesse and his sons. God told him to anoint one of them. Samuel thought the older sons looked strong and ready to lead. But God chose the youngest, David, a shepherd boy.

Samuel listened and obeyed again. He anointed David with oil, just as he had done with Saul. David would later become the greatest king of Israel.

Samuel stayed a prophet until he died. Even after David was anointed, Samuel kept teaching and warning the people. He always put God first.

His life was full of hard choices, but he never stopped listening. He did not follow what looked good to people. He followed what God said.

Samuel is remembered as one of the greatest prophets in the Bible. He helped Israel move from the time of judges to the time of kings. He showed what it means to listen to God and live in faith.

He did not seek power or fame. He did not lead by force. He led by prayer, truth, and trust in God. His voice helped shape the future of Israel.

The Church honors Samuel because he stayed close to God all his life. He reminds us to listen for God’s voice and to obey, even when it’s hard. His story is told in churches and read in the Bible for many generations.

Samuel’s feast day in the Roman Martyrology is August 20. He is remembered as a prophet and a faithful servant of God.

His life shows that anyone can follow God—young or old, rich or poor. All it takes is a willing heart and open ears.

Even now, the story of Samuel teaches us to stop, listen, and trust. God still speaks. We just need to be ready to say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

He was born because his mom, Hannah, prayed super hard and promised to give him to God if she had a baby.

God said yes, and she named him Samuel, which means “heard by God.” Nice name with a story.

She kept her promise and dropped him off at the temple when he was still a little kid. Bye, Samuel!

He grew up under Eli, the old priest. Eli’s sons were the worst, but Samuel turned out great.

God called to him one night while he was sleeping. Samuel thought it was Eli and kept saying, “Here I am!”

It took three tries before Eli realized, “Wait—this is God talking to the kid.”

Samuel finally said, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” That became his thing.

From then on, Samuel heard God’s voice regularly. Like a holy walkie-talkie.

He became the last judge of Israel. Not courtroom judge—more like wise leader and prophet combo.

He anointed not one, but two kings: Saul and David. Big deal!

Saul was tall and handsome but messed things up fast. Samuel was not impressed.

When Saul disobeyed God, Samuel told him straight: “You’re done. God’s picking someone else.”

Samuel cried over Saul, but God said, “Stop mourning. I’ve got someone better.”

That “someone better” was David—the young shepherd with a slingshot and giant-sized faith.

Samuel secretly anointed David while he was still a kid. Future king alert!

Even after he retired, Samuel kept praying and giving advice. He didn’t just sit in a rocking chair.

When he died, all of Israel mourned. That’s how important he was.

After death, he appeared to King Saul (through a medium—awkward) and said, “Tomorrow you die.” Ouch.

He is the patron saint (unofficially) of people who pray, listen to God, and give hard advice.

His symbols include a horn of oil (for anointing kings), scrolls, or his little sleeping mat from the temple.

He reminds us that you’re never too young—or too old—to hear God and speak the truth.