Samuel- God's last priest and judge

Samuel was from the tribe of Ephraim who was one of the sons that Joseph had while he was ruling in Egypt. Samuel's Father was Elkanah.  Now Elkanah had two wives whose names were Peninah and Hannah. Now Peninah had children, but Hannah did not. Peninah threw this into her face a lot. Hannah finally was so upset by this that the next time they went to worship God, she prayed and asked God to give her a son. But she didn't stop there. She went on and promised God that she would give her son back to God all the days of his life. God Answered her prayer and she gave birth to a boy in whom she called Samuel. She kept that promise and when he was weaned, she took him to the temple to serve God there. So Samuel was trained to serve God from a very young age by Eli the priest (I Sam. 1:1-11). He grew up faithfully serving God in the temple (I Sam. 2:18).

When Samuel was yet a boy, God came to him  at night and called him, three different times. Each time, Samuel thought that it was Eli calling him. So Samuel would run to Eli and ask him what he wanted. After the third time, Eli realized that God was calling Samuel. So Eli told Samuel to go back to bed & when he heard the voice again, to tell God that he was listening. Samuel obeyed and that is when God started talking straight Samuel.

That night, God told Samuel of how Eli's sons were not serving in the temple as they should. They were disobeying God's rules on how to preform  their duties & sinning in ways that was bringing dishonor to God's temple. This angered God. So he was going to take his family out of the priesthood. You see, starting with Aaron, Moses brother, every boy born into Arron's family had become a priest. But because of their sin against God & his temple, God killed Eli's sons. When Eli heard that his sons were dead , he died too          (I Sam. 3:1-4:18). But Samuel had faithfully served God and found favor with God and man. So God made him priest and Judge over the land. Samuel faithfully served God obeying everything God told him to say and do all the days of his life, including anointing the first two kings of Israel (I Sam. 3:19-28:3).