What was Samuel's role?

Answer 1

1) He served as Judge (1 Samuel 7:15) and leader.

2) He guided the people when they requested that a king be appointed (1 Samuel ch.8); and he appointed Saul and later King David, at the word of God.

3) He wrote the Books of Ruth and Judges (Talmud, Bava Batra 14b) and the Book of Samuel (until the verse concerning his death; it was completed by another prophet. Talmud, ibid).

4) He led the people in a great movement of repentance (1 Samuel ch.7).

5) Until his time, prophecy had been relatively rare (1 Samuel 3:1). Starting with his leadership, the phenomenon of the "sons (disciples) of the Prophets" (2 Kings 2:3) became a regular institution.

Answer 2

1) He served as Judge (1 Samuel 7:15) and leader. Each year, he traveled in order to teach and serve as Judge (1 Samuel 7:16) in the various places.
2) He guided the people when they requested that a king be appointed (1 Samuel ch.8); and he appointed Saul and later King David, at the word of God (1 Samuel ch.9-10 and ch.16).

• Link: Choosing a king
  

3) He wrote the Books of Ruth and Judges (Talmud, Bava Batra 14b) and the Book of Samuel (until the verse concerning his death; it was completed by another prophet. Talmud, ibid).

4) He led the people in a great movement of repentance (1 Samuel ch.7).

5) Until his time, prophecy had been relatively rare (1 Samuel 3:1). Starting with his leadership, the phenomenon of the "sons (disciples) of the Prophets" (2 Kings 2:3) became a regular institution, and very many people reached the various levels of prophecy (Talmud, Megillah 14a) (though only fifty-five prophets were commanded to record their words for posterity. Ibid).

See also the other Related Links.

Link: Contents of 1 Samuel

Link: About the prophets

Link: Jewish history timeline

Answer 3

According to our tradition, he:

Anointed King Saul and King David

Mentored all the prophets of the following generation

Set the blueprints for the Holy Temple, together with King David

Received and transmitted the Oral Law

Was the last of the Judges

Had a miraculous victory over the Philistines

Answer 4

He was the first king (see 1 Samuel ch.8). He unified the Israelites and defeated their enemies round about (1 Samuel 14:47).

Answer 5

Samuel the old man was a Judge as well as a prophet.