“But Samuel, though he was only a boy, served the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:18 NLT)

In contrast to Eli’s grown sons, young Samuel served the Lord. Samuel was given to Eli to raise as his own by his mother Hannah. She had been barren and promised to give the Lord her firstborn son if He allowed her to conceive. Eli was a permissive and passive father. His sons were evidence of his parenting failure. Yet, like many today, he was a better grandfather to Samuel than he was a father to his own sons. Hannah gave her son to the Lord. He grew up in God’s presence. From his youth until his death, Samuel was faithful to God. He was the last of Israel’s judges. He was a transitional figure who acted with all three titles of prophet, priest and judge, before anointing the first two kings of Israel.