Smith's Bible Dictionary

He visited, in the discharge of his duties as ruler, the three chief sanctuaries on the west of Jordan -- Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpeh. 1Sa 7:16. His own residence was still his native city, Ramah, where he married, and histwo sons grew up to repeat, under his eyes, the same perversion of high office, that he had himself witnessed in his childhood, in the case of the two sons of Eli. In his old age, he shared his power with them, 1Sa 8:1-4 , but the people, dissatisfied, demanded a king, and finally anointed, under God's direction, and Samuel surrendered to him his authority, 1Sa 12:1, though still remaining judge. 1Sa 7:15.

He was consulted, far and near, on the small affairs of life. 1Sa 9:7-8. From this fact, combined with his office of ruler, an awful reverence grew up around him. No sacrificial feast was thought complete without his blessing. 1Sa 9:13. A peculiar virtue was believed to reside in his intercession. After Saul was rejected by God, Samuel anointed David, in his place, and Samuel became the spiritual father of the psalmist-king.

The death of Samuel is described as taking place, in the year of the close of David's wanderings. It is said, with peculiar emphasis, as if to mark the loss, that "all the Israelites were gathered together" from all parts of this hitherto-divided country, and "lamented him," and "buried him" within his own house, thus, in a manner consecrated by being turned into his tomb. 1Sa 25:1. Samuel represents the independence of the moral law, of the divine will, as distinct from legal or sacerdotal enactments, which is so remarkable a characteristic of all the later prophets. He is also the founder of the first regular institutions of religious instructions, and communities for the purposes of education.