The History of the Old Testament Methodized, Chapter 4 · Section 158
SECT. CLVIII.
SAmuel from the time he was made Judge, judged Iſrael to the day of his death. For though Saul after he was made King had the Supreme Power in his hands, yet Samuel as long as he lived exerciſed the juriſdiction of a Judge, (which God had called him unto), as appears by his killing of Agag, whom Saul had ſpared, Ch. 15.32, 33. And alſo as a Prophet he directed him in his Government, admoniſhed him of his duty, reproved him when he did amiſs, [Ch. 15.23. & 13.13.] yea, threatned him when he rebelled againſt Gods command with the loſs of his Kingdom [Ch. 15.28.] and anointed David King in his ſtead, Ch. 16.13. Sometimes indeed they joined together in the Government, as in making War againſt Nabaſh the Ammonite, and relieving Jabeſh-Gilead when it was beſieged, [Ch. 11.7.] and in this regard the years of both their Governments are joined in the ſame account of forty years, as we may ſee Act. 13.20, 21. Samuel therefore went as a Judge from year to year in circuit to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpeh to hear and determine the cauſes of the people, and as a Prophet to teach and direct them. Neither was Samuel bound by his Mothers Vow, Ch. 1.11, 22. (whereby he was devoted to the ſervice of the Sanctury) to continue his reſidence there, and that not only becauſe for the ſins of the Prieſts and people the Lord had withdrawn the Ark (the viſible ſign of his Preſence) from the Tabernacle at Shiloh, but alſo becauſe the Lord himſelf had taken him off from that Levitical ſervice, and called him to another imployment, namely to be an holy Prophet, and a Judge over his people. When he had gone his Circuit, he returned to Ramah, where his uſual dwelling was, and his moſt ordinary place of Judicature, and there he built an Altar *Thus we read of divers Altars erected as by Joſhua upon mount Ebal, Joſh. 8.30. by Gideon, Judg. 6.24.26. by Samuel here, and Ch. 11.15. Ch. 16.2, 5. by David, 2 Sam. 24.25. by Solomon, 1 King. 8.64. by Elijah, 1 King. 18.32.to offer Sacrifices. Indeed God appointed but one Altar to be ordinarily uſed for Sacrifices, as there was but one Tabernacle, but upon extraordinary occaſions he allowed holy men by a particular diſpenſation to build other Altars, when it might be done without danger of Idolatry, yet with this difference, that the one, viz. that in the Tabernacle was to be fix'd and permanent, the other to ſtand only ſo long as the occaſion continued. Samuel therefore (as it ſeems) by an eſpecial Prophetical inſtinct built an Altar here, which he might lawfully do, eſpecially in this time, when 'tis very queſtionable whether they were bound by that Law, Deut. 12.14. becauſe the Ark and the Tabernacle were now ſeparated. Samuel being grown old, and unable to go through the land to judge the people as formerly he had done, he made his two Sons, Joel †Called Vaſhni, 1 Chron. 6.28. 'tis uſual in Scripture for one man to have two names. This Joel though a corrupt Judge, was the Parent of a gracious Son, viz. Heman a chief Maſter of the Singers, 1 Ch. 6.33.and Abiah his Deputies and Subſtitutes, appointing them to judge the people in ſome part of the land in his ſtead, and poſſibly this he did by Gods eſpecial direction. And though it is like they went in their circuits to judge the people as their Father had done, yet they dwelt at Beerſheba, and there for the moſt part executed that office. The ſingular piety of Samuel, and the experience he had had of Gods ſeverity againſt Eli for his too great indulgence to his Children, may well induce us to think that he did what he could to train up his Sons in the ways of righteouſneſs; nor can we rationally think that he would have intruſted them with this power of judging the people under him, had they not to that time regularly behaved themſelves, and given hopes of managing that truſt well which was committed unto them; but however it was, being advanced to theſe places of dignity and power (it ſeems) they ſoon degenerated and proved the occaſion of much grief to their Father; and much miſchief to the Commonwealth; for they walked not in the ways of their Father, neither executed their office uprightly as their Father had done; but being covetous and deſirous of lucre, they took bribes (which blind the eyes of the wiſe, Deut. 16.19.) and perverted judgment.
1 Sam. Ch. 7. from 15, to the end. Ch. 8. from 1, to 4.