Hi Folks, was wondering if anyone has a good answer to this question about Samuel. We know he was a judge and prophet but was he also a priest??
I know the word tells us that the priest were to be Levites and come from Arrons line BUT Samual did sacrifice for the people and acted as a priest even though he came from neither ?

[Debau]

Originally Posted by Karl

Hi Folks, was wondering if anyone has a good answer to this question about Samuel. We know he was a judge and prophet but was he also a priest??
I know the word tells us that the priest were to be Levites and come from Arrons line BUT Samual did sacrifice for the people and acted as a priest even though he came from neither ?

A couple verses to consider.

Psalms 99:6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.

Jeremiah 15:1 Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

1 Samuel 2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.

Exodus 28:41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

A good question for a study on the Levites and the priestly administrations and the Levitical geneaology of Samuel. Hope I can come up with a good answer too.

[Debau]

Samuel was trained by the priest Eli, to be a priest.

1 Samuel 13:12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

Samuel was to make the offering as a priest, not Saul who was only a king. We know what happened to king Uzziah when he tried to mingle king and priest duties. There is only One who is King, Prophet, and Priest, Lord Jesus Christ and OT theophany Melchizedek.

[Brother Tim]

Because of the unique circumstances of Samuel's birth (his mother's oath), and his subsequent "adoption" by Eli, Samuel by these became a Levite and a priest by definition.

[peopleoftheway]

1 Samuel 7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for Israel; and the LORD heard him.
10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

When a burnt offering was "offered" didn't a priest need to be present? We don't read any mention in these verses here of a priest as there was a lot for a priest to do involving the burnt offering.

Leviticus 1:10
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.
12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

I want to thank all of you for you input about this matter.....I appreciate you all taking the time to give me good info. God Bless each of you.

From an old grandfather in Xenia,Ohio

[peopleoftheway]

Hi karl

You are very welcome brother.
What I meant to convey through my post was that while Samuel was "offering" the burnt offering, from Leviticus we know that the priest had to have dutieds involving the offering and the passages leave no mention of "a priest". I can only conclude of course from this and the other given verses by the others, that Samuel indeed held priestly honors also.

God Bless