Editing Samuel (section)

===National prophet, local seer===
Some authors see the biblical Samuel as combining descriptions of two distinct roles:
*A ''[[wikt:seer|seer]]'', based at [[Ramathaim-Zophim|Ramah]], and seemingly known scarcely beyond the immediate neighbourhood of Ramah (Saul, for example, not having heard of him, with his servant informing him of his existence instead). In this role, Samuel is associated with the bands of musical ecstatic roaming prophets (''[[Nevi'im]]'') at Gibeah, Bethel, and Gilgal, and some traditional scholars have argued that Samuel was the founder of these groups. At Ramah, Samuel secretly anointed Saul, after having met him for the first time, while Saul was looking for his father's lost [[donkey]]s, and treated him to a meal.
*A ''prophet'', based at Shiloh, who went throughout the land, from place to place, with unwearied zeal, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting the people to [[repentance]]. In this role, Samuel acted as a [[Biblical judges|(biblical) judge]], publicly advising the nation, and also giving private advice to individuals. Eventually Samuel delegated this role to his sons, based at [[Beersheba]], but they behaved corruptly and so the people, facing invasion from the [[Ammon]]ites, persuaded Samuel to appoint a king. Samuel reluctantly did so, and anointed Saul in front of the entire nation, who had gathered to see him.

Source-critical scholarship suggests that these two roles come from different sources, which later were spliced together to form the Book(s) of Samuel. The oldest is considered to be that marking Samuel as the local seer of Ramah, who willingly anointed Saul as king in secret, while the latter presents Samuel as a national figure, begrudgingly anointing Saul as king in front of a national assembly. This later source is generally known as the [[Republican source]], since it denigrates the monarchy (particularly the actions of Saul) and favours religious figures, in contrast to the other main source—the [[Monarchial source]]—which treats it favourably. The Monarchial source would have Saul appointed king by public acclamation, due to his military victories, and not by Samuel's [[cleromancy]]. Another difference between the sources is that the Republican source treats the ecstatic prophets as somewhat independent from Samuel (1 Samuel 9:1ff) rather than having been led by him.<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Samuel|19:18ff|HE}}</ref>

The passage in which Samuel is described as having exercised the functions of a (biblical) judge, during an annual circuit from Ramah to [[Bethel]] to [[Gilgal]] (the ''Gilgal'' between [[Ebal]] and [[Gerizim]]) to Mizpah and back to Ramah ([[1 Samuel 7#Samuel judges Israel (7:15–17)|1 Samuel 7:15-17]]), is foreshadowed by [[Deborah]], who used to render judgments from a place beneath a palm between Ramah and Bethel.<ref name=Duane>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-5KvCmOcEjgC&dq=prophet+samuel+bible&pg=PA90|title=The Unity of the Bible: Exploring the Beauty and Structure of the Bible|first=Duane L.|last=Christensen|date=October 14, 2003|publisher=Paulist Press|isbn=9780809141104 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Source-critical scholarship often considers it to be a redaction aimed at harmonizing the two portrayals of Samuel.<ref name=J-Enc>{{cite book|last1=Hirsch|first1=Emil G.|last2=Bacher|first2=Wilhelm|last3=Lauterbach|first3=Jacob Zallel|title=Jewish Encyclopedia|date=1906|chapter-url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13079-samuel|chapter=Samuel}}</ref>

The Book(s) of Samuel variously describe Samuel as having carried out sacrifices at sanctuaries, and having constructed and sanctified [[altar]]s. According to the [[Priestly Code]]/[[Deuteronomic Code]] only [[Aaron]]ic priests/[[Levites]] (depending on the underlying tradition) were permitted to perform these actions, and simply being a nazarite or prophet was insufficient. The books of Samuel and Kings offer numerous examples where this rule is not followed by kings and prophets, but some critical scholars look elsewhere seeking a harmonization of the issues. In the [[Book of Chronicles]], Samuel is described as a Levite, rectifying this situation; however critical scholarship widely sees the Book of Chronicles as an attempt to redact the Book(s) of Samuel and [[Books of Kings|of Kings]] to conform to later religious sensibilities. Since many of the Biblical law codes themselves are thought to postdate the Book(s) of Samuel (according to the [[Documentary Hypothesis]]), this would suggest Chronicles is making its claim based on religious motivations. According to most modern scholarship, the Levitical genealogy of 1 Chronicles 4<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Chronicles|4|HE}}</ref> is not historical.<ref name=J-Enc/>