Editing Samuel (section)

==Perspectives on Samuel==
=== Judaism ===
[[File:Samuel Nabi.JPG|thumb|[[Tomb of Samuel]]]]
According to the [[Book of Jeremiah]]<ref>{{bibleverse||Jeremiah|15:1|NKJV}}</ref> and one of the [[Psalms]],<ref>{{bibleverse||Psalm|99|HE}}</ref> Samuel had a high devotion to God. [[Classical Rabbinical literature]] adds that he was more than an equal to [[Moses]], God speaking directly to Samuel, rather than Samuel having to attend the tabernacle to hear God.<ref>Berakot 31b, Ta'anit 5b, Exodus Rashi 14:4</ref> Samuel is also described by the Rabbis as having been extremely intelligent; he argued that it was legitimate for laymen to slaughter sacrifices, since the [[Halakha]] only insisted that the priests ''bring the blood'',<ref>cf {{Bibleverse||Leviticus|1:5|HE}}</ref><ref>Zebahim 32a</ref><ref name=Berakot>Berakot 31b</ref> Eli, who was viewed negatively by many Classical Rabbis, is said to have reacted to this logic of Samuel by arguing that it was technically true, but Samuel should be put to death for making legal statements while Eli (his mentor) was present.<ref name=Berakot/>

Samuel is also treated by the Classical Rabbis as a much more sympathetic character than he appears at face value in the Bible; his annual circuit is explained as being due to his wish to spare people the task of having to journey to him; Samuel is said to have been very rich, taking his entire household with him on the circuit so that he didn't need to impose himself on anyone's hospitality; when Saul fell out of God's favour, Samuel is described as having grieved copiously and having prematurely aged.<ref>[[Berakhot (Talmud)|Berakot]] 10b, [[Nedarim (tractate)|Nedarim]] 38a, [[Ta'anit]] 5b</ref>

His [[yahrzeit]] is observed on the 28th day of [[Iyar]].<ref name="Talmud">[[Bikkurim (Talmud)|Bikkurim]] 6b</ref>

=== Christianity ===
[[File:Икона_пророка_Самуила_из_собрания_ДОХМ.jpg|thumb|226x226px|17th-century icon of Samuel ([[Donetsk#Museums|Donetsk Regional Art Museum]])]]

For [[Christians]], Samuel is considered to be a prophet, judge, and wise leader of Israel, and treated as an example of fulfilled commitments to God. On the Catholic, [[Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar|Eastern Orthodox]], and [[Lutheran]] calendars, his feast day is August 20.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-08-20 |title=St. Samuel—Blessed with the Spirit of God |url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/st-samuel-blessed-with-the-spirit-of-god |access-date=2024-01-22 |website=NCR |language=en}}</ref> He is commemorated as one of the Holy Forefathers in the [[Calendar of Saints (Armenian Apostolic Church)|Calendar of Saints]] of the [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] on July 30. In the [[Coptic Orthodox Church]], the commemoration of the departure of Samuel the Prophet is celebrated on [[Paoni 9 (Coptic Orthodox liturgics)|9 Paoni]].

[[Herbert Lockyer]], minister and author, and others have seen in Samuel's combined offices of prophet, priest, and ruler a foreshadowing of Christ.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BrUnECmtnvIC&dq=prophet+samuel+bible&pg=PA232|title=All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible|first=Herbert|last=Lockyer|date=October 14, 1988|publisher=Zondervan|isbn=9780310280910 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

===Islam===
{{Infobox person
| name               = 
| predecessor        = [[Joshua]]
| successor          = [[David]]
}}

Samuel ({{langx|ar|صموئيل or شموئيل|Šamūʾīl or Ṣamūʾīl}}) is seen as a [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|prophet]] and seer in the [[Islam]]ic faith. The narrative of Samuel in Islam focuses specifically on his birth and the anointing of [[Talut]]. Other elements from his narrative are in accordance with the narratives of other Prophets of [[Israel]], as [[exegesis]] recounts Samuel's preaching against [[idolatry]]. He is not mentioned by name in the [[Qur'an]], but may be alluded to in {{qref|2|246|c=y|pl=y}}.<ref>[[Abdullah Yusuf Ali]], ''[[The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary]]'', Note '''278''' to verse '''246''': "This was Samuel. In his time Israel had suffered from much corruption within and many reverses without. The Philistines had made a great attack and defeated Israel with great slaughter. The Israelites, instead of relying on Faith and their own valor and cohesion, brought out their most sacred possession, the Ark of the Covenant, to help them in the fight. But the enemy captured it, carried it away, and retained it for seven months. The Israelites forgot that wickedness cannot screen itself behind a sacred relic. Nor can a sacred relic help the enemies of faith. The enemy found that the Ark brought nothing but misfortune for themselves, and were glad to abandon it. It apparently remained twenty years in the village ({{transliteration|ar|qarya}}) of Yaarim (Kirjath-jeafim): I. Samuel, 7:2. Meanwhile, the people pressed Samuel to appoint them a king. They thought that a king would cure all their ills, whereas what was wanting was a spirit of union and discipline and a readiness on their part to fight in the cause of Allah."</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Search Samuel |url=https://quran.com/search?page=1&q=Samuel&translations=203 |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=Quran.com |language=en}}</ref>

In the Islamic narrative, the [[Israelites]] after [[Islamic view of Moses|Moses]] wanted a king to rule over their country. Thus, [[God in Islam|God]] sent a prophet, Samuel, to anoint Talut as the first king for the Israelites. However, the Israelites mocked and reviled the newly appointed king, as he was not wealthy from birth (Q{{qref|2|247|pl=y}}). But, assuming Talut to be [[Saul]], in sharp contrast to the Hebrew Bible, the Qur'an praises Saul greatly, and mentions that he was gifted with great spiritual and physical strength. In the Qur'anic account, Samuel prophesies that the sign of Talut's kingship will be that the [[Ark of the Covenant]] will come back to the Israelites.<ref>{{qref|2|246-248|b=y}}</ref>

[[File:Jarih nabi Samuel.jpeg|thumb|center|An Arabic sign denoting where Samuel was buried in the Tomb of Samuel, according to tradition]]

=== Bahá'í ===
[[ʻAbdu'l-Bahá|`Abdu'l-Bahá]], a central figure in [[Baháʼí Faith|the Bahá'í Faith]], mentions Samuel as an example of a genuine Prophet of the House of Israel, alongside [[Ezekiel]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Some Answered Questions {{!}} Bahá'í Reference Library |url=https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/some-answered-questions/8#328857530 |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=www.bahai.org}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2022}}