Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 15. Life; as sole judge for twenty years, (Gordon. D.) and conjointly with Saul till he died, almost 100 years old, a year or two before the unfortunate king. Saul put him on a level with himself; (Calmet. 11:7) and he continued to be regarded as the oracle of Israel ever since he was about forty years old; ( Calmet.) or he did not long survive the election of the new king, ( Menochius.) as Tirin, Sanctius, and so forth reduce his reign to two years, allowing thirty-eight to Samuel, so that both filled up the space of forty years. Acts 13:20. The life of Samuel, on this supposition, will not much exceed sixty, and he must have come into power in early life. Calmet. 12:2. Bible.—This verse is no proof that the present book was written long after Samuel’s time. D.