"THE HILL OF SAMUEL".
THE LAST OF THE JUDGES, SAMUEL HELPED BRING ISRAEL FROM LOOSE CONFEDERATION TO UNITY.
Samuel was born at a critical time in his country's history. By the middle of the 11th century B.C., the nature of Israel's life had undergone a gradual, profound change. The days of a wandering, rootless existance were long past, and the people of Israel had settled down, built towns, planted grain and vines, and were beginning to prosper. But their hard-won land was being threatened by neighbouring Philistines, who had begun to push eastward into the interior of Canaan from their territory along the Mediterranean coast. This was no band of nomads making occasional forays in the countsryside, but a large, well-organized and well-equipped military elite coalition, hired by the Pharaoh to recapture the country for the Egyptian empire. By 1100 B.C., they had control of the coastal plain, the northern Plain of Jezreel and the Jordan Valley as far south as Succoth. This left Israel surrounded and confined to the high central ridge. The next Philistine move followed during Samuel's boyhood : a campaign into the central hills themselves.
The old tribal confederation established by Josua was unable to meet the heightened demand for military and political unity. It was now divided by tribal rivalry and isolation. Consequently, when it became obvious that the Philistines threatened the independence of Israel, a delegation of elders from each tribe gathered together and journeyed to the town of Ramathaim or Ramah, in Ephraim. They had come to see the aged prophet Samuel, and their message was straight to the point: "Give us a king..." (1 Samuel 8:6).