June 9, Ordinary 10B (1 Samuel 8:4–20, [11:14–15])

The people must have been so disappointed in Samuel. He comes into his leadership role as a prophet and judge instead of the sons of Eli, who are corrupt. For all the years of his life, Samuel is a trusted leader of Israel. He goes on a circuit from town to town as a judge. He leads the people militarily, making sacrifices to God and gaining God’s support in battle (1 Sam. 7:6–16).

Samuel is a good leader. Until he isn’t. When Samuel has grown old, he appoints his sons, Joel and Abijah, to be his successors. Joel and Abijah don’t rule and lead as Samuel did. They have more in common with Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, than with Samuel himself. Hophni and Phinehas steal temple offerings by force and assault the women who serve at the tent of meeting. Similarly, Joel and Abijah pursue their own gain, take bribes, and pervert justice. Things are not looking good for the people who live under the leadership of Samuel’s sons. What happened to Samuel’s ethical compass between delivering a prophetic message about the demise of Eli’s family because of the immorality and greed of Eli’s sons and appointing his own rogue sons as the next leaders of Israel?

Samuel’s decision to appoint his sons as leaders and judges shines a light on his human fallibility. The people see it too, and they want out of this system of leadership based on judges who appoint their own greedy children to take over. When they got Samuel instead of Hophni and Phineas, maybe they thought they were done with that problem. But here it is, happening again.