Page:EB1911 - Volume 24.djvu/134

Rh are narrated in the chapters immediately following (Judg. xvii.–xviii.).

SAMSON (1135–1211), abbot of St Edmund’s, was educated in Paris and became a teacher in Norfolk, the county of his birth. In 1166 he entered the great Benedictine abbey of St Edmund’s as a monk and was chosen abbot in February 1182. He was a careful and vigilant guardian of the property of the abbey, but he found time to attend royal councils and to take part in public business; also he was frequently entrusted with commissions from the pope. During the absence of Richard I. from England he acted with vigour against John and visited the king in his prison in Germany. He did some building at the abbey, where he died on the 3oth of December 1211. Samson is famous for the encouragement which he gave to the town of Bury St Edmunds, the liberties of which he extended in spite of his own monks. His name is most familiar owing to the references to him in Carlyle’s Past and Present.

SAMSON, JOSEPH ISIDORE (1793–1871), French actor and playwright, was born at St Denis on the 2nd of July 1793, the son of a restaurant keeper. He took the first prize for comedy at the Conservatoire in 1812, married an actress with whom he toured France, and came to the Comédie Française in 1826. Here he remained until 1863, creating more than 250 parts. He became a professor at the Conservatoire in 1829, and under him Rachel, Rose Chéri (1824–1861), the Brohans and others were trained. He wrote several comedies, among them La Belle-Mere et le gendre (1826), and La Famille poisson (1846). Samson died in Paris on the 28th of March 1871.

SAMSUN (anc. Amisus), the chief town of the ]anik sanjak of the Trebizond vilayet of Asiatic Turkey, situated on the S. Coast of the Black Sea between the deltas of the Kizil and Yeshil Irmaks. Pop. about 15,000, two-thirds Christian. It is connected by metalled roads with Sivas and Kaisarieh, and by sea with Constantinople' It is a thriving town, and the outlet for the trade of the Sivas vilayet. Steamers lie about 1 m. from the shore in an open road stead, and in winter landing is sometimes impossible. Its district is one of the principal sources of Turkish tobacco, a whole variety of which is known as “Samsun.” Samsun exports cereals, tobacco and wool. Both exports and imports are about stationary, the Angora-railway having neutralized any tendency to rise. Amisus, which stood on a promontory about 1 m. N.W. of Samsun, was, next to Sinope, the most flourishing of the Greek settlements on the Euxine, and under the kings of Pontus it was a rich trading town. By the 1st century it had displaced Sinope as the N. port of the great trade route from Central Asia, and later it was one of the chief towns of the Comneni of Trebizond. There are still a few remains of the Greek settlement.

SAMUEL, a prominent figure in Old Testament history, was born at Ramah and was dedicated to the service of Yahweh at the sanctuary of Shiloh where his youth was spent with (q.v.). Here he announced the impending fate of the priesthood and gained reputation throughout Israel as a prophet. Best known as “king-maker,” two distinct accounts are preserved of his share in the institution of the monarchy. In one, the Philistines overthrow Israel at Ebenezer near Aphek, Eli’s sons are slain, and the ark is captured (1 Sam. iv.). After a period of oppression, Samuel suddenly reappears as a great religious leader of Israel, summons the people to return to, Yahweh, and convenes a national assembly at Mizpah. 'The Philistines are defeated at Ebenezer (near Mizpah) through the direct interposition of Yahweh, and Samuel rules peacefully as a theocratic judge (vii). But in his old age the elders demandaking, his sons are corrupt, a monarchy and a military leader are wanted (viii. 3, 5, 20). The request for a monarchy is a deliberate offence against Yahweh (viii. 7, cf. x. 19, xii. 12), nevertheless, an assembly is called, and the people are warned of the drawbacks of monarchical institutions (viii. 11-21; note the milder attitude in Deut. xvii. 14-20). At Mizpah, after another solemn warning, the sacred lot is taken and falls upon Saul of Benjamin, who, however, is not at first unanimously accepted (x. 17-27a). About a month later (x. 2712; see Revised Version, margin), Saul—with Samuel (xi. 7)—leads an army of Israel and Judah to deliver Jabesh-Gilead from the Ammonites, and is now recognized as king. Samuel in a farewell address formally abdicates his office, reviews the past history, and, after convincing the people of the responsibility they had incurred in choosing a king, promises to remain always their intercessor (xii., cf. Jer. xv. 1). So, according to one view, Samuel’s death marks a vital change in the fortunes of Israel (xxv. 1, xxviii. 3, 6, 15). But, according to an earlier account, instead of a state of peace after the defeat of the Philistines (vii. 14) the people groan under their yoke, and the position of Israel moves Yahweh to pity. Samuel is a local seer consulted by Saul, and is bidden by Yahweh to see in the youth the future ruler. Saul is privately anointed and receives various signs as proof of his new destiny (ix. 1–x. 16). Despite the straitened circumstances of Israel, an army is mustered, a sudden blow is struck at the Philistines, and, as before, supernatural assistance is at hand. The Hebrews who had fled across the Jordan (xiii. 7), or who had sought refuge in caverns (xiii. 6, xiv. 11), or had joined the enemy (xiv. 21), rallied together and a decisive victory is obtained. That these two accounts are absolutely contradictory is now generally recognized by Biblical scholars, and it is to the former (and later) of them that the simple story of Samuel’s youth at Shiloh will belong. Next we find that Samuel’s interest on behalf of the Israelite king is transferred to David, the founder of the Judaean dynasty, and it is his part to announce the rejection of Saul and Yahweh’s new decision (xiii. 7b-15a, xv. 10-35, xxviii. 17), to anoint the young David, and, as head of a small community of prophets, to protect him from the hostility of Saul (xvi. 1-13, xix. 18-24).

SAMUEL OF NEHARDEA, usually called or  (c. 165–c. 257), Babylonian Rabbi, was born in Nahardea in Babylonia and died there c. 257. He is associated