Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/574

* SAMSON. 514 SAMUEL. which was a factor that ulliinntely loil to the piiiijrmtion of most of tho Uaiiitcs (not noops- sarily all) to the e.treuio north. (See Da.n.) .Samson ai)pcars to have liveJ, indeed, after the mijiration of the Danites to the north, and to have belonged to the 'remnant' -wliiih did not scru]>le to enter into marriage alliances with Philistines while still preserving their haired of and opposition to the foreign yoke, and striving at various times to cast it oH". Tliat he is repre- sented as a 'Nazirile' is due to the desire to in- vest him with a religious character. The real 'Nazirites' (q.v.) of the Old Testament are men of a quite different type from Samson. Consult Frazer, The Golden liouyh, i., 370 et seq. ; ii., 2S3 et sec|.; iii., 390 et seq." ("id cd., Loudon, 1900). For the Samson story in general, consult the com- mentaries of Judges, chapters xiii.-xvi., by Moore, Budde, Nowack, and Bertheau ; Doorninck, "De Sim.sonsage," in Theolugiseh Tijdsehrift, vol. x.viii. (Leyden, 1S04) ; for the mythological interpretation, consult Goldzinger, Der Myihos bei den Hebriiern (Leipzig, 1876; Eng. trans., Lon- don, 1877) ; Steinthal, "Die Sage vom Simsou," in Zeiinchrift fiir Volkerpsi/cliologie, vol. ii. (18G1) ; Sonntag, Der Uichlcr .Siiiimin (Duisburg, 1890). SAMSON AGONISTES, ag'6-nis'tez. A dra- matic puem by iiiltpn (1G71). The final triumph of the blind champion of Israel over his enemies, the Philistines, is told in the form of the Greek drama. Handel composed au oratorio "Samson" (174;i), with a libretto arranged from the poem. SAMSUN> siim-soon' (Lat. Amisus, from Gk. 'Afuffis). Au important seaport in the Vilayet of Trebizond, Asiatic Turkey, situated on the southern coast of the Black Sea, about 90 miles southeast of Sinub (Sinope) (Map: Turkey in Asia, G 2). It is badly built and vmhealthful. Its connnerce is increasing and amounted in 1900 to over .$0,000,000. The chief imports are vari- ous manufactures, and the exports consist main- ly of cereals, Hour, and tobacco. Its population is estimated at 13.000. The ancient town of Amisus, w'hich was 1 1(. miles northwest, w-as an important Greek settlement. SAMUEL (Heb. Shiinm' el, name of God, per- haps in the sense of 'son of God'). The son of Elkanah and Hannah, a 'judge' and 'prophet,' who plays a prominent part in Hebrew history just prior to the establishment of the monarchy. The story of Samuel is told in the first of the two books of the Old Testament which bear his name. Modern scholars who think that these books are a compilation find each of the two sources in the account given of Samuel. (See Samuel, Books of.) In the older narrative he is represented as a 'seer,' attached to a town in the hill country of Ephraim, who is consulted by Saul while in search of the lost asses of his father (ch. ix. ). Samuel, who has been informed by Yahweh of Saul's coming, receives him cordially and invites him to a sacrificial meal. On the fol- lowing morning he announces to Saul that Yahweh has designed him to he the deliverer of the Hebrews from the oppression of the Philis- tines and privately anoints him. Three .signs are given to Saul by means of which to test the truth of Samuel's words. The signs are fulfilled and soon the occasion presents itself which enables Saul to raise the siege of Jabesh-Ciilead. and amid much enthusiasm he is crowned king. The later narrative is not only much fuller, but ac- cords to Samuel the preeminent position that he occupies in biblical IraiUtion. It begins with the vow made by Hannali, the barren wife of Elkanah, on the occasion of a visit to the sanctu- ary at Shiloh, to devote the child that is prom- ised to her through Eli to the service of Yahweh. Sanuiel is born, and after being weaned is handed over to the care of Eli. While engaged in the service of the sanctuary, Yahweh appears to him in the night and announces the approaching downfall of the house of Eli in consequence of the sins committed by the wicked sons of the priest. The defeat of the Israelites by the Philistines at Aphek seems to be the catastrophe meant by the prophecy, though in connection with this event and the subsequent restoration of the ark there is no mention of Samuel. When Samuel next appears he has assumed the role of a general ad- viser to whom the people look for advice; he ex- horts 'them to turn from their idolatrous prac- tices and his intercession with Yahweh brings about the discomfiture of the Philistines. Sam- uel, moreover, is pmtrayed as a 'judge' adminis- tering justice throughout Israel through a yearly circuit which embraced the chief sanctuaries — Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. Ou the approach of old age, Samuel associates his tto sons with him, but the latter,' like the sons of Eli, did not re- semble their father. For this reason and because they wanted to be like other nations, the people demand that a king be set over them. Samuel at first opposes the request, which he regards as an act of rebellion against Y'ahweb, but finally yields, and at a gathering of the people in Mizpah directs that lots be cast for the king. The choice falls on Saul, the son of Kish, the Benjamite. A farewell speech practically closes the public career of Samuel, who, however, lives long enough to announce to Saul that the kingdom will be taken from him because of his disobedience to Yahweh's command. (SeeS.iUL.) He anoints David and after that retires from public gaze. He dies at Eamah and is buried there. Bearing in mind the general religious character of the later narrative (as set forth in the article Samuel, Booics of), it is not surprising to find incidents introduced which are intended to illus- trate the narrator's conception of Israel's past. So the supposed opposition of Samuel to the kingdom merel}" refiects the general point of view maintained in the Pentateuch, which likewise looks with disfavor upon the whole period of royalty and regards its institution as the fatal step in Israel's history. The scene, therefore, be- tween Samuel and the people in which he rebukes them for desiring a king (I. Sam. viii! 10-18) may contain but a slight historical kernel or even be a purely fanciful elaboration. In like manner many scholars regard the farewell speech of Samuel (I. Sam. xii.) as iinhistorical and be- lieve that legendary embellishments form a fac- tor in many of the other incidents related of him. Nevertheless they agree that the narrative correctly estimates the importance of the posi- tion held by Samuel and the scope of his inriu- ence. In man}' respects he reminds us of Moses, and he is certainly the most striking personage in Hebrew history between Moses and David. Cini'^nlt the chapters on Samuel in the Hebrew histories of Stade.Wellhausen, Piepenbring, Guthe, and others. SAMUEL, Books of. Two of the so-called historical books of the Old Testament. Original- ly they formed one work, but were divided into two books in the Septuagint and Vulgate and the