What gives Samuel the right to serve as a priest?

Throughout the entirety of the Old Testament, readers become keenly aware that Yahweh is a stickler for the rules. When he commands his people to do something in a certain way, he expects them to do it exactly that way. Despite the many shortcomings and outright rebellion of the Israelites depicted in the Old Testament, Yahweh never falters from the way he expects things to be done. This is why it surprised me when Samuel is seen ministering before the Lord in the clothes donned by priests in 1 Samuel 2:18. After all, Samuel isn’t mentioned to be a descendant of the tribe of Levi in the surrounding text, and the priestly duties carried out in ancient Israel are strictly reserved for the Levites . So, what exactly gives Samuel the right to carry out priestly duties in the temple?

A linen ephod would be similar to the ephod worn by the high priests, minus the adornments

In 1 Samuel 1:1, it seems apparent that Samuel belongs to the tribe of Ephraim, a half tribe of Joseph. This seemingly eliminates any possibility of Samuel becoming a priest before the Lord. However, a closer look at the verse reveals something rather intriguing. The text describes Elkanah, Samuel’s father, as being a man “of the hill country of Ephraim.” This does not necessarily mean Elkanah belongs to the tribe of Ephraim, it only implies he lives there. According to the law concerning Levitical priesthood at the time, the tribe of Levi was never given an inheritance of land; rather, the priests of the tribe of Levi are dispersed throughout the entire nation of Israel. Therefore, it is very possible that Elkanah could be a Levite who simply lives among the tribe of Ephraim. To further bolster this possibility, it is important to note that during the time in which the Old Testament was written, sojourners and traveling priests often identified themselves with the name of the dominant tribe of the land in which they resided. Further digging into scripture reveals this to very likely be the case with Elkanah. 1 Chronicles 6:33-38, while a little dry for my taste, reveals a pretty interesting detail regarding the lineage of Samuel and his father, Elkanah: 

“33 These are the men who served and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer the son of Joel, son of Samuel, 34 son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, 35 son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, 36 son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, 37 son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, 38 son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel”.

This lineage includes Samuel and winds all the way back to Levi, son of Israel. Therefore Samuel is indeed a descendant of Levi, and as such, he maintains the right, if not the duty, to serve as a priest for the people of Israel. 

Even with all the evidence compounding to offer proof of Samuel’s Levite bloodline, I like to explore all the possibilities. Might as well have a backup plan, after all. While the evidence presented above offers limited room for doubt of Samuel being a Levite, there is absolutely no doubt that Samuel is a Nazarite:

“9 After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. 10 She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lordand wept bitterly. 11 And she vowed a vow and said, ‘O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.’” (1 Samuel 1:9-11)

A Nazarite, in simple terms, is a person who makes a vow (or is vowed for, in the case of Samuel) to set themselves apart to the Lord. The notable characteristics of a Nazarite include abstaining from any sort of wine or strong drink, never cutting their hair, and refraining from coming in contact with corpse. Granted, that last characteristic is ignored in many of the Nazarite vows depicted in the Old Testament. The important aspect of a Nazarite, pertaining to this particular train of thought, is their ability to act as priests in the nation of Israel. Nazarites are set apart (consecrated, if you will) from an early age to serve the Lord only. This is a physical embodiment of the quintessential goal of Yahweh to have his people be set apart from the surrounding nations. While Nazarites are not considered Levitical priests in general, they do serve the Lord in surprisingly priestly ways. They are consecrated to minister before Yahweh in a variety of different capacities. Many Nazarites found in the Old Testament carry out their duties in the temple, much like Samuel. So, while the Nazarite priesthood resulting from a Nazarite vow is not synonymous with the Levitical priesthood, it does entail priestly duties being fulfilled. 

Whether the reader would like to view Samuel as a Levite or simply as a Nazarite, there is no question that he had the right and obligation to minister before the Lord. His presence in the temple may come as a surprise to readers at first, but upon further investigation, it becomes the only logical place for Samuel to be. If anything, considering his lineage and consecration as a Nazarite, it should be more surprising that Samuel ever set foot outside of the temple. He apparently had a double dose of the priesthood.