Great question. The statement “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 7:15) seems, at first glance, to contradict the later narrative where Samuel anoints Saul as king and steps aside from civil leadership. But this tension resolves when we understand the different roles Samuel continued to play, even after the monarchy was established.

Here’s how the statement makes sense:

📜 1. The nature of a “judge” in Israel

In the book of Judges and in early 1 Samuel, a judge was more than just a legal arbiter. Judges functioned as:

• Deliverers (military leaders in times of crisis),
• Spiritual guides (calling Israel back to God),
• Civic leaders (offering wisdom and justice),
• Prophets (in Samuel’s unique case).

Samuel was the final judge in this tradition, and he embodied all these roles.

👑 2. Samuel did not stop judging when Saul became king

Although Saul took on political and military leadership, Samuel retained spiritual and judicial authority:

• He rebuked Saul on multiple occasions (1 Samuel 13 and 15).
• He continued to offer sacrifices and intercede for the people (1 Samuel 12:23).
• He led a prophetic community (1 Samuel 19:20).
• He remained God’s spokesperson and the moral conscience of the kingdom.

This is very different from modern divisions of power. Samuel’s role as “judge” did not end with the kingship; it shifted.

⏳ 3. The phrase is retrospective

The statement in 1 Samuel 7:15 is part of a summary passage, looking back at Samuel’s long-term service. It’s not saying he remained the central political authority after Saul’s anointing — rather, he remained a constant figure of spiritual leadership and divine judgment until his death.

📌 Summary

“Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life” means that Samuel never ceased to function in his God-appointed role as a judge — not necessarily as the sole ruler, but as a lifelong servant in guiding, warning, correcting, and representing God to Israel. Even under the kingship of Saul, Samuel remained a judge in the deepest, spiritual sense.

Absolutely — and that’s a powerful observation.

Samuel’s judgeship, especially as described in 1 Samuel 7, was marked by a rare season of national repentance, unity, and peace:

“So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.” (1 Samuel 7:13)

This period under Samuel’s sole leadership was unusually stable. The people listened to him. God responded with deliverance (like the thunder at Mizpah). Samuel traveled in a circuit judging cases, leading worship, and offering sacrifices — a rhythm of life grounded in obedience and divine favor.

But then came Saul.

When the people demanded a king (1 Samuel 8), it wasn’t just a change in leadership structure. It was a rejection of God’s kingship — and Samuel took it personally:

“They have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7)

From this point on, Samuel’s life became marked by grief, conflict, and confrontation:

• He warned Israel and Saul of the consequences of disobedience.
• He had to deliver God’s judgment when Saul disobeyed (1 Samuel 13 and 15).
• He wept over Saul (1 Samuel 15:11, 35).
• He had to secretly anoint David, risking Saul’s wrath (1 Samuel 16:2).

His later years were consumed not with peaceful judging, but with watching the unraveling of a monarchy he never wanted, led by a man he anointed, but who repeatedly disobeyed God.

In short:

Samuel’s earlier leadership as judge was blessed because Israel was aligned with God’s design. But once the people chose their own way — “a king like the nations” — Samuel bore the emotional and spiritual burden of watching that decision play out. He moved from being a peaceful shepherd of the people to a prophet of warning and grief.

It’s a sobering reminder that obedience creates peace, and rejecting God’s way — even when it looks like progress — brings conflict.