Samuel Judges Israel Faithfully And Successfully (1 Samuel 7:15-17).
Samuel's judgeship after the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines is passed over very briefly, for the book is not a history of Samuel or of Saul but of the deliverances and kingship of YHWH. Note the twofold stress on justice and godliness, Samuel judged Israel and he built an altar to YHWH. This latter would be as a stand-in for the Tabernacle.
Analysis.
a And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life (1 Samuel 7:15).
b And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah (1 Samuel 7:16 a).
c And he judged Israel in all those places (1 Samuel 7:16 b).
b And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house (1 Samuel 7:17 a).
a And there he judged Israel, and he built there an altar to YHWH (1 Samuel 7:17 b).
‘ And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.'
And Samuel's judgeship then continued ‘all the days of his life'. This was firstly as sole Judge, then in association with his sons (1 Samuel 8:1) and then finally in his old age as prophetic guide to Saul, until Saul fell. Compare 1 Samuel 7:6. Here the emphasis is more on his activity as their spiritual and moral guide,
‘ And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places.'
In pursuance of his judgeship he performed a regular circuit to Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah. Bethel was about 8 miles north of Jerusalem, Gilgal was in the Jordan Valley not far from Jericho, and was seemingly the place where for a while the Tabernacle was later erected when Philistine incursions had begun again under the reign of Samuel's sons and of Saul, (see 10:8. This was probably because it was well out of reach of the Philistines who did not venture that far) and Mizpah was probably about 4 miles north west of Jerusalem. It will therefore be observed that while many of the tribes had responded to his call for arms, and saw him as their prophet, Samuel did not act overall as direct judge over them. He was there to guide and arbitrate if they needed it. His direct judgeship appears to have been over a fairly limited area, although, of course, being available to all if they wished (compare Deborah in Judges 4:4-5 where she judged ‘between Ramah and Bethel' to ‘all Israel', and called on Barak to act as war-leader for Zebulun and Naphtali, assisted by some of the other tribes).
‘ And his return was to Ramah, for there was his house, and there he judged Israel, and he built there an altar to YHWH.'
But his main base was in Ramah where he now lived. And it was there that he judged Israel when not on circuit, and it was there that he built an altar to YHWH. In the absence of the Tabernacle this was very necessary. (The Tabernacle had clearly ceased to operate at this time, for Samuel had been bound by a vow to serve it while it was still in existence). Indeed he may well have established a tent sanctuary around the altar to act as a substitute all the while that he was judge.