And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
When Samuel was old. He was now about 54 years of age, having discharged the office of sole judge for 12 years. Unable, from growing infirmities to prosecute his circuit journeys through the country, he at length confined his magisterial duties to Ramah and its neighbourhood (1 Samuel 7:15-17), delegating to his sons as his deputies the administration of justice in the southern districts of Palestine, their provincial court being held at Beer-sheba. He appointed them to this high and responsible office, not like Eli, from the fondness of doating partiality, but, from the careful training they had received under his direction, as well as from the paternal authority and the good example he had set them, he hoped and believed that they would prove faithful and impartial in the execution of their trust. The arrangement was a good one; and, considering the distance of Beer-sheba from Ramah, where Samuel still exercised the office of judge, it might have been expected to conduce to the convenience and comfort of the people.