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the death of Eli and when he began to prophesy, which age 

 is doubtless too young to commence the civil jurisdiction of 

 a people, but it is false; for Scripture (Saml. c. 3. v. 15.) in- 

 forms us " he opened the doors of the house of the Lord," 

 which was not an office for that age, as the law of Moses 

 commanded the Levites to officiate at the age of 30, (the 

 Septuagint says 25, which agrees better with another text, 

 Numb. 8. 24. c. 4. v. 3.) David also numbered the Levites 

 from the age of 30, (Chron. c. 26. v. 35.) and afterwards, as 

 the Levites were no more to carry the tabernacle, he num- 

 bered them from 20 years, (v. 20.) so that Samuel Avas at 

 least 20 or 25, when he first began to open the doors of 

 the temple. But the text afterwards relates, (v. 19. and 

 sequel), " that Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, 

 and let none of his words fall to the ground," and "all Israel 

 from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established 

 to be a Prophet of the Lord," and (c. 4. v. 1.) " the word of 

 Samuel came unto all Israel," (c. 7. v. 15.) " Samuel judged 

 Israel all the days of his life," which texts prove not only that 

 he was of an age to undertake the government of the people, 

 but that, even during the life of Eli, his prophetic character 

 and acquirements were universally acknowledged. Who, then 

 so authorized to succeed him .^ But the very authority of 

 Josephus is destructive of the principles on which he pro- 

 ceeds. He assigns to the jurisdiction of Samuel alone, before 

 the election or association of Saul in the government, twelve 



years, 



