Samuel was the last of the judges and was also a priest and prophet.  He is one of the outstanding Old Testament characters.  Abraham founded the Hebrew race; Joseph saved them from famine; Moses gave them a home and Samuel organized them into a great kingdom which led to their glory.  His birth was in answer to prayer and as judge or deliverer he won his most signal victory, that against the Philistines, by means of prayer.  He founded schools for the instruction of young prophets at Gilgal.  Bethel, Mizpeh and Ramah.  In this he perhaps rendered his most valuable and most lasting service.  These schools gave a great impetus to prophecy.  After this time prophecy and prophets had a vital and permanent place in the life of the nation.  Even kings had to consult them for instructions from God.

Ruth the Moabite.  In contrast with the many stories of idolatry and sin of the times and especially in contrast with the story of the idolatry of Micah and the crime of Gibeah found in the last chapters of Judges, we have the beautiful little story of Ruth, the Moabite.  Others had turned away from Jehovah the true God to false gods, but she turned from the false gods and received the true God.

Other Nations.  Of the condition of the other nations of this period we are left largely to the monuments, but much has been discovered that throws light on the general world conditions.  The following might be noted here. (1) Egypt.  After the Exodus of Israel Egypt seems to have enjoyed several centuries of great prosperity during which the country was adorned with wonderful buildings, her religion prospered, her people were famous for their learning and, through colonization projects, she carried her civilization to many other climes. (2) Assyria was now a growing empire and destined to become, ere long, one of the most powerful of all. (3) Babylonia was now weak and generally at a disadvantage in contests with other nations. (4) The Elamites also became a people of considerable influence and at least on different occasions invaded Babylonia. (5) Mesopotamia, before being absorbed by Assyria was a powerful nation and ravaged Syria and Palestine. (6) Phoenicia was a country of great commercial progress with Tyre and Sidon as centers of great influence. (7) Greece.  The most interesting of all the countries that began to show their strength during that period is Greece.  The inhabitants were wonderful in physical energy, in war and conquest, in discovery and in capacity for education.  They were fond of pleasure and had great capacity for the tasks of society, government, and religion.  They contrived a religious system that was conspicuous for the absence of the great priestly class of the eastern systems of religion.  However, it left the morally corrupt nature of man untouched and, therefore, did not contribute anything to the cause of pure religion.