1 Samuel 7:15

Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life This, like the statement of 1 Samuel 7:13, must be understood with qualifications: for (a) Samuel in his old age made his sons judges (1 Samuel 8:1): (b) Saul was made king a considerable time before Samuel's death. But it does not contradict the subsequent history. Clearly his sons supplemented but did not supersede their father's judicial office; and Samuel retained a civil and religious authority even after Saul had become the military leader of the people.