Importance of the Judges--Public Feeling--Sanctuary in Shiloh--Eli and his Sons--Defeat by the Philistines--Capture of the Ark--Destruction of Shiloh and the Sanctuary--Flight of the Aaronites and Levites--Death of Eli--The Ark in Philistia and in Kirjath Jearim--Prophecy re-awakened--Samuel in Ramah--The Order of Prophets or Singers--Popular revulsion--The tribe of Judah--Repeated attacks of the Philistines--Meeting at Mizpah--Samuel's activity--Nob as a place of worship--Increase in the power of the Philistines and Ammonites--The tribes desire to have a King--Samuel's course of action. 1100?-1067 B. C. E. The twelve or thirteen warrior-judges had been incapable of keeping off the hostile neighbours of Israel for any length of time, much less had they ensured the permanent safety of the country. Even the celebrated Barak, with all his enthusiasm, and Gideon and Jephthah with their warlike courage could succeed only in uniting a few of the tribes, but were unable to secure or restore the union of the entire people. The warrior-judges were, in fact, of importance only so long as they repulsed the enemy, averted danger, and ensured safety in daily life. They wielded no real power, not even over the tribes to which their prowess brought help and freedom; nor did they possess any rights by which they could enforce obedience. The isolation of each tribe, and the division amongst the several tribes continued, in spite of temporary victories; the actual weakness of the country increased rather than diminished. Samson's "serpent-like attacks and adder's bites" did not deter the Philistines from considering the tribes within reach as their subjects, or more correctly speaking as their slaves, nor did it prevent them from ill-treating the Israelites. Jephthah's victories over the Ammonites did not cause the enemy to relinquish his claims over the eastern tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half of Manasseh. After the deaths of Jephthah and Samson, the state of affairs became still more dismal. It was, however, precisely this sense of extreme weakness which led to a gradual recovery of strength. Several tribal leaders must have come to the conclusion that this connection with neighbouring populations, and the adoption of idolatrous customs had brought the people to the verge of ruin. The remembrance of the God of their fathers no doubt once more revived in their hearts, and awakened their sleeping consciences to a sense of duty. The men who had been thus aroused called to mind the Sanctuary dedicated to their God at Shiloh, and they repaired thither.