servants. The original generation of Levites served only twenty years, from age 30 to age 50 (Num 4:2–3, 22–23, 29–30, 34–35), although for later generations this was expanded to twenty-five years (ages 25 to 50; Num 8:24–25). Samuel, however, was a servant of God his entire life. As a boy he already served before God in an ephod (1 Sam 2:18), and he continued in service as God’s prophet until his death. The vow also included the promise that “a razor will never be used on his head” (1:11). Since