The tomb of Samuel, the prophet, who led the Israelites and anointed Saul, is traditionally located on a high hill west of Jerusalem.
Benjamin of Metudela visited the site when he traveled the land in 1173, noting that the Crusaders had found the bones of Samuel in a Jewish cemetery in Ramla on the coastal plain and reburied here, overlooking the Holy City. Scholars tell us that the Crusaders mistakenly believed Ramla to be Samuel’s burial place, confusing it with the biblical Rama, north of Jerusalem.
The traditional tomb site, which became known as Nebi Samwil (“the prophet Samuel”), may have been Mizpah, where Samuel was appointed leader of the Israelites (1 Sam. 7:5-6).
Over time practically every ancient Jewish traveler mentioned the place and its synagogue. Today too, a synagogue is located at the tomb, along with a panoramic view from the roof, and fascinating remains spanning some 1,500 years.