The Tomb of Samuel the prophet

A favorite destination of many Jewish tours, the Tomb of Samuel the Prophet, who anointed Saul and led the Israelites, is a site that has remained incredibly popular for centuries. The Tomb of Samuel the Prophet is located west of Jerusalem on a high hill. When he traveled the area in 1173, Rabbi Ovadiah of Bartenura paid a visit to the site. He said that Samuel's remains had been found by Crusaders in a Jewish cemetery in Ramla and that they had reburied them where they could overlook the Holy City. Scholars believe that the Crusaders had mistaken Ramla with biblical Rama, which lies north of Jerusalem. Nebi Samwil ("the prophet Samuel"), as the traditional tomb site is known, may have been in Mizpah, which is where Samuel was appointed the leader of the Israelites (1Sam. 7:5-6). Samuel's tomb and its synagogue has been visited over the years by almost every ancient Jewish traveler. A synagogue still remains at the Tomb of Samuel the prophet for visitors to explore while on Jewish tours of Israel.