Inquiry:
Who may offer sacrifices to God? Leviticus 17:1-5 and Numbers 18:6-8 say that only Levites may do so, but 1 Samuel 1:1-2, 20 and 7:7-9 show that non-Levites may also do so away from the tabernacle. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
God instructed the Levites to offer sacrifices, and they were in charge of the service at the tabernacle. But, as one reads throughout the Old Testament law, it becomes apparent that the one bringing the sacrifice also participated to some degree (Leviticus 1:1-5).
The questioner seems to think there is a problem with Samuel making sacrifices before the Lord, inferring that he was not a Levite. 1 Samuel 1:1-2 identifies his father as an Ephraimite, but if we look at 1 Chronicles 6:33-38, we will see that he was indeed of the tribe of Levi, of the family of the Kohathites.
How can he be both an Ephraimite and a Levite at the same time? He was a Levite by descent, but a Ephramite by location. He lived in the region of Ephraim, and was thus labeled an Ephraimite.
There is no contradiction.
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