Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 7:16

"And he went from year to year in circuit to Beth-el and Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places." — 1 Samuel 7:16 (ASV)

To Beth-el, and Gilgal, and Mizpeh, and judged Israel. —These centres, it can be observed, were all situated in the southern part of the land, in the tribe of Benjamin. This leads us to the conclusion that the power of Samuel, if not exclusively, was chiefly exercised among the southern tribes.

The whole subsequent story of the chosen people seems to tell us that the religion of the Eternal at an early date became corrupted in the north of the Promised Land, and that the restoration of faith and purification of life—the result of the great work of Samuel—was so much less marked in the northern than in the southern tribes, that when the strong hand of Solomon was removed, a formal secession from the southern league at once took place. This was followed by a rapid deterioration both in faith and practice in the northern kingdom of Israel.

The places mentioned as the centres where Samuel “judged” were all holy sites, and at different periods of the year, no doubt, were crowded with pilgrims from distant parts of the land.