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We read in 1 Samuel 13:9 that king Saul waited for Samuel to offer the burnt offering and the peace offering (before he did that himself). This mean Samuel played the role of high priest, or at least a priest. But, we know that Samuel, although being a Levite from the lineage of Kohath, he was not from the house of Aaron. So, how come he became a priest?

Samuel had three roles in his ministry: priest, prophet, and judge. He was of the Levitical priesthood by lineage and was mentored by Eli the priest. Thus, he acquired his priestly responsibilities as a disciple of the priest, Eli, in conjunction with his own familial Kohathite Levitical priesthood. Samuel's qualifications allowed him to perform some of the lesser of the priestly functions. Only the Aaronic priesthood performed the higher priestly functions for the Sanctuary and the Ark:

"Then the Lord said to Aaron: 'You and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear the iniquity related to the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood. Also bring with you your brethren of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you while you and your sons are with you before the tabernacle of witness'" (Numbers 18:1-,2).

Samuel was first a priest and later when commissioned to deliver prophecies, he became a prophet, also. After the return of the Ark, Samuel assumed the role of judge [1 Samuel 7:17]. Examples of Samuel's priestly role include offering a suckling lamb for a whole burnt offering to the Lord [1 Samuel 7:9]. He anointed both Saul [1 Samuel 10] and David [1 Samuel 13], the first and second kings of his time in Israel. In Samuel 13, it is apparent that Saul initially waited for Samuel to arrive to perform the ritual of the burnt and peace offerings, a duty that was assigned only to the priests. Thus, when Saul, as a king and not a priest, disobeyed Samuel's command, but made the offering himself, Samuel became very wrath with him for breaking this commandment and stripped him or his royal function as king.