In the land of Israel, not, very far from Shiloh, there lived a man named Elkanah. This man feared God, and every year he went to Shiloh, taking his offerings for sin to the priests at the tabernacle. He did not go alone, but took his family with him, and they worshiped God together.
But Hannah, Elkanah’s wife, was very unhappy because God had never given her a child. Even though Elkanah loved her dearly and gave her much honor, still Hannah would not be comforted. One year when she went with her husband to offer sacrifices at Shiloh she prayed and asked God to give her a baby boy. She promised to lend the little boy back to God if only he would answer her prayer.
And God answered Hannah’s prayer. He rarely denies unselfish prayers, and Hannah had prayed unselfishly. Even before another year passed by God gave Hannah and Elkanah the baby boy she had promised to lend again to him. And Hannah named him Samuel, which means, “Asked of God.” We are sure that she nursed him care-fully and loved him very dearly. But she did not forget her promise to the Lord.
When Samuel was yet a very little fellow, Hannah packed his clothes in a. neat bundle one day and took him to Shiloh. There she brought, him to the high priest, whose name was Eli. She told Eli how she had prayed for this child, and how she had promised to lend him to the Lord as long as he should live. Now she wanted Samuel to live near the tabernacle and learn how to help the high priest.
Although Eli was a very old man he had never before heard of any one lending a child to the Lord. But he knew God was pleased to have Hannah do this, and he promised to take care of her little boy and to teach him to serve God. Then Hannah and her husband returned to their own home at Ramah, leaving Samuel at Eli’s tent, near the tabernacle at Shiloh.
Every year after this time when Elkanah came to offer his sacrifices at Shiloh, Hannah came too, and every year she brought a new coat for her little boy. How glad she must have been to see him growing taller! And how thankfully she must have listened while Eli told about the many things that little Samuel was learning to do about the tabernacle! Her heart was very glad because God had answered her prayer. And God gave her other children besides Samuel.
Now Eli had two sons, who were priests. But they were wicked men. They did many things that displeased God greatly. They behaved so wrongly that many good people in Israel dreaded to go to Shiloh with their offerings. And Eli knew they did wrong; but still he allowed them to be priests at the tabernacle. Sometimes he told them they should act differently, but he had allowed them to misbehave for so many years that now they would not listen to his words. But Samuel did not learn to do wrong, like those wicked men.
One day God sent a prophet to speak to Eli and warn him about his sons’ wrong-doing. He said they would surely be punished. And because Eli had allowed them to act as priests when they were wicked men, the prophet said that Eli would also be punished. The office of the high priest would be taken away from his house forever. None of his children after him should work at the tabernacle.
After the prophet went away, God one night spoke to Samuel. Now it had been a long, long time since any one had heard God’s voice. Samuel did not understand that God was speaking to him. He was only a child yet, and he did not’: know very much about God. When he heard a voice calling him through the darkness, he believed that Eli wished to speak to him. So he rose quickly from his bed and ran to Eli. “Here am I,” he said, and he stood ready to do whatever Eli might ask. But Eli was surprized at his coming. He said, “I did not call for you, my boy. Lie down again.” And Samuel obeyed.
Soon the voice spoke again, “Samuel!” And Samuel rubbed his sleepy eyes and hurried again to Eli’s bedside. “Here I am,” he said, “for I heard you call.” But once more Eli replied, “I did not call; return again to your bed.”
When the voice spoke the third time to Samuel, and when Samuel ran the third time to Eli, then the old man understood that perhaps God was wishing to speak to his little friend. So he told Samuel to return again to his bed and listen for the voice. And when God should call again he should say, “Speak, for thy servant heareth.”
Samuel went back and lay down again, and soon he heard the voice of God calling, “Samuel! Samuel!” And he answered, “Speak, for thy servant heareth.” And God talked with Samuel that night, and told him that he was soon going to punish Eli and his sons; just as the prophet had said.
When morning came Samuel was afraid to tell Eli about the words of the Lord. Perhaps he had lain wide awake for a long time, wondering how he could tell this message to the dear old man who had been, so kind to him. But Eli knew that God had spoken to the child. And when Samuel did not come near to tell him about God’s words he called the lad to him. Samuel came as he had done during the night, and said, “Here am I.” And at Eli’s request he told all the words of the Lord. And Eli bowed his head and said, “It is the Lord: let him do what he wills.”