And it came to pass, that Hannah bare a son; and she called his name
Samuel. And the man Elkanah went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly
sacrifice, and his vow. But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her
husband, "I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will
bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for
ever."
And Elkanah her husband said unto her, "Do what seemeth thee good; tarry
until thou hast weaned him; only the Lord establish his word."
So the woman tarried until she weaned him. And when she had weaned him,
she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of meal,
and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in
Shiloh: and the child was young. And they slew the bullock, and brought
the child to Eli. And she said, "Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my
lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. For
this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I
asked of him: therefore I also have granted him to the Lord; as long as
he liveth he is granted to the Lord."
And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto
the Lord before Eli the priest.
=Sec.59. The Wicked Priests= (I Sam. 2:12-17, 22-25, 18, 19, 26)
Now the sons of Eli were wicked men; they knew not the Lord. And the
custom of the priests with the people was, that, when any man offered
sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was being boiled,
with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; and he struck it into the
kettle; all that the fleshhook brought up the priest took. So they did
in Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. Yea, before they
burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and said to the man that
sacrificed, "Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have
boiled flesh of thee, but raw." And if the man said unto him, "They will
surely burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul
desireth;" then he would say, "Nay, but thou shalt give it to me now:
and if not, I will take it by force." And the sin of the young men was
very great before the Lord; for they despised the offering of the Lord.
Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did unto all
Israel. And he said unto them, "Why do ye such things? for I hear of
your evil dealings from all this people. Nay, my sons; for it is no good
report that I hear: ye make the Lord's people to transgress. If one man
sinned against another, God shall judge him: but if a man sin against
the Lord, who shall entreat for him?"
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father.
But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a
linen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little robe, and brought it
to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the
yearly sacrifice. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife. And the child
Samuel grew on, and was in favor both with the Lord, and also with men.
=Sec.60. The Call of Samuel= (I Sam. 3:1-18)
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And it came to
pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, (now his eyes
had begun to wax dim, that he could not see,) and the lamp of God was
not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, in the temple of
the Lord, where the ark of God was; that the Lord called Samuel: and he
said, "Here am I." And he ran unto Eli, and said, "Here am I; for thou
calledst me." And he said, "I called not; lie down again."