Samuel the Prophet

Title Options:Hannah gives her son to God.God talks to the boy Samuel.Samuel becomes God’s prophet.

There was an Israelite man named Elkanah. Every year, he would lead his family [household] to worship the Lord in Shiloh Town, at the tabernacle [that the Israelites built when Moses was their leader].

They would offer a [livestock (sheep, goat or cow) as a] sacrifice to the Lord. At that time, the priest’s name was Eli. His own two sons helped him.

During one of their visits to Shiloh, Elkanah’s wife, whose name was Hannah, felt sad [because she was barren]. So she prayed, “O Lord! Please let me bear a son!”

She also made a promise to the Lord, “If you will give me a son, then I will give him [back] to you. He will belong to you, and he will serve you always!”

That year, Hannah bore [gave birth to] a son. Elkanah and Hannah named him Samuel. [Samuel means ‘God heard’ in their language.]

When Samuel was about three years of age, Elkanah and Hannah brought Samuel to Shiloh. Hannah put [stood] the boy Samuel before Eli [the priest], and said, “I have come to give my son to the Lord, as I promised to do!” From that day, Samuel stayed at the tabernacle.

Eli’s own two sons were wicked [greedy] men. They would even steal meat from sacrifices that Israelites brought to the tabernacle.

They often disobeyed the Lord’s laws and rules, but they never repented.

While still a young boy, Samuel served the Lord by helping Eli in the tabernacle. Samuel wore a special linen [cloth] robe that his mother Hannah made [sewed] for him.

Every year, Elkanah and Hannah would come to Shiloh, and make a sacrifice to the Lord. Every year, Hannah would sew [make] a new robe for Samuel [a little bigger each year].

Eli would sometimes scold his own sons, whenever he heard about their evil actions.

Eli would say to them [his adult sons], “You must stop sinning!” But because they would not listen to [obey] him, the Lord became angry with them.

One night, as Samuel lay on his bed in the tabernacle, he heard a voice say, “Samuel!” He quickly ran to Eli and said, “Here am I!”

But Eli replied, “I did not call you. Go back to bed!” That same night, Samuel heard the same voice twice more, and each time he ran to Eli.

Third time, Eli replied to Samuel, “It must be the Lord who is calling your name! Next time reply [say]: Lord, speak to me for I am your servant and I am listening to you!”

Fourth time, Samuel obeyed Eli’s advice. The Lord said to Samuel, “Eli’s wicked sons will soon die, and no sacrifice can take away their sins!”

Next morning, Eli commanded Samuel, “Tell me all that the Lord said to you in the night!” So Samuel recounted [told] Eli the words that the Lord had spoken to him.

So Eli replied, “It is the Lord who spoke to you, and he will do what is right [what pleases himself]!”

Some months later, Eli’s wicked sons died [were killed] in a battle against the Philistines.

As Samuel grew up [became a man], the Lord often spoke to Samuel, so that everything he said proved [was] reliable [true]. Thus, all the Israelites knew that Samuel was a prophet through whom the Lord truly spoke.