Hannah couldn’t have children. This tormented
her so much that she went to the Tabernacle and
begged God for a child. She said, “Oh Lord, if
you’ll give me a son, I’ll give him back to you and
he’ll serve you for the rest of his life.”
Eli, the high priest, noticed that Hannah
was moving her mouth but she wasn’t saying
anything. He thought she was drunk. “Woman,
put away your wine!”
“Oh sir! I’m not drunk. I’m praying to God.”
“Oh, well … uh … go your way. The Lord will
answer your prayer.”
Sure enough, the Lord answered her prayer.
In less than a year, she gave birth to a baby boy
and named him “Samuel,” which means “God
heard me.”
When the boy was old enough, his mother
took him back to the Tabernacle and presented
him to Eli. She said, “I prayed for a child, and the
Lord answered me. Now I’ll give my son to the
Lord, and he’ll serve Him for the rest of his life.”
Every year Hannah came to visit and brought
new clothes for Samuel. The priest prayed that
God would give Hannah more children. After that
she had three sons and two daughters.
Eli gave Samuel work to do in the Tabernacle.
As he grew physically, he also grew in favor with
the Lord and with people.
Eli’s sons were just the opposite. They were
wicked and didn’t honor God in any way. Many
of their sins were committed in the house of
the Lord. Eli talked to them about this, but did
nothing about it.
One night, while Samuel was sleeping, the
Lord called out, “Samuel, Samuel.”
He woke up and ran to where Eli was
sleeping. He said, “Yes, I’m here!”
Eli woke up and looked at the boy. “I didn’t
call you, Samuel. Go back to your bed.”
Samuel went back and lay down. As he
was going to sleep, the Lord called him again.
“Samuel, Samuel.”
This time he knew he wasn’t dreaming. He got
up and ran to Eli. “Here I am!”
Eli once again said, “Son, I didn’t call you.
Now, go back to sleep.” So Samuel went back
and lay down.
Once again, the Lord called to him, “Samuel,
Samuel.”
At this point in his life, Samuel didn’t know
God, and the Lord hadn’t talked to him. So, the
boy did the only thing he knew to do. For the
third time, he ran to Eli. “I’m here because you
called me.”
This time, Eli realized what was happening. He
knew the Lord was calling Samuel, so he said,
“Go back and lie down. If you hear someone
calling you again, say, ‘Speak Lord, for your
servant is listening.’ ”
Samuel went back to his bed and lay down.
The Lord called him once again, “Samuel!
Samuel!”
Quietly Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant
is listening.”
God said, “I’m not pleased with how Eli allows
his sons to do evil in my house. I’m going to
judge him and his sons.”
Samuel lay back in his bed. In the morning,
Eli called him, “Samuel, what did the Lord say to
you?”
The boy was afraid to tell him the message
from God. Eli said, “Son, don’t hide it from me.”
So Samuel told him everything.
Eli said, “He’s Lord! Let Him do what is good
in His eyes.”
The Lord was with Samuel from that day on,
and God continued to reveal His words to him.
Samuel obeyed the Lord, and everything he said
came true. All of Israel recognized that he was a
prophet of the Lord.
© God Child