Samuel listens to God

Samuel lived in the Lord’s house with the priest, Eli. Why didn’t Samuel live at home with his parents? Samuel’s mother, Hannah, couldn’t have children. This made her very sad. She prayed and asked the Lord to give her a baby boy. She promised that if he gave her a baby boy, she would give him back to the Lord. The Lord answered her prayers, and Hannah had a baby boy. Then just as she promised, when he was old enough, she took him to God’s house. From that day on, Samuel lived in the temple with Eli. Samuel was happy to live in God’s house. His mother visited him every year, and she would make a little coat for him.

Eli was very old, and he couldn’t see very well. One night, when everyone was asleep, Samuel woke up. Someone was calling him. He thought Eli needed something, so he went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “What do you want me to do?” Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed, little Samuel.” Samuel went back to bed and fell asleep. After a little while, he again heard someone calling. Samuel went back to Eli. He said, “I heard you calling. Here I am!” Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back to bed, Samuel.” Samuel didn’t know the Lord. He didn’t know it was the Lord who was calling him.

Samuel heard someone calling him a third time. He went to Eli again. At last Eli realised what was happening. He told Samuel, “Go back to bed. The Lord is calling you. When you hear his voice, you must say, ‘Speak, Lord. I’m listening.’” Samuel went back to bed, and the Lord called him once again. This time Samuel was ready. He said, “Speak, Lord. I’m listening.” Then the Lord spoke to Samuel. He said, “I have sad news for you. Eli’s sons have sinned against me, and Eli didn’t stop them. So the whole family will pay for their sins.” The next morning Samuel opened the doors of the Lord’s house, just as he did every morning. He didn’t want to tell Eli what the Lord had said, but Eli said, “Don’t keep quiet about the things the Lord told you. Tell me what he said.”

When Samuel told him, Eli said, “He is the Lord. He must do what he knows is best.”

Samuel loved the Lord. He served him faithfully, and the Lord spoke to him often. All the Israelites knew he was a prophet of the Lord. He became the people’s leader or judge. 1 Samuel 1 to 3