Study Desk

So the people of Benjamin saw that they were defeated. The army of Israel had moved back because they were depending on the surprise attack. They had men hiding near Gibeah.

The army of Benjamin had killed about 30 Israelite soldiers. So the men of Benjamin were saying, "We are winning, as before." But then a big cloud of smoke began to rise from the city. The men of Benjamin turned around and saw the smoke. The whole city was on fire. Then the army of Israel stopped running away. They turned around and began to fight. The men of Benjamin were afraid because they knew that a terrible thing had happened to them.

Then the Israelites said, "Are there any tribes of Israel who did not come here to meet with us before the Lord ?" They asked this question because they had made a serious promise. They had promised that anyone who did not come together with the other tribes at the city of Mizpah would be killed.

The Israelites felt sorry for the men of Benjamin. They felt sorry for them because the Lord had separated them from the other tribes of Israel.

But Naomi told the people, "Don't call me Naomi; call me Marah. Use this name because God All-Powerful has made my life very sad.

I decided to tell you about this in front of the people living here and in front of the elders of our people. If you want to pay the widow for the land and keep it in the family, then pay her for it. If you don't want to buy the land, tell me, because I am the next one in the family who has the right to buy it. If you don't buy the land from her, I will." Naomi's closest relative said, "I will buy the land from her."

He will make you alive again and care for you in your old age. Your daughter-in-law made it happen because she bore this child for you. She loves you, and she is better for you than seven sons."

Elkanah always gave an equal share of the food to Hannah. He did this because he loved her very much, even though the Lord had not let Hannah have any children.

Peninnah always upset Hannah and made her feel bad because the Lord had not made her able to have children.

Don't think I am a bad woman. I have been praying so long because I have so many troubles and am very sad."

By that time the following year, Hannah had become pregnant and had a son. She named him Samuel. She said, "His name is Samuel because I asked the Lord for him."

Don't continue bragging. Don't speak proud words, because the Lord God knows everything. He leads and judges people.

People who had plenty of food in the past must now work to get food. But those who were hungry in the past now grow fat on food. The woman who was not able to have children now has seven children. But the woman who had many children is sad because her children are gone.

Samuel did not yet know the Lord because the Lord had not spoken directly to him before.

I told Eli I would punish his family forever. I will do this because Eli knew his sons were saying and doing bad things against God. But he failed to control them.

She named the baby Ichabod, that is to say, "Israel's glory has been taken away." She did this because God's Holy Box was taken away and because both her father-in-law and her husband were dead.

She said, "Israel's glory has been taken away" because the Philistines had taken God's Holy Box.

The people of Ekron called all the Philistine rulers together and said to the rulers, "Send the Box of the God of Israel back home before it kills us and our people!" The people of Ekron were deathly afraid because God severely punished them there.

But no priests were there to lead the celebration when the men of Beth Shemesh saw the Lord 's Holy Box. So the Lord killed 70 men from Beth Shemesh. The people of Beth Shemesh cried loudly because of this hard punishment.

When that time comes, you will cry because of the king you chose. But the Lord won't answer you at that time."