Study Desk

The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, "Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us."

When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, "Our god has handed our enemy over to us, the one who ruined our land and killed so many of us!"

Samson called to the Lord , "O Master, Lord , remember me! Strengthen me just one more time, O God, so I can get swift revenge against the Philistines for my two eyes!"

When you invade, you will encounter unsuspecting people. The land is wide! God is handing it over to you—a place that lacks nothing on earth!"

The Israelites went up to Bethel and asked God, "Who should lead the charge against the Benjaminites?" The Lord said, "Judah should lead."

So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably.

They said, "Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel?" An entire tribe has disappeared from Israel today!"

So Naomi said, "Look, your sister-in-law is returning to her people and to her god. Follow your sister-in-law back home!"

But Ruth replied, "Stop urging me to abandon you! For wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people will become my people, and your God will become my God.

May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection!"

Eli replied, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him."

No one is holy like the Lord ! There is no one other than you! There is no rock like our God!

Don't keep speaking so arrogantly, letting proud talk come out of your mouth! For the Lord is a God who knows; he evaluates what people do.

If a man sins against a man, one may appeal to God on his behalf. But if a man sins against the Lord , who then will intercede for him?" But Eli's sons would not listen to their father, for the Lord had decided to kill them.

A man of God came to Eli and said to him, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not plainly reveal myself to your ancestor's house when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh?

Therefore the Lord , the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did say that your house and your ancestor's house would serve me forever.' But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be! For I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed!

and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord as well; the ark of God was also there.

You should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God, and he did not rebuke them.

Eli said, "What message did he speak to you? Don't conceal it from me. God will judge you severely if you conceal from me anything that he said to you!"

So the army sent to Shiloh, and they took from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts who sits between the cherubim. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.