Study Desk

He returned the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And she said, "I set apart all the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son. It is to be used in making an object to look like a god. So I will return the silver to you."

When he returned the silver to his mother, she gave 200 pieces to the man who works with silver. He made them into an object to look like a god for Micah's house.

They said to him, "We beg you to ask God if all will go well for us as we travel."

When you go in, you will come to people who feel very safe. They have much land, but God has given it to you. It will be a place where you will have all you need on earth."

The people of Dan set up for themselves the object made to look like a god. And Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons were religious leaders to the family of Dan until the day their land was taken.

They set up the false god that Micah had made, while the house of God was at Shiloh.

The leaders of all the people, all the families of Israel, showed themselves in the meeting of the people of God. There were 400,000 soldiers on foot who used the sword.

The people of Israel went up to Bethel. There they asked God, "Who should go first for us to fight against the people of Benjamin?" The Lord said, "Judah should go first."

The people of Israel asked the Lord what to do. (For the special box with the Law of God was there in those days.

So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening. In loud voices they cried,

"O Lord, God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel? Why should there be one family group missing in Israel today?"

But Ruth said, "Do not beg me to leave you or turn away from following you. I will go where you go. I will live where you live. Your people will be my people. And your God will be my God.

May the Lord reward you for your work. May full pay be given to you from the Lord, the God of Israel. It is under His wings that you have come to be safe."

Then Eli answered, "Go in peace. May the God of Israel do what you have asked of Him."

There is no one holy like the Lord. For sure, there is no one other than You. There is no rock like our God.

Speak no more in your pride. Do not let proud talk come out of your mouth. For the Lord is a God Who knows. Actions are weighed by Him.

If one man sins against another, God will help make peace for him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who can make peace for him?" Yet they would not listen to what their father said, for it was the Lord's will to kill them.

Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, "This is what the Lord says. ‘Did I not let Myself be known to those of your father's family when they were in Egypt being made to work for Pharaoh's house?

So the Lord God of Israel says, ‘I did promise that those of your family and the family of your father should walk before Me forever.' But now the Lord says, ‘May this be far from Me. For I will honor those who honor Me. And those who hate Me will not be honored.

The lamp of God had not gone out yet. And Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord where the special box of God was.