Study Desk

So Bo‘az took Rut, and she became his wife. He had sexual relations with her, Adonai enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.

He did the same every year; and each time she went up to the house of Adonai , she taunted her so much that she would cry and not eat.

Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why are you crying, and why aren't you eating? Why be so sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?"

So Hannah got up after they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh. ‘Eli the cohen was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of Adonai .

She prayed for a long time before Adonai ; and as she did so, ‘Eli was watching her mouth.

Hannah was speaking in her heart — her lips moved, but her voice could not be heard — so ‘Eli thought she was drunk.

She replied, "May your servant find favor in your sight." So the woman went on her way, and she ate, and her face was no longer sad.

But Hannah did not go up, explaining to her husband, "Not till the child has been weaned. Then I will bring him, so that he can appear before Adonai and live there forever."

Her husband Elkanah answered her, "Do what seems good to you; stay here until you have weaned him. Only may Adonai bring about what he said." So the woman stayed behind and nursed the child, until she weaned him.

So Adonai took notice of Hannah, and she conceived and bore three more sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Sh'mu'el grew in the presence of Adonai .

So why are you showing such disrespect for my sacrifices and offerings, which I ordered to be made at my dwelling? Why do you show more honor to your sons than to me, making yourselves fat with the choicest parts of all the offerings of Isra'el my people?'

The day is coming when I will break your strength and the strength of your father's family, so that no one in your family will live to old age.

Everyone left in your family will come, prostrate himself before him for a silver coin or a loaf of bread, and say, "Please, won't you give me some work as a cohen, so I can have a scrap of bread to eat?"'"

Once, during that period, ‘Eli had gone to bed — his eyes had begun to grow dim, so that it was hard for him to see.

Then he ran to ‘Eli and said, "Here I am — you called me?" But he said, "I didn't call you; go back, and lie down." So he went and lay down.

So ‘Eli said to Sh'mu'el, "Go, and lie down. If you are called again, say, ‘Speak, Adonai ; your servant is listening.' Sh'mu'el went and lay down in his place.

So Sh'mu'el told him every word and hid nothing. ‘Eli replied, "It is Adonai ; let him do what seems good to him."

So the word of Sh'mu'el came to all Isra'el. Isra'el went out to fight against the P'lishtim, setting up camp at Even-‘Ezer, while the P'lishtim camped at Afek.

When the army had returned to camp, the leaders of Isra'el asked, "Why has Adonai defeated us today before the P'lishtim? Let's bring the ark for the covenant of Adonai from Shiloh to us, so that he will come among us and save us from our enemies."

So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark for the covenant of Adonai -Tzva'ot, who is present above the k'ruvim. The two sons of ‘Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, were there with the ark for the covenant of God.