Study Desk

Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim, of the mountains of Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, 1 Chronicles 6:34">[fn] the son of Tohu, 1 Chronicles 6:34">[fn] the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.

This man went up from his city yearly to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. Also the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

And whenever the time came for Elkanah to make an offering, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.

Then she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head."

Then they rose early in the morning and worshiped before the LORD, and returned and came to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her.

So it came to pass in the process of time that Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, [fn] saying, "Because I have asked for him from the Lord."

Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

And Elkanah her husband said to her, "Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord establish His [fn] word." So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

He will guard the feet of His saints, But the wicked shall be silent in darkness. "For by strength no man shall prevail.

The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. "He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed."

Then Elkanah went to his house at Ramah. But the child ministered to the LORD before Eli the priest.

And the priests' custom with the people was that when any man offered a sacrifice, the priest's servant would come with a three-pronged fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling.

Moreover his mother used to make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

And Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, "The LORD give you descendants from this woman for the loan that was given to the LORD." Then they would go to their own home.

Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, [fn] and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

And it came to pass at that time, while Eli was lying down in his place, and when his eyes had begun to grow so dim that he could not see,

Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, "Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears."' So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.

For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

So Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.