Study Desk

The real reason we wanted our altar was to show our people that we worship the same God you do. This altar will be the proof to you and us and to all our future children that we worship the Lord . We give our sacrifices, grain offerings, and fellowship offerings to the Lord . We wanted your children to grow up and know that we are also Israelites like yourselves.

In the future, if it happens that your children say that we don't belong to Israel, then our children can say, ‘Look, our fathers who lived before us made an altar. That altar is exactly like the Lord 's altar at the Holy Tent. We don't use this altar for sacrifices—this altar is proof that we are part of Israel.'

But I took your father Abraham out of the land on the other side of the River. I led him through the land of Canaan and gave him many children. I gave Abraham his son Isaac.

When the Israelites left Egypt, they carried the bones from the body of Joseph with them. They buried the bones of Joseph at Shechem on the land that Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor, the father of the man named Shechem. Jacob had bought that land for 100 pieces of pure silver. This land belonged to Joseph's children.

Then Jephthah's daughter said to her father, "But do this one thing for me first. Let me be alone for two months. Let me go to the mountains. I will not marry and have children, so let me and my friends go and cry together."

Jephthah said, "Go." He sent her away for two months. Jephthah's daughter and her friends stayed in the mountains. They cried for her because she would not marry and have children.

There was a man named Manoah from the city of Zorah. He was from the tribe of Dan. Manoah had a wife, but she was not able to have any children.

The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah's wife and said, "You have not been able to have children. But you will become pregnant and have a son.

Then the 600 men from the tribe of Dan and the Levite priest turned and left Micah's house. They put their little children, their animals, and all their things in front of them.

So the Israelites sent 12,000 soldiers to the city of Jabesh Gilead. They told the soldiers, "Go to Jabesh Gilead, and use your swords to kill everyone who lives there, even the women and children.

The men of Benjamin who are still alive must have children to continue their families. This must be done so that a tribe in Israel will not die out!

So all the elders and the people who were near the city gates said, "We are witnesses to all of this. And may the Lord bless this woman who is coming into your home to be like Rachel and Leah. They are the ones who had many children to make the people of Israel strong. And may you become powerful in the tribe of Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem!

May the Lord bless you with many children through Ruth. May your family become great like the family of Perez, the son Tamar bore for Judah."

Elkanah had two wives. One wife was named Hannah and the other wife was named Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah did not.

Whenever Elkanah offered his sacrifices, he always gave one share of the food to his wife Peninnah and a share of the food to each of Peninnah's children.

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.

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.

Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife. He would say, "May the Lord give you more children through Hannah who will take the place of the boy she prayed for and gave to the Lord ." Elkanah and Hannah went home.

Now go fight against the Amalekites. You must completely destroy the Amalekites and everything that belongs to them. Don't let anything live; you must kill all the men and women and all of their children and little babies. You must kill all of their cattle and sheep and all of their camels and donkeys.'"