Study Desk

Now the boy Samuel was working for the Lord with Eli. There were few words from the Lord given in those days, and there were not many special dreams.

He ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call you. Lie down again." So Samuel went and lay down.

The Lord called again, "Samuel!" So Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But Eli answered, "I did not call you, my son. Lie down again."

The Lord called Samuel again for the third time. He got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli understood that the Lord was calling the boy.

Eli said to Samuel, "Go lie down. If He calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

Then the Lord came and stood and called as He did the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for Your servant is listening."

I have told him that I will punish his family forever for the sin he knew about. Because his sons brought the sin upon themselves, and Eli did not stop them.

So I swear to the family of Eli that the sin of his family will not be paid for with gifts given on the altar forever."

The Lord came again to Shiloh. For the Lord made Himself known to Samuel at Shiloh, by the Word of the Lord.

The Philistines came dressed for battle to meet Israel. When the battle spread, Israel lost to the Philistines. The Philistines killed about 4,000 men on the battle-field.

Be strong and act like men, O Philistines. Or you will be made to work for the Hebrews, as they have been made to work for you. Be men and fight."

So the Philistines fought, and Israel lost. Every man ran to his tent. And many were killed, for 30,000 foot soldiers of Israel fell.

When he came, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching, for he was very worried about the special box of God. The man told the news in the city, and all the city cried out.

When he told about the special box of God, Eli fell back off the seat by the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel forty years.

Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was going to have a child and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the special box of God was taken and that her father-in-law and husband had died, she started to give birth, for her pains came upon her.

About the time of her death, the women who stood by her said to her, "Do not be afraid. For you have given birth to a son." But she did not answer or listen to them.

She said, "The honor has left Israel, for the special box of God was taken."

When the men of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, "The special box of the God of Israel must not stay with us. For His hand is hard on us and on our god Dagon."

So they called together all the leaders of the Philistines and said, "Send away the special box of the God of Israel. Let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people." For the people of the city were afraid. The hand of God was very heavy there.

The Philistines called for the religious leaders and those who were wise in secret ways, saying, "What should we do with the special box of the Lord? Tell us how we should send it to its place."