ELI AND SAMUEL.


Elkanah went up to Shiloh yearly to offer sacrifice: and when Samuel
was old enough, Hannah went with her husband and took her little boy
with her. They came to Eli the high priest, and Hannah said: "Oh, my
Lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here praying. For this child I
prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition. Therefore also have I
given him to the Lord." Then she left Samuel with Eli.

Samuel assisted Eli in the Tabernacle service, and wore a linen ephod
like a priest. His mother came yearly to see him, when she accompanied
Elkanah to the sacrifice at Shiloh, and each time brought with her a
little coat, which she had made for her son. Eli was an old man, who
had two wicked sons. These he had not restrained as he should have
done. So God was displeased with him and them on account of their
sins.

One night, while the lamp in the Tabernacle was burning, and Eli was
resting, Samuel was sleeping. A voice came to him calling, "Samuel!"
He rose, and ran to Eli saying, "Here am I." But Eli had not called,
so Samuel lay down again. A second time the same voice called,
"Samuel!" He went to Eli and said, "Here am I; for thou didst call
me." But Eli replied, "I called not, my son; lie down again." The call
was repeated a third time; then Eli told Samuel it was the Lord who
called him; and bade him answer if the voice came again, "Speak, Lord,