The following incident is an illustration of Samuel's unusual
qualities manifested even in infancy. He was two years old when
his mother brought him to Shiloh to leave him there permanently.
An occasion at once presented itself for the display of his learning
and acumen, which were so great as to arouse the astonishment of
the high priest Eli himself. On entering the sanctuary Samuel
noticed that they were seeking a priest to kill the sacrificial
animal. Samuel instructed the attendants that a non-priest was
permitted to kill the sacrifice. The high priest Eli appeared at the
moment when, by Samuel's directions, the sacrifice was being
killed by a non-priest. Angered by the child's boldness, he was
about to have him executed, regardless of Hannah's prayer for his
life. "Let him die," (18) he said, "I shall pray for another in his
place." Hannah replied: "I lent him to the Lord. Whatever betide,
he belongs neither to thee nor to me, but to God." (19) Only then,
after Samuel's life was secure, Hannah offered up her prayer of
thanksgiving. Beside the expression of her gratitude, it contains
also many prophecies regarding Samuel's future achievements, and
it recited the history of Israel from the beginning until the advent
of Messiah. (20) Her prayer incidentally brought relief to the Sons
of Korah. Since the earth had swallowed them, they had been
constantly sinking lower and lower. When Hannah uttered the
words, "God bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up," (21) they
came to a standstill in their downward course.

Hannah was spared to witness, not only the greatness of her son,
but also the undoing of her rival. Every time Hannah bore a child,
Peninnah lost two of hers, until eight of her ten children had died,
and she would have had to surrender all, had not Hannah
interceded for her with prayer. (22)