Once there was a woman named Hannah, who was very sad because she didn’t have any children. She prayed to Yahweh and promised Him that if He gave her a son, that she would dedicate him to serve Him all his life and that she would never cut his hair. Yahweh blessed her with a son, and his name was Samuel. To keep her promise, Samuel’s mother took him to live with a man named Eli. Eli was a priest, who lived in a place called Shiloh. People went to Shiloh at a special time every year and gave offerings to Yahweh to show Him how much they loved Him. Yahweh’s tabernacle, which is the 'tent of meeting' was where the ark of the Covenant was kept. The temple was not built yet, so this tent was God's Holy place. This was in Shiloh where Samuel and Eli lived. The ark was very special to Eli. It had things in it that were special to Yahweh, like Moses’ staff, and the stone tablets with the ten commandments written on them, and things like that. Eli had two sons, and they did not follow the commandments of God.
In the early times, when the people of Israel dwelt in their own land, judges, prophets, and high priests ruled instead of kings and princes. One of these high priests was Eli, a man who loved Yahweh, though he did not watch over his wicked sons as he should have done.
Eli lived near the tabernacle, or, (as it was then called), the 'tent of meeting'. This tabernacle was a large tent, with beautiful curtains inside, where the worship of God was carried on. In it were the holy place and the holy of holies, the ark of the covenant and it's lid, the ten commandments, the altar of incense, the seven-branched golden candlestick, and other sacred things.
Day by day the faithful child Samuel did his work in the tabernacle. It seems to have been part of his duty to see that the seven lights on the great golden candlestick were burning, and to open and shut the doors. They were simple duties, you may think, but in doing them properly, little Samuel was pleasing God as much as the king on his throne, or the general at the head of his army. It does not matter what our day's work may be, but it does matter how we do it. The Bible tells us, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God".
One night, when Samuel was about twelve years old, he had lain down to sleep in his little room or tent near to where Eli slept. Just at the dawn of the day Samuel heard a voice calling his name. He thought that Eli wanted him, and, like a good child, he ran to the aged priest and said,
"Here am I, for thou calledst me."
Eli said, "I called not; lie down again."
It was not long before he again heard the voice saying, "Samuel." He was now sure it was Eli, and he quickly went to his bedside, and said that he had indeed heard him call.
"I called not, my son," was the reply; "lie down again."
It was the voice of Yahweh that spoke, though as yet Samuel did not know it.
A third time the voice called as before, and the boy again hasted to his master. Eli now understood that it was Yahweh who had spoken. "Go," said he, "lie down; and it shall be, if He call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Yahweh, for Thy servant heareth."
So Samuel went and lay down in his place. For the fourth time the voice cried, "Samuel, Samuel." The lad now spoke as he had been instructed by Eli. Then the voice gave him this message for the aged Eli, that Yahweh would punish the people of Israel for their sins, and that Eli's two sons should both die in one day, because they were very wicked. He was also to declare that Yahweh was angry with Eli for not doing all he should have done to keep his sons from their evil conduct.
When the morning came, Samuel began to attend to his duties in the temple. He was afraid to tell Eli the sad things that would come upon his family and people. While he was there, Eli called him, and asked what Yahweh had said, and desired that he would not conceal any word from him. When Eli heard what would come to pass, he piously said: "It is Yahweh: let Him do what seemeth Him good." Soon after this time the sons were killed in battle; and when their aged father was told they were dead, and that the ark of God was taken, he fell down from his seat and died also.
Samuel grew up to be the prophet and ruler of his people; and, after a useful and holy life, he died at a very old age.
Samuel was the last of the Judges and the first of the prophets. Samuel anointed the first king of Israel, Saul. When Saul started to disobey and be a bad king, Yahweh took the throne from him and chose David to be His new king. Samuel also anointed David.
Samuel was loved by his people and was greatly missed when he died.
You can read more about Samuel in the Scriptures menu- Old Testament- 1Samuel and 2Samuel.
