g until now because my grief and vexation are
so great." Eli answered, "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant
what you have asked of him." She said, "May your servant have your
approval!" So the woman went away and ate, and her face was no longer
sad.

Early in the morning she and her husband rose; and after they had
worshipped Jehovah, they returned to their home at Ramah. In the course
of the year Hannah had a son and named him Samuel, saying, "I asked him
of Jehovah."

Elkanah and all his household again went to offer the yearly sacrifice
to Jehovah, but Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, "When
the child is weaned, then I will take him, and he shall go to Jehovah's
temple and live there the rest of his life." Elkanah said to her, "Do
what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him; only may Jehovah
help you to do what you have promised."

So the woman waited and nursed her son until she weaned him. Then she
took him with her, and a three-year-old ox, a bushel of flour, and a
skin of wine, and brought him to the temple of Jehovah at Shiloh. Then
they killed the ox, and Hannah brought the child to Eli and said, "Oh,
my lord, as surely as you live, I am the woman who stood near you here
praying earnestly to Jehovah. This is the boy for whom I prayed. Jehovah
has granted what I asked of him. Therefore I have given him to Jehovah;
as long as he lives he belongs to Jehovah."

Elkanah returned to his home in Ramah, but the boy stayed to serve
Jehovah under the direction of Eli the priest. So Samuel--a young boy
dressed in a linen robe--did the duties of a priest in the temple. His
mother also made him a little robe and each year brought it to him when
she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.

Eli blessed Elkanah and said, "Jehovah repay you with children from this
woman for the gift which she has given to Jehovah." Then they returned
to their home; and Hannah had three more sons and two daughters.
Meantime the boy Samuel grew up in the temple of Jehovah.

The sons of Eli were very wicked. They knew not Jehovah, and they
despised the offerings which were brought to him. Eli was very old, and
whenever he heard that his sons were doing wrong he said to them, "Why
do you do such things, for I hear of your wicked deeds from all the
people. No, my sons: it is not a good report that I hear from the people
of Jehovah." But they did not listen to the words of their father.

Th